Chapter 10 – The Mystery Man
The preliminary of the Elite Four Tournament was coming to an end. After nine days of battles, all ten groups were starting to get defined. In group seven, May was undefeated so far with nine wins and 27 points at the first position. In group nine, Dawn who started winning her first three battles, lost the fourth but won all other five. She was also in first position, but with 24 points. And in group one, after losing the first three battles, Serena had an amazing comeback winning all other five battles and now she was in second with 15 points. Serena could still qualify for the finals since the first place trainer so far had 17 points, and was exactly who Serena was facing at the last battle of group one. A victory would lead Serena to the finals, but either a lost or a draw would take her out of it.
"Ladies and Gentlemen. Welcome to the last day of the Elite Four Tournament preliminary battles" said the narrator "Today we'll know who the ten trainers that are going to the finals are"
"I am worried with Serena" said Dawn
"Don't be" said May "She just has to win and she will be in the finals"
"But if she did not…" started Dawn
"Don't think of that. She won the last five battles" said May "She will do fine"
"I hope you are right" said Dawn
"The first battle of the day will already define who is going to the finals on group one" said the narrator "Please put your hands together for number 77th, Serena"
All people at the crowd started making noise for Serena, it was amazing how she conquered people during the tournament, after all she lost the first three battles and almost everybody were already sure she would not get far. But she did. She won all next five battles and became the favorite of group one.
"And now please, welcome the number 29th and so far the first place of group one, Anna Marie" said the narrator while Anna Marie entered the arena
"Well, it is time" said May
"GOOD LUCK SERENA" shouted Dawn to her friend
"She can't hear you from up here" said May
"I know" said Dawn "I just like cheering"
"Trainers get ready" said the narrator "Let's get this battle started"
OUTSIDE THE STADIUM
"The battle has started" said a man in a dark overall coat
"Shall we go watch?" asked a second man next to him
"No need to Costa" said the first man "That battle is not important to us"
"But Mascaro" said Costa "The boy may appear there. It's his friend who is battling"
"I don't think he would expose himself like that, and even if he does, I don't think he would be able to recognize her due to his…. Situation" said Mascaro "And besides, we must only let The "Lady" know if we ever run into him. Our main objective is to find Lance and take him to the Island"
"Okay. If you say so" said Costa "So, what do we do?"
"I don't think we'll find Lance walking on the street" said Mascaro "Since the opening ceremony he was seen just once in public, at number 77th fourth battle"
"Do you think he will no longer be around?" asked Costa
"At least not until his battle against the champion" answered Mascaro "So, we'll just patrol the city and keep an eye on who wins the tournament. Once the finals come to an end and we have our champion, he or she will be of good use to us"
"So the plan is taking the winner's place so we can get close to Lance?" asked Costa
"Incredibly easy, don't you think?" answered Mascaro
Suddenly a loud noise came from inside the stadium, as if people were shouting with joy and enthusiasm
"What was that?" asked Costa
"It seems the battle is over" answered Mascaro
"Already?" asked Costa surprised "It started five minutes ago"
"I am not surprised" said Mascaro
"Who do you think won?" asked Costa
"Need to ask?" answered Mascaro smiling "Let's go Costa. We have no more business here"
INSIDE THE STADIUM
"Oh my God ladies and gentleman" said the narrator "What an amazing and easy victory of Serena"
"She won" said Dawn "Thanks God"
"I knew she would do just fine" said May
"And with this victory we already have the first competitor qualified to the finals, the number 77th Serena"
All people once more went crazy at the stadium, Serena was at the finals.
Serena left the arena and found May and Dawn waiting for her outside
"Congratulations Serena" said May "I knew you would win"
"Thank you May" said Serena "I am so happy I did it"
"But I kind of feel bad for that Anne Marie girl" said Dawn
"Why?" asked Serena
"You not only defeated her… you kind of completely destroyed her" said Dawn
"What? What do you mean?" asked Serena
"You knocked her six Pokémon down in just five minutes" said Dawn
"It was only five minutes?" asked Serena "It seemed like hours. Now I feel bad too"
"Don't pay attention on what Dawn says" said May "It was good for you to show everybody how strong you are"
"I guess you right" said Serena "So what do we do now?"
"We still have to wait for our battles, so let's go lunch" said May
"Good idea" said Serena "I am starving"
"You two can go first. I'll catch up with you in a few minutes" said Dawn "I have to go phone my mom. It's been three days since I last phoned her"
"All right" said May "See you there"
Dawn turned away and went back to the Hotel, she was excited to tell the news to her mother and if everything ends up well by the end of the day she, May and Serena would all be in the finals.
It was simple to get to the Hotel, Dawn only had to keep going straight for four blocks and that was all, however after two blocks she turned left and found herself in a dark alley
"What's going on?" asked Dawn to herself "I didn't want to turn here"
Dawn kept walking until the end of the alley, even though it was eleven o'clock in the morning, the tall buildings made the alley pretty dark and kind of scary
"My body is moving by itself" said Dawn trying to fight back her body movements, but it was useless
"It's impossible to fight back" said a hoarse voice from behind her
Dawn turned around still against her will and saw a person dressed in a long black coat and hood that covered his face from the lips. She only knew it was a man because of his hoarse voice. By the person's side there was an Alakazam, his eyes were bright blue probably by using its psychic powers
"So, that's explain my body's movements against my will" said Dawn "Who are you?"
"You are in danger being here" said the man "You and your friends must leave now"
Dawn looked at him puzzled. Has she heard well? That man had just given her security advices? It was strange because he was dressed just like the man who attacked her and Serena some days ago
"Why are we in danger?" asked Dawn
"You are dealing with a powerful organization. Do not underestimate us" said the man
"Us?" replied Dawn "So you are member of this organization and I believe it's the same who attacked me and Serena"
The man just nodded with his head
"But if your friend attacked me and Serena the other day…." said Dawn "Why are you telling me to leave?"
"Our aim is not you three" said the man "Willfer attacked you because he thought you knew where to find Lance"
"So your aim is Lance" said Dawn
"Correct. But you knew that already" said the man "So you three must leave now"
"What if we deny?" asked Dawn "After all Lance is our aim too"
"In this case we will not hesitate to attack you again if needed" said the man
Dawn said nothing, she knew she was dealing with dangerous people, but still she, Serena and May couldn't just leave after have gone so far. And they still had much way to go until find Lance
"You are warned" said the man "The choice of staying here is yours"
The man turned away and ordered his Alakazam to stop its psychic attack
"Wait" said Dawn "Why are you after Lance? Have you ever heard of Ash Ketchum?"
The man stopped walking and turned to Dawn "Lance is the key to the Temple of Dragons" said the man
"The Temple of Dragons?" asked Dawn "What is that?"
"It doesn't concern to you" answered the man
"What about Ash Ketchum?" asked Dawn "Have you ever heard of him? Are you after him too?
"I've never heard of him. As I said, Lance is our only aim" said the man turned back once more and walking away from her
"Thanks God" said Dawn
"Good luck at the tournament" said the man "I'm cheering for you… DAWN"
Dawn felt a shiver down her spine by listening to her name, not by the fact that he knew her name, but the last word he said, the word "Dawn" came out of his mouth with a different voice from before, it wasn't that hoarse voice he used, it was a normal voice and quite familiar to her. She tried to run after the man but he was already gone, teleported by his Alakazam
"That voice…." said Dawn "Could it be?"
Alakazam teleportation took the man out of the city near the forest, he looked behind to be sure he somehow hadn't been followed, once he was sure of it he called his Alakazam back to its Poke ball. He took a few steps into the forest but stopped before he entered it
"And I thought I hadn't been followed" said the man
Suddenly from behind a tree came an old lady, she was not tall and had gray hair
"I wasn't following you" said the old lady "I was here all along waiting for you"
"I see" answered the man "May I help you Agatha?"
"So you know me?" Asked Agatha to the man
"Who in this entire world doesn't know the Elite Four ghost Pokémon trainer Agatha" answered the man
"I really want to know someone like that" said Agatha "I hope you have not touched one single string of hair from that girl"
"Don't worry. That's not my style" said the man "But how did you know I was with her?"
"Your stupid organization is not the only that has people patrolling the streets" answered Agatha "But if you and your friends are smart, you will all leave Indigo Plateau"
"But I thought you needed us here" said the man ironically
"What?" asked Agatha
"We are not stupid" said the man "We know Lance wants us as much as we want him. The question now is, who will get the other first?"
"What are you talking about?" asked Agatha
"He didn't tell you, did he?" said the man "The real reason of this Tournament. Did he really convince you that it was just a coincidence with the Elite Four Centenary anniversary?
"Don't worry boy, we do know the real reasons of Lance. I do not agree with him but still Lance is the boss. We just follow his orders" said Agatha "What really surprises me is that you know that too. We thought you were coming to our trap, but now it seems you are the ones who are setting the trap"
"And you are falling into it" answered the man
There were a couple of minute of silence between Agatha and the mysterious man
"Aren't you going to make me tell you where Lance is?" asked Agatha
"You would never tell me" answered the man
"I think I will have to arrest you" said Agatha
"You are a smart old lady" said the man "You already know you would never beat me either"
Agatha smiled and nodded with her head "Yeah, you are right. Your level is higher than mine" said Agatha "I could give you a hard time, but at the end you would be the winner"
"So if you excuse me, I have other things to do" said the man starting to walk away from Agatha
"Just tell me where Ash is" said Agatha
"Ash Ketchum?" asked the man "That girl asked me the same thing and I told her I have never heard of him"
"Liar" said Agatha
"Yes I am" said the man laughing "But I am not telling you how to find him either"
"Why not?" asked Agatha
"Because at the moment… Ash Ketchum doesn't exist anymore" answered the man
"What did you do with him?" asked Agatha "Are you planning to use him to get to Lance?"
"We are already doing that" said the man "And it's a matter of time for Lance to bend over to "The Lady""
"The Lady?" asked Agatha
"Our leader" answered the man "She controls all Team Tenebris. She will be the next Dragon Master and with the power of the Temple of Dragons, she will conquer all the world"
"We will not allow it" said Agatha
"Don't worry Agatha" said the man "Soon you will all have the same fate of the boy. The Elite Four shall perish by the end of the Tournament"
He turned around once more and entered the forest, leaving Agatha behind