The sun crept through Kurai's window. The shadows seemed to flee from the dreadful light. It seemed they try to retaliate as well, trying to destroy it. As the shadows screamed from the burning, they vanished. Kurai watched this phenomenon with a deathly cold look in his eyes. His eyes seemed inhuman at the moment. He proceeded to sit up and yawn. He stretched out his arms trying to pull against another pulling force. Beside him, he reached for his glasses. After he put them on, he yawned again and sneezed. He rubbed the bottom of his nose with the top of his index finger. He sniffled and then stood up, grabbing his bag and putting it on. He then looked down and held his pendant and closed his eyes. When he opened them he seemed to regain that fire, that was more of a raging tempest. That pendant was the only way he could ever feel like that person was next to him, always by his side. There was a silence for a few moments until Nurse Joy shouted "Breakfast~!" Kurai started for the door and was about to open it when suddenly the door flew open and knocked him back. It was Ash being his ever so rambunctious self. "Hey Kurai!" He called out. He looked all around and walked in. Kurai groaned and Ash looked down.
"What are you doing down there man?" Ash asked.
"Y-you knocked me over…" Kurai said with a seemingly dying voice.
"Oh sorry" Ash sweat dropped and smiled goofily, holding out a hand to help Kurai up.
Kurai slowly reached out his hand and looked at Ash. Kurai's eyes suddenly went dark as he grabbed Ash's hand, pulled him onto him, put a foot on his stomach and kicked Ash into a wall behind then. Nurse Joy had heard that and looked up the stairs with question.
"A-ahh…that hurt really bad…" Ash groaned.
Kurai stood up, brushed off his shoulder and pushed up his glasses. "It's supposed to hurt, it's an ass kickin'."(Reference Alert!) Pikachu then walked in and saw Ash. "Pi?" He walked to Ash. "Pika pi?"
"I got kicked and…flipped by Kurai." Ash said. Kurai hmphed (also known as sasuke'd) and walked out of the room, then downstairs. He walked into the kitchen where two plates of food were and a few bowls of Pokémon food. Kurai silently reached in his bag and took out Snowrunt's Pokéball and let her out. Duskull randomly floated in out of nowhere again. Nurse Joy turned around, "Oh good morning" she said as she gave her brightest smile.
"Hm…" Kurai mumbled. Snorunt and Duskull went to eat their food as Kurai sat down at the table.
"Not a morning person?" Joy asked.
"Not really." Kurai said. In actuality he loved mornings but the sun hadn't come out on his mornings for a long time. Kurai then proceeded to eat, chewing silently. He didn't make a sound outside of his physical body. In his mind he thought about two things; the gym battle and his love.
Nurse Joy felt kind of awkward from the silence so she asked, "Where's Ash?"
"Oh he's lying around." Kurai laughed softly.
"Oh, alright" She smiled again. Kurai finished his food, got up and washed the plate and sat back down. He looked to think intensely about something and then sighed.
"What's wrong?" she asked with a slightly concerned tone.
"Oh nothing…" Kurai said. "Just thinking about something."
"Your gym battle?" She asked.
"Uh, yea." Kurai rested his head on his hand. "How'd you know?"
"Gardenia wouldn't stop talking about it."
"Happy-go-lucky girl…" He said resentfully.
"I don't see anything wrong with that…"
"Oh well…" Kurai stood up and walked for the door.
"Oh you're leaving?"
"Yea, Snorunt. Duskull. Let's go." He walked out the door as his Pokémon followed.
"Uhh…good luck, Kurai." Nurse Joy said.
As they walked over to the gym the sun beat down beautifully. It glazed over the road, making look oil painted. As they walked closer to the gym the aroma of flowers filled the air. Kurai instantly fell in love with the smell. He sighed happily and walked to the gym doors.
"You guys ready?" He asked Snorunt and Duskull. "Dus…kull..." "Sno Snorunt!"
"Alright good." He pushed open the doors and stepped inside. He met a greenhouse of flowers and plants, some of which he's never seen before. He lightly sniffed the air. Snorunt did the same and twirled on her feet. Duskull just floated in all his "'unfazed badassery', acting like his last name was Nukem and his first name was Duke. Kurai could tell he loved it as well but Duskull was too filled with, pride to show it. Then all of a sudden the gym lights dimmed and a single spotlight focused on them. Kurai had a question in his eyes.
Welcome Kurai to the Eterna Gym! I am the Gym Leader, Gardenia! I am mainly a grass type trainer, aren't grass Pokémon awesome? They could surely wipe you out in no second flat! I'm sure you'll lose!"
Kurai looked on and around. He smiled and folded arms together, leaned back slightly, narrowed his eyes, and his mouth went up a bit. "Challenge Accepted."
"Allllllright!" Gardenia said. "Let's begin shall we?" The spotlight went away, the gym crowded with cheering people. Kurai looked around again and observed his surroundings. Gardenia sent out her first Pokémon, Cherubi. Kurai grinned in a slightly malicious manner. "Alright Duskull, let's go!" Duskull's eyes flashed and he floated onto the field staring down Cherubi.
"My opponent has the first move!" Gardenia shouted.
"Ladies first!" Kurai shouted back.
"Eh…alright. Cherubi use Bullet Seed!" Cherubi then shot seeds out of its mouth in a frenzy of high velocity.
"Hmph…use Dark Pulse, Duskull." Duskull shot out a proceeded to shoot a dark ball that hit the ground. Upon hitting the ground, as usual, it spread out. The shockwave Rejected the Bullet Seed and when reaching around Cherubi, it tripped Cherubi up. "Now use Night Shade." Kurai said coldly. Duskull's eyes flashed and he shot a beam from his eyes towards Cherubi.
"T-try and dodge it Cherubi!" Gardenia shouted. Cherubi got back its footing looking ever so arrogant; it then looked ahead and saw the Night Shade. It dodged it slightly, but it was not enough and was hit. It flew back slightly, but got up for a final stand. Gardenia sighed with relief.
"Oh thank goodness…alright! Cherubi time for a counter-attack! Use Magical Leaf then Energy Ball!"
"Cher Cher!" Cherubi shot leaves of all colors out of itself and it hit Duskull without Kurai saying anything. Duskull went back a little. Cherubi then shot a ball of light and energy directly at Duskull.
"Duskull…Shadow Ball." Duskull then seemed to focus and absorb all the shadows and darkness into the center of his body. As the Energy Ball flew across the stadium he shot out his, it colliding with the Energy Ball. Dark and light energy shot out from the balls. Gardenia didn't think to do anything more and just watched with a 'Come on…' look on her face. Kurai pushed up his glasses.
"Finish it with Dark Pulse." In a split second Duskull shot out a Dark Pulse, it aided the Shadow Ball. Gardenia just froze as the Shadow Ball flew towards Cherubi and blew up. As the smoke cleared, Cherubi had fainted. The man who had the flags raised my side and said "Cherubi is unable to battle Round One goes to Kurai!" The crowd cheered. Gardenia slowly took out her Pokéball, withdrew Cherubi and spoke. "You fought a good, somewhat tragic fight…get some rest." She put the ball away, and pulled out another. "Alright now this gets serious!" She smiled and tossed it onto the field. A Cherrim was next. This wasn't going to be any different from the last match so swiftly Kurai and Duskull disposed of Cherrim. Gardenia again was surprised. She repeated her earlier process and finally sent out a Roserade. Kurai said nothing and motioned for Duskull to come back. Duskull obediently floated back, and Kurai sent out Snorunt. Snorunt looked as eager as ever and was ready to fight. Gardenia looked at Kurai with question but Kurai just smiled back. Kurai then held his hand to his chest and made a soft noise. "Heheh…" Snorunt looked back at him with a question in her eyes as to why he was acting this way. Kurai shrugged off her look and was prepared to win the battle with just a few moves and a wonderful strategy. Kurai could read people like a book. He knew what would happen and when it will. "Alright…let's get started shall we~?"
"I-it's not the end yet! Roserade use Poison Sting!" Gardenia shouted. Roserade put out her blue rose arm and shot small needle like things aimed for Snorunt.
"Dodge it…" Kurai simply flicked up his hand, as Snorunt proceeded to dodge and jump in the air. "Now…use Ice Beam, right at Roserade's feet." Snorunt seemed to nod and shot out a raging beam at Roserade's feet. It froze up her small body about to the bottom half of her. Roserade struggled to move.
Gardenia withheld herself. "Use Magical Leaf on the ice, Roserade!" With whatever Roserade could struggle out she cracked the ice and then broke free. Ice flew everywhere in icicles. "Now Roserade, use Grass Knot!" Grass Knot hit Snorunt but did minimal damage, as Snorunt wasn't moving.
"Snorunt, Icy Wind." Snorunt shot snow from its mouth in the form of a gust, it hit Roserade and it seemed to be slower.
"Ugh…Roserade, use Stun Spore!" Roserade shot up these yellow spores and it landed on Snorunt. Kurai had let that happen. Gardenia looked excited and shouted, "Roserade charge up Solar Beam! " Roserade took in the sun, ad charged up the light energy into a form it could use. Snorunt struggled to move. It struggled, and struggled. Kurai's face was expressionless as Snorunt looked back at him. When Roserade finished charging, Gardenia said, "Allllllright! Use Solar Beam!" Roserade had a winning intent in her eyes. It shot the beam straight for the stunned Snorunt.
"…Heh…let's end this with a bang, Snorunt, Ice Beam." Kurai said, while putting his glasses back on. Snorunt suddenly was free from being stunned for the slight moment of it using Ice Beam, the two beams clashed. The beams battled back and forth. "Snorunt…you can do this…" Kurai smiled contently. He was sincere in the purest of ways. Snorunt looked to sink a little and then put more energy into the Ice Beam making it larger. (Mini Kamehameha anyone?) The Solar Beam was being pushed back to Roserade along with the Ice Beam. "Roserade, come on! You can do it!" Roserade tried to put more energy into her beam but it was futile as Snorunt tried it's hardest to fight against it. With all of its might it pushed the two beams to Roserade, causing an explosion, again. Gardenia was coughing as the smoke cleared. Then Kurai's flag went up. "Roserade is unable to battle! The victory goes to Kurai!" The crowd cheered. Gardenia walked over to Roserade and picked her up. "You fought extremely well, it was good battle, and you deserve some rest…" Gardenia withdrew Roserade. As that was happening Kurai was hugging Snorunt. Duskull in all his badassery was looking away with "What the hell…" look. Gardenia then walked over to Kurai.
"That was an amazing battle, I really did have fun. So, that being said…"Gardenia stopped and reached in her pocket. Kurai looked up. "I present to you, the Forest Badge. I am honored that my gym was your first Gym." She held out the badge to Kurai and he slowly took it and stood up staring at Gardenia. Three seconds later they crossed arms in an X form.
"Heh, later when we have a rematch, I'll still kick your butt." Kurai said chuckling.
"I'll be a lot stronger then, I can't wait, you're definitely goin' to lose!" Gardenia said enthusiastically. Kurai called over Duskull and threw the badge in the air flipping it like a coin. Duskull floated beside him, then poofed, and scared Gardenia. She shot out of her skin and Kurai laughed. Gardenia puffed out her cheeks and sighed. "You're such a meanie." Ash then ran out onto the field. "Hey Kurai! Great job!"
"Well I'll be seein' ya Gardenia." Kurai turned around as soon as Ash reached them and started walking. Ash slid and turned around. "Hey man that's not fair! Kurai shrugged and said, "Come on…" Ash sighed. "Yea, yea I'm comin'…" He turned to Gardenia and said goodbye, but before he left Gardenia gave Ash something.
"Give these to Kurai will ya?"She asked.
"Oh yeah, sure!" Ash said as he ran to catch up with Kurai. Gardenia waved as they left the gym. "Heeeeeey Kurai!" Ash shouted. Kurai then turned around.
"Yea?" he asked.
"Gardenia gave me these to give you." Ash handed Kurai a Rare Candy and a Dawn Stone. "Oh cool. Duskull this is for you." He tossed the Rare Candy at Duskull as it grabbed it and ate it. There was a silence for a moment. Then a white light surrounded Duskull. It's shaped changed to something taller and more ominous looking. When the light cleared, Ash was in awe.
"Dus...clops" The newly evolved Duskull said, not in a deep and dark voice, but deathly almost as a menacing whisper. Dusclops's hands were not big and blocky, more like razor sharp claws. His one eye was a searing dark purple. His 'cloak' not grey but black. Snorunt looked awed at what Duskull had become. Kurai looked at Snorunt. "Don't worry, your time will come." He smiled and Snorunt smiled back. "Damn, Dusclops's looks scary…" Ash said. Dusclops's could no longer float so Kurai withdrew him. "Hm…" Then he withdrew Snorunt and continued to walk. "N-not again! Stop leavin' me behind!" Ash shouted. As they walked the reached Jubilife City.
When they got there, Kurai said, "I feel like eating something cold." He looked around the city and found an ice cream shop. Ash exclaimed, "Alright!" and he ran in. Kurai simply walked in and browsed around. He got mint chocolate ice cream in a waffle cone. Ash got chocolate ice cream on a cone as well. He then put his necklace inside his shirt keeping it close to him. As they paid and walked out of the store Kurai closed his eyes and Ash just walked mesmerized by his ice cream and bumped into someone. "S-sorry" he said as he looked up at the person. "Oh hey!" Ash exclaimed. Kurai opened one eye and then suddenly dropped his ice cream. There before them stood a tall blonde woman, in a black coat, a black t shirt and black pants. She wore heels that had a yellow strip across them, and wore these things in her hair with the same pattern on each side of her head. "C-cyndi…" Kurai whispered softly to himself and smiled as she looked up. "Oh hey Ash. And you are…?" Cyndi looked at Kurai. Kurai, who was just about to explode with joy, froze and died on the inside. "My name is…Akio." Ash looked at Kurai with utter question. "But you-" "Shut your mouth…" Kurai looked at him with a murderous intent in his eyes as he cut him off. Cynthia looked at both of them and then at "Akio". "It's very nice to meet you" she stuck out her hand. Kurai seemed to smile, in such way it seemed dead, like a smile that had lost all hope. He then grabbed her hand and shook it. "Like…wise…" he said.