Chapter 33
Into the Dark
"That's two on zip!" The announcer called out. "With one pokemon Kyle has taken down Both Hitmontop and Hitmonlee! I wonder what Bruno's next pokemon will be?"
"Something that will bring you out of the sky!" Bruno said as he reached for a pokeball.
"I doubt it, bud." I grinned as he threw out his next choice.
"Ooooonnnn!" The Onix roared as he slithered over the field.
"Well, looks like I'm going to have to change my strategy up a bit." I said as I placed a hand on Pidgeot's back. She turned to look at me, almost with a smile. I smiled back, holding up her pokeball as she pressed her beak on to it.
"It looks like a pokemon switch!" The announcer called out.
"Go, Gyarados!" I yelled, throwing out his pokeball.
The ball hit the field, putting off a red light as the large serpent appeared. "GGggaarrr!" It roared. Gyarados and Onix both stood the same height, slithering around each other as they both gave off warning blows. Onix plowed into Gyarados, Gyarados thrashed into Onix. Both were just getting warmed up.
"Onix!" Bruno called out. "Sandstorm!"
Onix roared loud as it began to raise its tail up high in the air. "Watch out!" I screamed. But to my amazement, instead of slamming its tail into Gyarados it slammed it on the ground, repeatedly. Before long the ground shook, throwing up dirt and rocks into the air. Gyarados winced as some of the dirt got into his eyes.
"It looks as though Gyarados is being buffeted by rocks!" The announcer said.
"Buffeted?" I questioned. "Where does he come up with some of these words?" I then focused back to the battle. "Hydro Pump!" I screamed.
Gyarados, still not able to see well from the sandstorm that had covered the field, shot out a blast of water into the direction he thought Onix was at. But it missed.
Suddenly rocks began to fall out of the sky. "Move!" I screamed. Gyarados, in the knick of time, moved out of the way of the rocks. They fell to the ground, making small craters when they hit. But then, almost as if it were a trap, even more rocks, bigger and movie faster, were right over where Gyarados was currently at. He was blocked in, cornered. On one side was boulders, on the other, a wall. I have to think fast… what to do… "Gyarados!" I screamed. "Flamethrower the sky!"
Gyarados tilted his head up, blasting a mound of flames skyward. The fire was able to slow down the rocks, but instead of reflecting them, they were now molten. The melted boulders fell on Gyarados, leaving very bad burns on his body.
"Oh, a bad move on Kyle's part!" The announcer said. "It would seem that instead of protecting Gyarados he managed to improve on Bruno's Rock Slide Attack!"
"Gyarados!" I said. "If you can't see it, just flush it out! Use Surf!"
Gyarados began bellowing out water in all directions; in the sky, on the ground, and sometimes even spinning around in circles. Before long the entire arena was turned into a water field, and Onix was laying at the bottom of the pool, knocked out.
"That makes three wins for Kyle!" The announcer said as Bruno recalled his Onix. "Only two more points and Kyle advances to the last member of the Elite Four!" I looked down to Gyarados. He was under the water, licking on his burns and using Hydro Pumps to stop the pain. The water was muddy. The dirt and rocks caused the surf attack to turn the arena into a mud puddle.
"You just made a bad move." Bruno said as he grabbed another pokeball.
"Oh come on!" I yelled back. "That's a bluff. You only have fighting pokemon. On a water field you are out of luck!"
"You shouldn't count your chickens! Go Hitmonchan!" He threw out his pokeball, and in the air the fighting pokemon appeared. "Now!" Bruno said while Hitmonchan was falling. "Thunder Punch!"
"Hit!" Hitmonchan charged up one of his boxing gloves as he lowered to the water.
"Yeah right." I laughed.
"CHAN!" It swung, releasing such a charge that it actually shot him back up into the air.
"GAR!" Gyarados cried out in pain. The electricity surged through him, zapping what was left of his power. Under the water he laid, knocked out.
"Argg…" I groaned as I recalled him.
"Now!" Bruno said. "Ice Punch!"
Hitmonchan fell back down to water, smacking it with another charged up glove, which this time changed the water field to an ice field. Hitmonchan stayed there, resting on its fist balancing itself in the air, almost like it was doing a one arm vertical push up. Slowing the water froze. It was amazing, beautiful even. The water, particle by particle froze like a highspeed camera. When the water was solid, Hitmonchan did a flip, off of his fist and landed on the ice, skating to a stop with his firsts up ready for more.
"Never in my life," the announcer called out. "Have I seen a chain of events like this! Bruno, counted as out after the field was changed to water by the power of Gyarados was able to silence the beast with its own move! And not only that, but he changed the field back to a stage that he has the advantage on!"
That does put me in a pickle. I thought to myself. "Well, for lack of a better idea." I smiled as I reached for a Pokeball. "I think he needs some exercise anyway." I threw the ball out on the new ice field, and in a red light his bright shiny exoskeleton glimmered.
"Sciz!" Scizor spoke, getting in a fighting stance with one claw in front of his face and the other to his side.
"It looks like Kyle is going with a bug type against a fighting type." The announcer said. "I don't know about you, but this looks like a bad pokemon choice to me!"
"Scizor!" I commanded. "Use Wing Attack!"
"Dodge!" Bruno said.
Scizor took off, flying at Hitmonchan with bright silver wings that sparkled with the frost that was rising off the frozen water. He flew fast, turning over sidewise, getting his wings lined up with Hitmonchan.
"Now!" Bruno yelled. When he did Hitmonchan side stepped to the left, having Scizor fly right in front of him. Hitmonchan charged up his fist, landing a direct Fire Punch into Scizor's back. Scizor was thrown threw the air, tumbling end over end uncontrollably until he hit the wall. He slammed into it, and then fell to the ground. Scizor stood up, a burn on his back, and ice on his feet. He was stubborn, which was what we needed in this fight.
"Scizor!" I said. "Use Iron Head!"
"Again Hitmonchan!"
Scizor once again took after Hitmonchan, this time with extreme speed. He was almost a red blur when he took off. Just as he was ready to impact, Hitmonchan dodged.
"Slash!" I screamed.
"What!" Bruno said, taken back and surprised.
Scizor, going at full speed simply had to hold out his arms and open his pincers to generate a very effect slash attack to Bruno's Hitmonchan. The fighting pokemon was hit point black with a powerful slash attack across the chest.
Scizor slammed his feet into the ice, cracking and shattering it as he slid to a stop. He stood, turning to look at Hitmonchan as the boxing pokemon grabbed at his chest.
"Now!" I said. "Iron Head again!"
Scizor took off. Hitmonchan was still taken back from the previous attack, which left it with its guard down. The Iron Head attack struck with enough force to throw the fighting pokemon across the arena. It slid on the ice before impacting into the adjacent wall. Hitmonchan was knocked out.
After his attack Scizor fell to his knees. The burn on his back was causing him great pain, and also took a toll on his body. The Iron Head attack did not help things either. He fell over, knocked out as well.
"It would seem that both pokemon were knocked out!" The announcer called. "That leaves the score at 4 on 2! Kyle only has to defeat one more pokemon to advance to the next stage of the Elite Four! But Bruno is making a comeback it seems, folks!"
"Yeah right." I smiled. "I already know his next pokemon. I fought it last year." I readied my pokeball. "Against his Machamp I think I'll use Pidgeot." We both threw out our pokeballs, and just as I thought, Machamp was on the field.
"Oh no folks!" The announcer called out. "It looks like that Pidgeot has already taken serious damage." I looked over at her. She was breathing hard, but I know she could take down this last one. No problem.
"Pidgeot." I looked at her. "Go ahead and use roost while Bruno is thinking." She nodded at me as she enclosed her wings around her. She focused, restoring her concentration and energy. But Bruno never made a move. He stood there, crossing his arms just like his Machamp was doing. They were both waiting on us to make the first move. I bided my time, watching Pidgeot recover until she looked fully healed. Maybe that was his game. He might have wanted me to fight him at my best? "Alright!" I said as I pointed to Machamp. "Wing Attack!"
"Pidge!" Pidgeot crowed. In the distance I saw Bruno grin.
Pidgeot flew right at Machamp, but still, it made no move. Both Bruno and Machamp stood there, still as a statue. Pidgeot turned her body, lining up her wing when Machamp finally moved. It raised up one hand, catching Pidgeot's head in its palm as it held her there. She flapped her wings, made a gust attack, trying to shake the fighting pokemon, but it wouldn't budge.
"Revenge." Bruno said calmly. With that Machamp wrapped all four hand around Pidgeot's body, squeezing her tight. She screamed in pain, but was shortly silence when Machamp threw her into the frozen ice. It shattered making an impact crater that threw ice into the air. Pidgeot tried to raise herself up, but she fell down, knocked out.
I recalled her as the announcer spoke. "The score is now 3 to 4. Kyle is still in the lead but will this pokemon be the one that will break his winning streak?"
"Pi…" Pichu said scared as he tucked in behind my book bag.
"Hey now," I laughed. "Don't worry littl' bud, you're not going out there."
"Pi?"
"Only two pokemon left, excluding Pichu." I said to myself as I put my hand to my chin, stroking it as I thought. "That leaves me with a water type, or a fire." I then remembered the conversation Professor Oak had with me the day before, as I looked down into my jacket pocket. "Or, I suppose an Ice one." I then shook my head. "No. If I did that then she could never go free. If people knew she existed then they would hunt her down to the end of the earth." I pondered more. "Arcanine is always my back up, so I guess that leaves you." I reached my hand down to my belt, pulling off a pokeball that had several scuffmarks on it, from where Kabuto had played with it when he was a young crab.
"Kabutops!" I screamed as I threw out the pokeball. "Go!" The pokeball flew from my hand, hitting the field. In the red glow Kabutops stretched, then turned his head to look around at the audience.
"Bu! Bu! Bu!" He smiled as they cheered. He then put his swords up into the air, moving them up and down like a wave as he began hopping on one foot, then on the other. "Bu! Bu! Bu-tops!" He laughed and danced.
"For the second time in this competition the prehistoric pokemon is brought out!" The announcer called. "Bruno better be carful, this pokemon is one fierce opponent!"
It was then that Kabutops hops got the best of him. He landed on the ice with his food at a slant, causing him to fall on his back. I slapped myself on the forehead as he struggled to stand. It was almost like watching a turtle that had been flipped over. Finally he rolled over, pressed his swords into the ice and pulled himself up. I saw him look around at the crowd, water in his eyes as he began to cry.
"Boooo-Ta-Ta-Taps!" He whined.
Oh no… I thought to myself. I got to turn this around. I have to do something. I snapped my fingers. "I'll just have to use this to my advantage. Hey! Kabutops!" I yelled.
He turned to look at me, tears in his eyes.
"You wanna know who turned this field into ice! Because of that, HE made you fall!" I then pointed to Bruno. "It was HIM and HIS pokemon! They are the ones that made you cry!"
"Buu…" Kabutops then looked at Machamp with a glare. He growled, standing up as he crossed his swords in front of his face. "Buuuu…" he said in a low groan as he tilted his body backwards. "TOPPPPS!" He then threw himself forward about a foot, uncrossing his arms and releasing an Ice Beam attack that shot right at Machamp.
"Defend!" Bruno commanded.
Machamp did as it was ordered. Its four arms crossed over its face, blocking the Ice Beam, but for a price. When the attack was over Machamp moved his arms away, only to see that his two arms on the left hand side were frozen together in a chunk of ice.
"Champ!" He groaned, trying to pound on the ice to get it to break.
"Now!" I screamed. "Ice Beam his feet!"
"Move!" Bruno said.
Machamp was taken off guard by the abrupt orders and hesitated. The Ice Beam hit, and in an instant the fighting pokemon was frozen to the ground.
"Kabutops!" I screamed. "Make him sorry he ever made you fall!"
Kabutops ran right at Machamp. The pokemon tried to attack, throwing his two free fists at Kabutops, but he was able to leap over them. He then landed on its back, and bit down hard into Machamps neck, draining its energy with his Giga Drain attack.
"Chaaamp!" it screamed out. It then reached its hand up to grab at Kabutops, but couldn't see where he was. Machamp latched on to one of Kabutops swords, slashing its hand as it then pulled it away. "Chhaa…aaa.." It said weak, as it began to nod off. "Cha…aa…ahhh…" Then it fell backwards, its feet still frozen as he hit the ground behind it.
Kabutos jumped off its back as it fell. "Boo-hoo!" He mocked, sticking out his tough as he put his swords on ether side of his head, making a childish face at the unconscious Machamp.
"That's it!" The announcer called as the crowed roared. "That's it! That's it! Kyle has advanced to the next round of the Elite Four!" Our podiums then lowered as we both crossed the frozen field. I recalled Kabutops. The last thing I want him to do would be try to attack Bruno, or even worse, try to hug him…
As we approached each other, Bruno was the first to offer his hand. I looked at him, standing nearly two foot taller than my 5' 6" mark. "I will never get over how tall you are." I said with a smile.
"Don't worry, kiddo!" He said as he put one of his massive hands on my head. He then ruffled up my hair. "You'll hit your growth spurt some time."
"That's the thing," I chuckled, "I think I already have."
We both looked at each other, and then began to laugh. "You know," he said as took his hand off me. "You're alright." He then looked to my shoulder. "What's this?"
I looked over, seeing Pichu. He had stuck his head out from my book back as he yipped, jumping back in. "Oh, that's Pichu." I laughed. "He's just a little shy about new people."
"Pi…" He whimpered with his ears tucked back behind his head. He peaked out again, looking up at Bruno.
"Well, we have to change that, don't we?" He then lowered down, holding his hand over my book bag. Pichu looked at him, then at his hand. He stuck his head out, sniffed his hand and the rubbed his head on Bruno's palm.
"Pii-cha!" He smiled as Bruno pet him.
"Wow." I said. "He never lets anyone new do that to him."
"Kyle," Bruno smiled as he continued to pet Pichu. "I see great potential in you."
I looked at him oddly. "What do you mean?"
"Ever since last year I saw it. I can't explain it." He paused. "Your dedication to your pokemon, and the care you show for everyone. I see myself in you."
"Only a lot shorter?" I added in as we chuckled.
"Kyle?" Bruno asked. "How would you like to be in the Pokemon League?"
"The… Pokemon League?" I asked. "What do you mean?"
"Well, as I'm sure you know, our current crop of Gym Leaders are not very promising, and even some of the Elite Four members have been losing their luster." He then raised back up. "Of course I can put in a good word for you, I could get you a really nice place. I do know people. So what do you say?"
I frowned as I looked to the ground. The ice was cold, causing a glimmering mist to raise up from it. My own gym? Elite Four member? In the Pokemon League? I turned to the crowd, watching them cheer and hold up signs, the majority of which I couldn't even read because they were so small, or too far away.
Finally I looked back up to Bruno. "I'm sorry." I said. "I would love too…"
"But what?" Bruno asked. "If you're worried about the money, they pay really good!"
"No, its not that." I then was brought back to the thing that had been driving me this whole time. The day at the docks. The day that the ocean waves stopped still. The day that the sun never finished setting, and the day that my heart never healed. "There is something I have to do first."
Bruno looked sown at me. He saw the look in my face, the tears about to swell in my eyes. I then heard him sigh as he put a hand on my shoulder. "You don't need to say any more." He smiled. "I understand." There was a pause as we both smiled. "It was a great battle." He said as he offered his hand yet again.
"It was, wasn't it?" I said, accepting his offer. "You almost had me there."
"How about you train with me some time? I would love to have a sparing partner."
"If I find the time, I'll be sure to look you up." I said as I took my hand away. "Thanks, Bruno."
"Be safe, kiddo!" With that we both walked away.
Would I ever see that man again? Who knows? One thing is for sure though. Today I have realized something. I know that she was the driving reason, but I always thought she was the driver and I was along for the ride. Now I see that just isn't true. She might be the motive. She might be how I'm getting to where I'm going, but I am the driver. I am the one who makes my own decisions. Why did I come here? It isn't because of her. I came here because I wanted to, not because I thought I would find her. I came here to get away. I came here because I thought that would be best.
How stupid was I?
***_-Scene Change-_***
The breeze was blowing, and the sky was bright. A blue haze was casting itself over the frozen field that was left unchanged from the previous match. Pichu was beside me, sitting on my shoulder and wearing his biker goggles as a camera zoomed in close on him. He turned to look at the camera, and then gave a peace sign as he grinned from ear to ear. I had already made my stop at the pokemon center. The place was more crowed this time than the other, but it was all news crew members. They all wanted to know how I was doing, if my injury was bad, and how I felt about the next battle. Ended up I couldn't answer a single question. I just cant help it, cameras are almost as bad as needles… Eaahhh! They really freak me out!
When I was on my way back to the field one of the league representatives approached me. He said that they were taking a break, and that the next battle would resume in an hour. The majority of that time has already passed.
"May I have your attention please?" The announcer said.
"Alright," I said, getting ready for my next battle.
"It seems that the ice field from the previous battle is not wanting to break. Would the audiences in the first four rows kindly move up to the upper portions of the area to make room for our fire team of pokemon? The ice needs to be melted. Once done so, you may return to your seats."
I chuckled, watching the audience members get up and move. Some were grumbling, others thought it was very entertaining to see all the fire type pokemon pile in. Within minutes the first rows were filled with Charmanders, Charmelons, Charizards, Cyndaquil, Quilava and Typhlosion. They all stood in line, around the frozen pond. At the sound of a whistle the fire began to bellow out. All the pokemon were using their most powerful fire attack on the ice. Very soon the ice was melted, and what was left was a massive swimming pool with a few miniature icebergs bobbing around. And just like that, as quickly as they came in, the pokemon retreated, heading back to their proper places.
"Thank you audience members." The announcer said. "You may now return to your seats. The field will now be changing to one chosen by the Elite Four member, Karen!"
I watched as the rock field that was submerged begin to separate. A line that was drawn down the middle of the field began to get wider and wider, as it did the water began to drain. I heard it fall down into some type of drainage system, it honestly sounded like a waterfall that never ended. After a few minutes the water was completely drained, and the only thing left was a very damp field. The muddy arena came back together, filling in the open gap that was creased down the middle until it closed up. It was then lowered down, taken away out of view when a new field arose. This one was lush, with a few trees scattered through it, a bunch of shrubberies, and flowers of all sizes and colors that littered the whole arena.
"The field chosen by Karen is a new type of field," the announcer said. "It was created by her, and she calls it her 'Dark Field of Fear'."
I looked around at the flowers on this very magazine-cut-out looking garden area. "This is a field of fear?" I laughed, "Yeah, right."
"Crrr- Ca- Errrrrrr!" A loud mechanical noise rang out over the stadium.
"What was that?" I jumped, looking around. The sound continued, but I didn't see anything change, until I noticed the natural light going dim. I looked up, and sure enough the roof was closing. The sun was being blocked, and it was closing fast. Before long this place is going to be completely dark. And it was.
In the darkness of the arena is when I finally got it. "That's what a nightmare is. It starts off like a perfect dream, and before long it goes dark." A dim red spot light suddenly shined down on me, and my new opponent whom had snuck in on the other side.
"Karen has now entered into the arena!" The announcer called as the crowed cheered. "Will her field, and her choice of pokemon be enough to stop the young master in his tracks?"
"Pichu," I said, turning my head to look at him in the dim red light. "This is one fight that I'm going to need you in."
"Pi." Pichu nodded as he narrowed his eyebrows.
"It might be scary out there." I said, then smiled. "But I know you can do it. I believe in you. You have grown so much since you first hatched."
"Piii…" He turned his head to look at me, wide-eyed as he began to grin. "Pi-cha!" he cried as he hugged my neck.
"It's true. You are great." I then pat his head as he looked at me. "And believe me, you sure pack a punch. So, do you think your ready for this fight?"
"Cha!" He nodded, ready to jump off my shoulder.
"Hold on!" I laughed, grabbing him in mid-air. "You still have to wait for me to tell you when to go. Not yet, okay?"
"Let us begin," Karen spoke as she held a pokeball. "Go!"
In the dim light it was hard to tell what was going on in the field below us, but from my own experience with that certain kind of pokemon, I already knew what was happening. The yellow rings on its legs that glowed and pulsated gave away what pokemon it was, and because of that I knew its movement. I saw shrubberies shake, bushes move, and yellow streaks from where it was using Quick Attack to evade detection.
"So, against a dark type," I smiled, holding up a pokeball. "I guess my best bet would be a bug. Go! Beedrill" The ball flew out of my hand, and into the darkness. I heard it open, and then the buzzing of wings. "Hmph." I smiled.
BAM!
"Ahh!" I screamed as the recoiling pokeball came back and smacked me in the face. "That hurt!" I groaned, bending down to pick up the ball.
"Dark Pulse!" Karen commanded.
My eyes adjusted, and I saw Beedrill suddenly fly to the ceiling. The dim red lights then changed to purple with the dark pulse attack. Beedrill then vanished into the rafters, evading the powerful dark strike.
"Beedrill!" I yelled, making sure that he heard me. "Stay hidden until you have located it!"
"Your pokemon shall never find mine." Karen said as she commanded another attack. "Confuse Ray!"
In the darkness I saw seven yellow rings run into the open part of the field. They pulsated, and then two red eyes began to glow. "Breee!" It screamed as a very dim yellow light, like a sphere formed around it. It grew and formed into a cylinder. "Oooon!" The cylinder then expanded vertically, blasting to the roof and covering the entire top of the stadium. As the attack diminished, I heard the buzzing of wings, which seemed to grow lowered. Very shortly I knew what had happened, as Beedrill slammed to the ground.
"Get up!" I screamed to Beedrill. "If you're grounded you're done for! You have to fly!"
Beedrill struggled to stand, flapping its wings hard, but only buzzing off sideways and into a tree.
"Faint Attack." Karen smiled.
Umbreon took off like a bullet, it covered itself in a purple haze that glowed as it struck into Beedrill. Beedrill tumbled end over end as he was thrown against the wall. He fell to the ground, trying to get up.
"Again!" Karen said, "Finish it!"
"Beedrill!" I screamed, remembering back to our training we did only a week before…
*** FLASH BACK ***
Beedrill was pinned down, back against a tree as Kabutops ran after him.
"Wai.t " I yelled, holding up a hand as the two stopped the battle to look at me. "Beedrill," I said with a smile as I walked over to him. "There is a reason why I had you and Kabutops spar today."
"Bu?" Kabutops tilted his head, looking at me strangely as I walked over to Beedrill.
"When you are in a rough spot, your enemy it coming at you and you have no way to defended, there is one last ditch effort you can do."
"Bzzz?" Beedrill stared at me, out of breath.
"I want you to put your legs and arms behind you, gripping on the wall your up against." I demonstrated as I spoke. "When your opponent attacks they will be left open. In that instance when they hit you, throw your arms, stingers, and feet into them." I then backed up. "Now, remember that this is a last ditch effort, but I still want you to practice it." I then nodded to Kabutops. "Kabutops's rock body will deflect the majority of the damage you inflect on him, so don't hold back." I then looked back to Beedrill. "I want you to practice this. This time, with your eyes closed. Are you ready?"
"Bzzz…" he nodded, closing his eyes as he put his legs, arms and stingers onto the tree behind him.
*** FLASH BACK END ***
"Beedrill!" I screamed. "Use your Last Ditch Move!"
I saw Beedrill lift up his stingers as he stood. His arms, stingers and feet grabbed onto the wall behind him. He was dazed, almost knocked out, but for him to perform this move he only needed his speed. Umbreon once again covered itself in a purple light as it rammed into Beedrill. As soon as the attack landed Beedrill pulled up his stingers, slamming them into Umbreon's soft skin. It pierced, going though and injecting deadly toxins into the dark type fox.
Umbreon jumped back, breathing hard as Beedrill fell to the ground, knocked out.
"It looks like Umbreon was able to battle and defeat the flying bug!" The announcer said. "Kyle will have to come up with better strategies than type advantage to win this fight!"
I recalled Beedill and thought to myself. It's weakened, but that poison wont set in and do any real damage unless I can make it move. It has be trained well, it knows to stay in one spot when it's poisoned. Blood circulation makes the toxins travel through the body faster.
"So, if its speed I need, I might as well go with the type advantage as well." I grabbed another pokeball off my belt. "Go Scizor!"
In the dark room was the first time I noticed something about my Scizor that had never crossed my mind before. In that darkness shined a red ring around the joints in Scizor's claws. Each had looked like it had a pair of eyes. They moved, almost like a Kecleon, It was weird, intimidating, and even confusing.
Without a command Scizor began to creep up on Umbreon in the dark, moving his arms back and forth, almost like a snake. Umbreon tried to focus on him, but instead was brought back to those pair of red, evil eyes. They moved, twisted and turned.
"Now!" I screamed, when I saw he was close enough to launch an attack.
"Umbreon!" Karen yelled. "Move!" But to no avail. Umbreon stood there, tantalized by the red eyes that were looking at it. They moved up, into the sky, pulling away from each other when they began to form a small yellow glimmer in front of them. In an instant the X-Scissor attack was over, and Umbreon was thrown into a tree behind it.
"What a show!" The announcer called out.
"Its not over yet." I murmured as I saw the yellow rings on Umbreon begin to move. It stood up, shaking off the sand and dirt from the attack as it looked back to Scizor.
"Scizor!" I said. "You don't have to hit it, just tire it out!"
Karen pushed some of her long light blue hair away from her eyes as she looked down at the Umbreon sternly. "Last Resort."
"Iron Head!"
Umbreon began to shake all over; the poison was setting in. It opened its red eyes, screaming as it enclosed itself in a yellow sphere. Scizor took off like a bullet. He knew that right then was the only moment he had to attack. He stiffened his neck, focusing his energy on his exoskeleton skull as he flew at the erupting finishing move. A split second before Scizor could reach the dark fox, it released the attack. The Last Resort shot out like a beam of light. It hit Scizor at point blank, but he pushed on. He flew right into the blast, cutting the energy into as he passed through the yellow shield, executing his Iron Head attack.
Umbreon was thrown backwards hard, smacking into a tree and splintering it. The yellow rings on its body began to fade, until they were not visible any more. It was knocked out.
"After the second pokemon Kyle was finally able to take down Karen's Umbreon." The announcer called out over the crowd. "But this battle has left Scizor with some very serious injuries."
"How can he see that?" I squinted my eyes, trying to see what was going on down there when Pichu pulled on my hair.
"Pi. Pi, cha." He said, pointing up to the left hand side of the field.
"Huh?" I questioned as I looked over to that location. In the air, facing the audience was one of the floating televisions, and it was showing a green looking picture. It was only a few seconds when I realized what it was, even though it was very hard to see from this angle. "They have night vision cameras on us?"
"Of course." Karen yelled to me.
I jumped a little. How can she hear that well?
"Oh," she answered back. "Its just a trick I picked up from my Grandmothers ghost pokemon."
"A ghost taught you to read minds?" I asked, confused. "Isn't that a psychic types thing?"
"No, child." She said, tilting her head back. "I do not possess telepathy powers. My dark and ghost type pokemon have taught me how to see without sight. I can fell with out touching, and I can hear without listening."
I stood there, pondering about this for a moment before I spoke again. "Are you a pinball wizard?"
"What?" She jumped. "No! I'm not! And that was a horrible pun! My pokemon have taught me to read souls and emotions."
I looked back down to the field, Scizor was gasping for air, and I could see that his arms were hanging low. He was hurt, and bad. I then focused my thoughts on Karen. So she cant read minds, if she could then she would have known that I was going to say that, or could have figured that I was trying to come up with something stupid like that to say. That means that she doesn't regard me as one that is stupid, or one to make mistakes. Obviously I can't trick her with these dumb phrases. She read my emotions wrong, and there for she can be tricked. No matter what, if someone relies on something too much, they will always get let down. So, the trick with this is to lead her on a wild goose chase with my emotions and then nip this battle in the butt.
"I see, so you are formulating a plan, are you?" Karen asked. "Figuring out the next battle that is to come?"
"I just have one question," I asked.
"Go ahead." Karen smiled, holding up her next pokeball.
I paused again, acting so confused. "What do you do when you live in a shoe and you aint got no soul?"
Everything went quiet for a moment as I felt a sweat drop drip down over my head. I can't believe I just said that… on national TV… with fans and news crews around…
"I…" Karen spoke as she threw out her pokeball. "Am going to enjoy casting you into eternal darkness. Go Murkrow!"
The black bird was quick to vanish into the darkness, and even quicker to attack.
"Sciz!" Scizor screamed as the Wing Attack knocked him to the ground.
"Scizor!" I called to him. "Slash!"
Scizor raised up, beaten and battered as he swung his arm around, trying to slash at something that he couldn't even see. The bird attacked again, this time hitting Scizor in the leg. His knee hit the ground as he groaned, putting a pincher down for support against a tree.
"Sucker Punch." Karen smiled
"Iron Head!" I called out.
The bird flew in, swinging its wing into Scizor's face for the final blow when Scizor's head began to get a glimmer. The Iron Head attack was activated. Murkrow swung this wing, striking the Iron Head attack with all of its might. The bird then tumbled end over end and landed on the ground. It got up, shook its body as it tried to fly, but just fell back over. Its wing was bent backwards, broke, as it struggled to fly again.
"Do not fret over that wing!" Karen scolded. "End this with Foul Play!"
"Scizor!" I screamed. "Its down, it's not moving! Use X-Scissor!"
Scizor, still breathing hard, tried to stand. He used his pincer as a brace as he leaned against a tree, bring himself to his feet. He slowly walked over to the bird, whom was flapping and squawking on the ground. He stood over it, looking down as he raised his pincers up into the air.
Suddenly Murkrow spun around, knocking Scizor's feet out from under him with its wing. Scizor fell backwards as the bird then flopped over to a nearby tree. It swung its wing, making a Wing Attack that slashed through the trunk, and then caused the tree to fall. I saw Scizor's eyes open as the tree was falling, heading right for him.
"Return!" I screamed, recalling Scizor right before he was smashed by the falling tree.
"Now." Karen said. "Roost."
Murkrow stopped flailing and put out both of its wings as it stretched them wide. Over the crowd I could hear the bird's bone pop and crack as it went back in place. It screamed as a purple sphere formed around it.
"Now." I said, looking to Pichu. "This is your time bud. I need you to take down that bird."
"Pi." Pichu nodded.
"Use Quick Attack to get over there, and then Volt Tackle to knock it out before it gets done." It was then that I held up a pokeball, Umbreon's to be exact. Pichu was confused as he looked at me, and I could tell what he was thinking; "I thought I was going out there?"
"Go!" I said, looking at him sternly.
"Pi!" he jumped as he ran down the backside of the podium and into the shrubbery.
Now, I thought, looking back to Karen. Back to my plan.
"Hmmm…" she looked at me as I stared into the pokeball I held in my hand.
"With a quick last minute move Karen has pulled ahead." The announcer said. "The score is 2 on 1 with Karen in the lead. Will Kyle be able to pick up the slack? I wonder what his next pokemon will be?"
"You are wasting valuable time thinking about throwing out that Umbreon." Karen spoke to me. "You realize that if my Murkrow becomes fully healed you haven't a chance to win?"
"But," I looked back at her, seeing some bushes move to the right of me in the dim red light. "I just want to beat you at your best." I lied, trying to put on a genuine expression.
I saw her eyebrow raise as she looked at me.
Crap, she's catching on. I then looked back down to my pokeball. Hurry up Pichu.
As if on cue the field was taken up by a burst of yellow light. Sparks bounced around the trees and walls as Pichu bolted like lighting over to Murkrow who was still charging up. The Volt Tackle hit, crashing Murkrow into the wall far behind it. The bird then fell over, to the ground, knocked out.
"Amazing!" The announcer called. "Kyle was able to release a pokemon without us even knowing! Now that is some very crafty maneuvering!"
"You little…" Karen fumed as she recalled her dark bird. "You have been playing me as a fool, havent you?"
Uh ho… not good, she's catching on. "Pichu?" I questioned.
"Pi?" Pichu turned to look at me, confused once more.
"How did…" I pointed behind me, "And then you…" I pointed to him, "And now you're…?"
"Pi-cha-chu?" He turned around to face me, tilting his head as he began to think. "Pi-chu?" he shook his head, becoming confused.
"Enough!" Karen said as eh grabbed a pokeball from her belt. "This ends, now!" She threw out the pokeball, but in the darkness, nothing was visible. It was almost like the pokemon was darkness itself. It was actually quite creepy. Out of nowhere I started to hear breathing, heavy breathing, almost like it was on my back.
"This feels too familiar." I said, looking around.
Pichu was looking around as well, but not with the same concern I was, he was scared. The little mouse had his ears pulled down behind his head, shaking as he nervously looked around the dark, still room.
"GENN! GAR!" The shadow in front of him screamed as two red eyes appeared.
Pichu stood there, scared stiff as the shadow formed into a monstrous Gengar. The ghost pokemon opened its mouth, drool dripping on the ground as the saliva turned into souls that floated into the air. It then grew sharp teeth that looked like fangs, as it opened its mouth wider, like it was going to eat the little mouse whole.
"PI!" Pichu screamed as he shot off a Thunder attack into the ghost's mouth. Gengar fell backwards as Pichu began to run full speed back to my podium. He ran up the pole, scurrying onto my stage as he ran and jumped right in my book bag. "PICHU!" He screamed, shaking as he zipped up the book bag and concealed himself inside.
"Gen" Gengar said as he rocked himself back to his feet. He then spit on the ground, once again causing miniature looking soul things to rise into the air. "Gen-gar." He grinned a toothy grin.
"Just the sight of the mighty ghost pokemon was enough to scare the poor little Pichu back to its trainer!" The announcer said as the audience laughed. "Because Pichu refuses to fight, that means he is now disqualified! That leaves the score Karen 3 and Kyle 2. Each has only three more pokemon to defeat."
"Well I think you did great, Pichu." I said with a smile as I looked back to the field. "You did just what I wanted you to. Now its Umbreon's turn. Go!" I screamed, throwing out the pokeball. Umbreon's yellow rings pulsated on the field as he then vanished into some bushes, concealing himself.
"Kyle's choice is Umbreon. It looks like his is still going with the type advantage" The announcer said. "But keep in mind, up until this point Kyle has only been using pokemon that are new to his party. This Umbreon has been with Kyle since his battle last year with the Elite Four. And if I am not mistaken it was this Umbreon that won over Agatha's Gengar, the very same Gengar that is on the field right now."
"Yeah." I commented as I focused on the field. "This is sure to be one epic battle once again."