It's time to see what Ange's got cooking up her sleeves! She's been accosted by some thugs, and is prepared to put them in their place! We finally get to see Ange battle this chapter, and find out what she's made of! Can she handle the thugs of Pyrite Town? Or will she find herself in for a rude awakening?

KedharS: Computer Girl? That's an interesting nickname, given how much she despises stuff like technology.

Pokemon Academy: Beginning of Beginnings

Chapter 874

In a certain dive bar in Pyrite Town, a man that was made of muscle lounged back in a booth, with two hot women tending to his needs and gushing all over him.

"Wow, Gansly, you really are so great!" One of the women cooed.

"Your gang is, like, just the best!" The other exclaimed.

Gansly through back his head and laughed. "You got that right, ladies! People say that fool Duking is the big boss in Pyrite Town, but when it comes to the underworld, there isn't anyone who can hold a candle to-"

The door to the bar broke off its hinges, flying into the tavern to the shock of the patrons. The same bandana thug from earlier who had been harassing Ange scurried into the bar, his face stark-white with terror.

"G-Gansly!" He stuttered, crawling across the floor to the hulking man. "There's a… she's… everybody was…"

"What happened?" Gansly growled, sitting up in his seat. The guy looked scared shitless. And folks in his gang weren't weak; who had put that much fear in his eyes?

He got the answer to both of his questions when a figure stepped into the doorway, the dim light of the bar casting shadows across her face.

Ange strolled in like she didn't have a care in the world, her expression an impassive mask.

"I'm looking for Gansly," she said, scanning the bar. "I'm told he's the biggest boss in the Pyrite Town underworld."

Gansly beckoned her closer, intrigued. "Well now little missy, who wants to know?"

"I'll give my name to Gansly," she coldly replied, stalking closer to him. "Is that you?"

"Are you the one who defeated Brandon down there?" He asked, heartlessly kicking the thug clinging to his leg. "I gotta say, that's pretty good, taking him down in a pokemon battle! But I've got a few other boys who-"

"I beat them."

Gansly blinked, taken aback. "What did you just say?"

Ange leaned in close, ignoring the nauseating stench of alcohol on the man's breath. "I said," she repeated, "I beat them. All of them. Every last one of those punks." She pointed her thumb over her shoulder at the broken door. There was a pile of defeated thugs stacked up outside, not that anyone could see.

Gansly felt a shiver, a twisted smile crossing his face. "Damn. Is that right…"

"Yep, that's right," Ange said coolly. "Now tell me, are you Gansly? Or am I talking to the wrong person?"

"…Fine then," Gansly said, rising from his seat and towering over Ange. He had to respect the fact that the girl didn't back down even slightly, like she was used to threats far more imposing than him. It was surprising.

Gansly didn't want to imagine what this girl had faced if she wasn't intimidated.

"So all my guys were taken down by a little girl like you," Gansly mused, stroking his bushy beard. "I see! Well, that's definitely something. You're right little lady, I'm the man you're looking for, Gansly Rujik! So tell me, what's your name, and what can I do for you?"

"I'm Ange, and I'm looking for a ticket into the Under," Ange replied. "I heard that you were someone who could arrange that sort of thing."

"The Under? That place is boarded up, it ain't safe," Gansly scoffed. "I'm afraid I can't help you there, little lady."

Ange narrowed her eyes. This was pointless. He was having fun joking around at her expense, was he? Well, she'd just have to see about that.

"I'm not a fool," she growled. "I know that you have access to secret tunnels that can get me down there. That boy of yours told me everything."

Gansly glared down at Brandon, who gasped and scurried away.

"…Fine, let's say I was capable of such a thing," Gansly growled. "I'm not so magnanimous a man as to help a stranger out for nothing in return."

He eyed her body and licked his lips. "How old are you, anyway?"

"Old enough to know that a creep like you has nothing that would satisfy me," Ange snapped back. "But if you want to know why it would be in your best interest, then maybe you should consider what would happen if you turned down my offer."

She removed a pokeball from her belt. "I already wiped the plaza with your boys. But I don't think your gang could recover if the same thing happened to you."

A savage grin crossed Gansly's face. "Are you threatening me, little lady?" He growled.

"I'm negotiating," Ange insisted. "Your move."

"Hah!" Gansly laughed. "You, and that pokeball you made in shop class?" He couldn't take Ange's hand-carved pokeballs seriously.

But at the same time, he wasn't a fool. He hadn't gotten to where he was by underestimating his opponents. This girl had wiped out his gang in one night. And she didn't even look winded- heck, she'd actually come here looking for more!

Someone with skills like those was definitely a talented trainer. He wasn't going to underestimate her for a second, he was just posturing.

Then he had a wicked idea.

"…Well, I do have to pay you back for what you did for my boys," he mused. "You taught them quite a lesson, and it's a lesson I need to teach you back. I need to get some respect from you, you understand me?"

She narrowed her eyes. "Oh? Is that right?"

"Pyrite Town rules are very clear about things like this," he rasped, leaning down until he was face to face with her. "Issues like these… are best solved in a pokemon battle."

"That's fine by me," Ange said. "And if I win, I'll have you show me the way to the Under."

Gansly shrugged. "Works for me. But if my side wins… I think I'll have you show me some honest respect. Yeah, that'll be nice." He licked his lips lasciviously, and Ange felt the urge to vomit. She'd anticipated a disgusting man like him would come up with a disgusting proposition like that, but that was fine.

Ange wouldn't lose. Not to a guy like this. Gansly's hand stuck out in front of her, asking to be shaken. His eyes were shining with glee.

"Deal," she agreed, taking his hand. It nearly made her recoil to touch him.

"Now, since you're the one challenging me, we'll be using my special rules," Gansly said, turning to the bartender. "Franky! Get 'em out!"

The bartender nodded quickly and took two metal collars out from behind the bar, handing them over to the hulking thug. Gansly slipped one over his own neck and latched it into place, and then handed the other to Ange.

She had a pretty good idea what this was, but put it on anyway.

"Those collars are necessary for what I like to call 'Pyrite Style' pokemon battles," Gansly cackled, leading the way out into the plaza. People made a path as he walked outside, showing just how intimidated they were of him. Ange followed silently after him.

"The way it works," Gansly continued, "is that we'll each use six pokemon in a double battle. And whenever one of our pokemon takes damage, the results will be raher… shocking, to say the least!" He laughed at his own joke.

"Because it'll send an electric charge through me, yeah, I picked up on that," Ange dryly replied, rolling her eyes. Gansly shot her a dirty look.

"Fine, so you know," he grunted. "So what? Just means you've got more balls than most of the others I've had to fight!"

"I know how scum like you think," Ange calmly replied. "Bullying others with strength, delighting in seeing them suffer, that's the sort of person who would emerge at the top in a place like Pyrite Town. But in the end, you're just a big fish in a tiny pond."

Gansly narrowed his eyes. "What was that?!" He roared.

"You don't know what real terror's like. Having to fight for every second of breath because the world keeps finding new ways to try and kill you," Ange scoffed. "Someone like you wouldn't last five seconds in my neighborhood."

"Just send out your pokemon!" Gansly spat. They were beginning to draw a crowd. Trainers who had already gathered in the plaza were now stopping by to watch, and the people from the bar had come out to see what was going on as well.

Everyone seemed eager. It wasn't often that Gansly had to show someone the ropes.

"That girl's about to learn just how rough Pyrite Town really is!" Was the collective thought passing through the minds of the onlookers.

"Don't mind if I do!" Ange snapped. Sati! Belle!"

Ange threw two of her pokeballs into the air. The first released a Tauros, the hefty bull pokemon bellowing with anger. She was a female Tauros, a rarity of nature, a genetic anomaly. But that didn't make her any less ferocious than the males of her species.

The other pokemon, Belle, was a Slaking. She lounged back and yawned for a moment, before climbing to her feet and beating her chest ferociously.

"A Slaking and a Tauros, huh?" Gansly said, cracking a grin. "I can see how you managed to beat my boys! Those are some ferocious pokemon you got there little lady, definitely not what I'd expect from someone as dainty as you!"

"Enough posturing," Ange snapped. "Send out your pokemon and let's do this thing already."

"Gladly," Gansly grinned. That girl thought she was all that, but she'd made a critical mistake. Her pokemon were both Normal types! Normal type pokemon may have been strong due to having some bulk and only a few weaknesses, but they were still easily dispatched if someone knew what they were doing!

And Gansly had been in more battles than he could count.

"Machamp, Gengar, let's show this little lady some manners!" Gansly bellowed, sending out his two pokemon.

Ange rolled her eyes. How predictable.

"You made a tactical mistake little lady!" Gansly cackled. "Sending out two Normal types? Not much you can do in the way of coverage! Meanwhile, my pokemon are all prepared to wipe the floor with those pathetic things!"

Ange had expected no less from a "man" (and she used the term loosely) like Gansly. He'd insisted that she make the first move, only because he wanted to see what pokemon she'd use and choose ones that were advantageous against her. It was a common tactic used by cowards and scoundrels, and not something that she had to worry about.

"Feh," she scoffed, smirking at her opponent. "I should have known that a guy like you wouldn't have the guts to face a real challenge."

Gansly would have exploded, but he kept a cool head. He didn't get to where he was by being easily baited by cheap taunts.

"Let me tell you what your first mistake was," he said instead. "Your first mistake was using a pokemon like Slaking in a match like this!"

Eve raised her eyebrow. "Oh? Is that right?"

"Yes, that's right," Gansly nodded. "Sure, a Slaking might have the raw brute force to take down pokemon, but they're slow! And not only that, they're lazy! A slow, lazy pokemon like that one makes for the perfect target! Gengar, use sludge bomb!"

"Gengar!" His Gengar cackled, forming an orb of poisonous energy in his hands. He flung it at the Slaking.

"And don't forget, whenever one of your pokemon takes damage, you'll be the one to take the hit, too!" Gansly cackled.

Ange smirked. "Assuming, of course, that you manage to hit. Belle, dodge it with agility!"

Gansly was shocked. "What?! Agility?!"

With a cackle her Slaking nodded, jumping backwards with a speed that belied his hefty frame. He easily evaded the Gengar's attempts to his him with sludge, to the bewilderment of the audience.

"What?" Ange asked. "You didn't see that one coming? Well, what about this? Sati, hit that Gengar with high horsepower!"

"TAUROS!" Sati bellowed, lowering her head and charging at the Gengar, putting the full force of her body into the attack.

"Shit! Gengar, dodge it! Then Machamp, use karate chop!"

"Gengar!" Gengar nodded, just barely managing to jump out of the way in time. As he did, Machamp took his place, raising one of his four arms high into the air and bringing it squarely down on Sati's face with a powerful chop.

"Tauros!" Sati roared in pain.

The collar around Ange's neck sparked for a second. Then, it sent a current of electricity shooting through her body.

"Grraaaaaarrrgh!" Ange cried, her body seizing up as the electric volts struck her, to Gansly's delight and the crowd's excitement.

"Hah! Now how's that taste?" Gansly chortled. "Not very good I bet! Now, Machamp, while she's still stunned, finish off that Tauros!"

"Fuck you!" Ange spat out, crawling back up to her feet. The electrical shocks had only made her mad. "Sati! Use revenge!"

"Tauros!" Sati took all the pain that had just been inflicted on her at the hands of that Machamp, and gathered it into her body. She focused on the burning rage and hatred she felt for the other pokemon, and with a bellow of fury she slammed into the Machamp's torso with all she had.

It was like seeing a person getting hit by a truck. Machamp was flung across the plaza by the sheer force of Sati's strike, crashing into the concrete.

"Oh no! The electric shock!" Gansly cried, moving as if expecting a volt of electricity to strike him in turn. Then he smiled.

"Hey? What's this?" Gansly asked, his face scrunching up in confusion even as he failed to hide the beaming smirk slathered across it. "My collar isn't working! Frankie, I thought I told you to get this thing fixed!"

"S-Sorry boss!" The bartender said through snickers. "I-I must have forgot!"

"Well that's inconvenient!" Gansly bemoaned. "What an unfortunate oversight! I'm sorry little lady!"

The trainers in the plaza began to laugh.

Ange wasn't amused.

"Please. Like I would have expected anything else," she scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Someone like you doesn't know the meaning of actually putting yourself at risk. You hide behind your pokemon, using them as tools to inflict suffering on others. But if it was your own life on the line, you'd probably soil yourself like a baby."

"What was that?!" Gansly exploded. He could keep a cool head a lot of the time, but this girl had just crossed a serious line.

"You heard me," Ange smirked. "If you knew anything about pain and suffering, you would never propose a sick game like this. And you don't." She tapped her finger against the collar. "This? This is nothing. I've been shocked by Raichus, Luxrays, more Electric type pokemon than you can imagine. I've had to scramble desperately away from hordes of Paras spitting stun spores, and Parasects twice my size on top of them! You think something like this is gonna get me scared and nervous? Please. Compared to where I trained this is like a walk in the part! Now Sati, jump back!"

"Tauros," Sati sulked, obeying her trainer's orders and returning to her side, even though she wanted to continue pressing the attack.

"Now, where was I?" Ange mused. "Oh, right. Belle, maybe you should go on the offensive this time, what do you think?"

Belle nodded in agreement, getting down on all fours and lumbering towards the Gengar, much to Gansly's disbelief.

"What the hell?! I don't get it!" Gansly shouted. "How can that Slaking be moving so fast!? Why isn't it slacking off like it's supposed to be?! Gengar! Hit it with a sludge bomb!"

But there was no way that was happening. Belle was too agile. She dodged to the side, zigzagging around the waves of poison as they rained down upon her.

"Excellently done, Belle! Now, use shadow ball!" Ange ordered.

"Shadow ball?!" Gansly echoed in shock.

Belle raised her hands and sculpted an orb of ghostly energy that she flung at Gengar, hitting him directly.

"Gengar?!" Gengar gasped, rolling backwards across the ground.

"Magnificent!" Ange cackled. "Now, keep it up! Show them some REAL suffering! Use… bitter malice."

Belle's eyes darkened and wicked smile spread across her lips, filled with anger and pain. She threw back her head and cackled, tendrils of shadow dancing up around her. They shot forward and wrapped around Gengar, squeezing tightly and inflicting him with a ghostly chill that froze the pokemon solid.

"Gengar!" Gansly gasped. He'd never even SEEN a move like that, certainly not from a Slaking! Frantic, he turned to his Machamp. "M-Machamp! Use your dynamicpunch!"

Machamp had already gotten back up and was charging right at Belle, fist raised. Thanks to his No Guard ability, there was no way it could miss! Gansly smiled with triumphant glee. The Slaking didn't even try to dodge!

And she didn't need to. Machamp's fist went sailing right through her, followed by the pokemon himself.

The crowd was stunned into silence. Gansly didn't know what he'd seen. His Machamp was prepared to hit, and then… he just went right through.

Ange smiled wickedly. "Extrasensory."

Slaking began to glow purple, and a violent blast of psychic energy sent the Machamp tumbling forward, crashing into the ground once more.

A bitter chill fell across the battlefield, and Gansly shivered. Had… had it ALWAYS been this cold tonight?!

"Y-You…" he gasped out, staring at Ange in disbelief. There was… there was something there, something off! A chilling aura wrapped around her, like a premonition of disaster. He couldn't make out what it was he was seeing, but the savage gleam in her eye…

Ange was content by that look on his face. He was starting to learn what it meant to fear a pokemon.

Well, Ange's certainly taking a commanding lead of this battle with her Normal types! What an exceptional Slaking, there doesn't seem like there's anything Gansly can even do! All those plans of his, but they aren't amounting to anything!