Chapter 15
The New Challenger
Author's Note: The battle scenes in this chapter may seem rushed but the battles themselves are meant to go very quickly. Enjoy!
It was a quiet morning atop Indigo Plateau. A man walked out of the Victory Road towards the Pokémon League building. This man wore a long black coat, buttoned all the way up to the neck, which was concealed by his upturned collar. He wore a black fedora with the brim pulled down to cover his face. Under that he wore black sunglasses in case people saw his eyes. The only part of his body visible to other people was his mouth and nose. He walked through the doors and up to the main gate.
'Before you pass through this door you must show me that you have at least eight badges,' the security guard stated. The challenger pulled a case out of his pocket containing twenty-four badges.
'You may enter sir,' the guard said. The challenger walked into a dark corridor with only magenta neon lighting the way. He reached the end and came into a purple room with holographic projections bouncing around. There was a door at the other end but a man in an elaborate masquerade suit blocked it.
'Welcome challenger,' the man said. 'Allow me to introduce myself. I am Will, a master Psychic.' The challenger nodded and pulled out a Poké Ball.
'Go Slowbro!' Will said. The challenger dropped the Poké Ball and a Gengar came out.
'What the?' Will said shocked to see that this Gengar was wearing an earpiece. The challenger raised his head slightly to reveal a small microphone. Will saw the challengers lips moving, but didn't hear what he was saying. Suddenly Gengar started to create a ball of pure shadow it its hands.
'Shadow Ball,' Will said shocked. Gengar launched Shadow Ball directly at Slowbro. Gengar had won.
'Go Exeggutor!' Will said. But the challenger had secretly ordered Gengar to use Shadow Punch. Gengar's fist became shrouded in shadow and it punched Exeggutor and knocked it out cold.
'Go Jynx! Use Psychic!' Will ordered. Jynx's eyes were glowing pink but Gengar jumped aside and while it was being unseen by all but its trainer its fist became coated in fire. It used Fire Punch to take out Jynx. Will was beginning to panic. In the past he'd had trainers that would beat him but not ones who keep their identity a secret.
'Go Gardevoir!' Will said. Before he knew it Gardevoir fainted without even moving after Gengar had used Shadow Sneak.
'Xatu,' Will said sounding more fearful. The challenger's lips moved again and Gengar's body started to crackle with electricity. It then let out a Thunderbolt.
'Go Alakazam!' Will said. 'Use Psychic.' But it was too late. Gengar had already used another Shadow Ball.
'I don't believe it,' Will said. The challenger took out Gengar's Poké Ball and returned Gengar. Will opened the door the next room and asked, 'Who are you?' but his words were drowned out with the door slamming. There was another corridor like the first one but with deep purple neon instead. He walked into a room that resemble a forest. There was nobody blocking this door. He proceeded to walk towards it. Just as he reached the steps a man jumped out of the shadows and said, 'Halt! Not so fast challenger.' The challenger stepped back.
'I am Koga,' the man said. 'I live in the shadows. I am the master of all ninjas. Poison, sleep, confusion. They are my techniques. Go Ariados!' The challenger pulled out a Poké Ball containing Hypno. Just like Gengar it was wearing an earpiece. Its eyes started to glow and Ariados was thrown in the air and knocked out.
'Go Venomoth use Signal Beam!' Koga said. This caused the challenger to call back Hypno and send out Swampert. Koga was shocked to see that Swampert also had an earpiece. He then saw the challenger's lips moving as Swampert began to use Rock Slide. The rocks were too much for Venomoth.
'Go Nidoqueen!' Koga said. At that point Swampert opened its mouth and let out a powerful Hydro Pump. Koga quickly said, 'Nidoking, Giga Drain!' This was no use. Swampert let out another Hydro Pump.
'Go Crobat!' Koga said. 'Finish with Air Slash!' Swampert let out an Ice Beam right back at Crobat.
'Crobat, return.' Koga said. He was just as fearful as Will was, perhaps even more. He only had one Pokémon left. Even Gold didn't wear him down this easily. Who was this man? He had one thing to say, 'Go Muk!' As soon as he released Muk the whole room was shaking from Swampert's Earthquake. Muk was finished.
'I subjected you to everything I could muster,' Koga said, 'but my efforts failed.' He then jumped back into the shadows and the challenger walked through the door and was in a similar corridor. This one only being lit by blood-red neon. He then came out into a room that resembled a steel refinery.
'I heard there was another challenger,' Bruno's voice called. 'I was busy trying to stop Team Rocket but the job comes first. Go Onix!' The challenger then used Victreebel. Victreebel's earpiece was hidden inside its body unlike all of this trainer's other Pokémon. Bruno was shocked however when Victreebel just used Razor Leaf without being told to.
'Onix, return,' Bruno said, 'Go Hariyama!' The challenger recalled Victreebel and sent out Dodrio.
'Is that an earpiece?' Bruno asked. The challenger nodded and then Dodrio used Drill Peck on Hariyama.
'Go Hitmonchan!' Suddenly Dodrio was using Drill Peck on Hitmonchan.
'Go Hitmontop!' Again Dodrio was using Drill Peck.
'Go Hitmonlee!' Dodrio was using Drill Peck again.
'Hitmonlee, return,' Bruno said. 'I don't know who you are, but you are powerful. Go Machamp!' The challenger recalled Dodrio and sent out Hypno.
'Do they all have earpieces?' Bruno asked. The challenger just nodded his head. Bruno saw the challenger's mouth moving and saw the small microphone but Hypno was shooting rainbow coloured rays at Machamp.
'You only have one of us left to battle,' Bruno said as he opened the door. 'Go on and face your next challenge.' The challenger was in another dark corridor this one was lit only by silver neon. This corridor ended inside a small theatre. Standing on the stage was a young woman with silvery-blue hair.
'I am the final member of the Elite Four,' she said, 'my name is Karen. I am the top trainer at Dark-types. I choose Murkrow.' Swampert was out again. Karen saw the earpiece but tried not to focus on it. That was until Swampert used Ice Beam to defeat Murkrow. Both trainers recalled their Pokémon.
'Go Cacturne!' Karen said. The challenger then sent out Primeape. Primeape used Cross Chop and knocked out Cacturne.
'Cacturne, come back!' Karen said. 'Go Houndoom! Use Flamethrower!' Houndoom shot a Flamethrower at Primeape, this appeared to do damage as Primeape had taken the hit. The it used Revenge and took out Houndoom in one punch.
'Go Absol!' Primeape used Submission knocking out Absol and even mildly damaging itself.
'I choose Sneasel,' Karen said. But the challenger had ordered Primeape to use Low Kick again.
'Already,' Karen said feeling fearful. 'Who are you?' When there was no reply he took her last Poké Ball and tossed it saying, 'I choose you, Umbreon!' Primeape got up close to use Close Combat. The punches and kicks were too much for Umbreon. This challenger had won again.
'Go through here,' Karen said. 'The champion awaits you.' The challenger walked through the door and was in a much longer, gold corridor. When he finally reached the end it was a room filled with gold Dratini statues and red carpets. At the end was Lance.
'I'm amazed you beat the Elite Four but will you beat me?' Lance asked. 'I was off with Bruno fighting Team Rocket. I came back not expecting to battle with you. I guess I was wrong. Go Gyarados!' Lance's Gyarados wasn't like any Gyarados. It was a deep red. The challenger sent out Gengar.
'Why is it wearing an earpiece?' Lance asked. The next thing Gengar was using Thunderbolt on Gyarados.
'Come back,' Lance said to Gyarados. 'Go Aerodactyl.' The challenger then recalled Gengar to use Swampert. Swampert let out a powerful Ice Beam the finished Kingdra in one hit.
'I choose Altaria,' Lance said. But Swampert used Ice Beam again.
This man could be champion, thought Lance. He's very powerful.
'Go Charizard use Solar Beam!' Lance commanded. A Charizard was charging up Swampert used Surf submerging Charizard.
'Go Salamence!' Swampert used Ice Beam again. The battle had gone so quickly. Lance had one Pokémon left.
'Go Dragonite!' Swampert then used Blizzard freezing Dragonite and winning the battle.
'I don't believe it,' Lance said. 'I'm not angry. I'm honoured to see the rise of a new champion. Follow me.' The two men walked through the door that Lance seemed to be guarding. They were in a dark room. At the end was a computer.
'This is the Hall of Fame,' Lance said. 'Only people who have become champions can come in here. This is where their names go down in history. Could I please see your Pokémon you and the team that helped you will be recorded.' The challenger, now the champion, sent out his Pokémon, Swampert, Gengar, Hypno, Dodrio, Victreebel and Primeape.
'Very good,' Lance said as the challenger returned all his Pokémon. Lance continued as he turned back to the computer, 'I'll just need your name. Now that you're champion I think you don't need to keep your identity a secret anymore.'
'I think you're right,' the challenger said as he removed his hat and shades. Lance turned around very quickly at recognition of the voice. He was looking at Giovanni.
'You?' Lance was shocked.
'Unlike Red or Gold before me I will stay here,' Giovanni said, 'which means you are out of business. Also you can tell the Elite Four that they're all fired. I have some far better replacements for them.'
'I don't believe it,' Lance cried. 'The challenger that I could have refused on account of having other business is really you.'
'Now that I'm the champion,' Giovanni said, 'not only am I the most powerful trainer in the world but I also have control over Kanto and Johto. I thank you Lance. For being such an easy opponent.'
This is the final chapter. With Giovanni in control how will the heroes make things right again. Find out in the second story, Reign of the Rockets, coming soon.