I really do love fear tactics. This chapter was really exciting to write, though I did have to have a light on before I finished. Hopefully your imagination gives you the same show that mine did.
Sadly this might be the last update I'll give you for a long time if I can't edit one more within the next few weeks. I'm losing my internet connection and I don't know whether we'll be able to get another one any time soon.
Walking into the darkness, Kurishimi could just make out the form of Akuma's back ahead of her. When he stopped and held up a hand for her to wait, she paused while he walked further ahead. The silence in the middle of the darkness was frightening, but Kurishimi held her ground while chewing her lip in habit. She heard Akuma release a Pokémon so she brought out Ekans as well. The flash from the pokéball was bright in the darkness, but very brief. She couldn't see more than the grass in the spot where Ekans was released.
"Support Ekans however you can," she heard Akuma say from somewhere after he'd given quiet instructions to his own Pokémon. "Keep Ekans in good fighting condition until there is no more danger. Begin!"
Instantly Kurishimi assumed a fighting stance and her Ekans coiled into a striking pose. It was obviously unsure of how to battle in the dark as well, but a few encouraging words from Kurishimi gave it enough confidence to lose the visible nervousness. At least from what she could tell in the dark.
There was a crunching sound from ahead of her like a rock being stepped on and crushed.
Kurishimi hesitated as she tried to place the sound. It was familiar enough that she knew it was Akuma's Pokémon, but not familiar enough that she knew what it was. It sounded heavy, but wasn't Metagross. Since he had used Fearow to fly earlier it probably wasn't Charizard either. What other heavy Pokémon did he have though? Oh no. It wasn't his seventh Pokémon was it? No, even Akuma wasn't that brutal as a teacher.
The crunching sound started moving rapidly toward her. It was so fast she didn't have time to think. She jumped out of the way and heard it rush by, but didn't feel anything. Ekans had escaped too, but had evaded the attack to the left instead of the right like she had. The result had them separated in the dark and there was still no way to figure out where the attacker was coming from or what it was. Akuma had said she could support Ekans in any way, but she couldn't use her Pokémon to attack either. She was supposed to be training Ekans at the moment and another Pokémon fighting back would deny Ekans the win.
"Ekans, when the sound comes at you again fire a poison sting then dodge toward my voice," she said quietly. Being in total silence, Ekans easily heard her quiet orders. As to whether her opponent did or didn't, she was unsure but she had to take the chance while it was distant.
The crunching seemed to be coming back around toward her in an arc. She heard Ekans fire a poison sting until the enemy got closer and Ekans was forced to dodge. Kurishimi had been listening intently to the sounds of the attacking Pokémon but still had no clue what it was. She hadn't even heard Ekans' attack connect. Either her opponent was very good at dodging or the attack hadn't even come close. After Ekans had come back to rest beside her foot, Kurishimi felt the ground where her enemy had passed by the first time. She was looking for a footprint to get an idea on who she was fighting, but instead of a footprint she found an upturned mound of dirt going in a straight line. With a smirk she started a new strategy now that she had a good idea on what Pokémon Akuma was having her fight.
Her opponent stopped moving and angled directly for her this time instead of going around. Unable to think of an effective plan yet, Kurishimi had Ekans use screech on the approaching danger which had an effect, but not by much. Again the attack missed but the narrow escapes were growing steadily closer. They might only have been able to dodge one more at the very best.
"Okay Ekans, spray your acid at the area in front of us. That should slow it down more if not damage it."
Ekans did as Kurishimi asked. A rotten stench came from the acid Ekans sprayed from its mouth and created a wide pool in front of them. It wasn't deep or particularly dangerous, but it would be enough for the two of them to gain an advantage. The attacker rushed toward them much quicker than before; enough to guarantee that if the acid didn't stop it, Kurishimi and Ekans were sure to feel the attack. Kurishimi chewed her lip as she imagined the damage it would do, but tried her best to stay calm while thinking of her next attack. Finally when the sound reached the edge of the pool there was a hissing sound like acid on flesh. The progressive attack slowed to a stop as a moan of pain confirmed without a doubt that Kurishimi and Ekans were fighting Dugtrio.
Now with Dugtrio at a halt, and probably above ground as evidenced by the sounds of pain they had heard, Kurishimi ordered Ekans to attack in full. Ekans sprang toward the wounded Dugtrio and clamped down with its jaws. Once it had a firm hold on the attacker, Ekans wrapped its body around all three of Dugtrio's heads. Even though Ekans was touching the pool the contact was kept to a minimum and Ekans had a resistance to such damage as well. Dugtrio was being squeezed too tightly to go underground again and the bite attacks were causing significant damage as well. Eventually a dark red beam lanced toward the sounds of struggle and pulled Dugtrio away from the attacks and into the pokéball it came from. Ekans bounded away from the toxic pool toward Kurishimi who made sure that the acid was thoroughly wiped away before patting her friend for a job well done.
"I was expecting a bit more from you for a night time training session," she said toward the emptiness where the light had appeared from. She smiled to herself but the smile vanished when only silence answered. "Akuma?" Still there was no answer. "Hey, are you okay out there?" She stood up and walked around where she assumed the acid was toward where Akuma would be. "Hello?"
"You were told to fight until the danger was gone," a voice said in her ear.
Kurishimi jumped and gave a startled yelp of surprise then turned around to where the voice had come from. Akuma's figure should have been visible, but was absent. Kurishimi was shaken, but didn't give herself time to think about it. Based on those words her training wasn't finished. There was still a challenge to be had. She felt Ekans move up against her leg in fright and nearly gave another vocal outburst. Knowing she was more than a little rattled, she tried to slow her breathing to a more calming tempo. It didn't work very well. Akuma's scare tactics were disturbing her more than she was used to. She tried to regain her composure by shaking her head and slapping her cheeks which seemed to help a little more than proper breathing could. Taking a deep breath she felt herself calm down enough to be ready for the next surprise.
Then she felt a chilling cold go up her spine. It wasn't the kind of cold you'd get from a winter wind or when someone drops a snowball down your back. It was the kind of chill that made your body lock up in fear.
Kurishimi didn't have a problem controlling her breathing now. In fact she couldn't breathe at all. She was petrified and didn't even know the source of the fear. She knew she wasn't in any danger. This was Akuma's training and he wouldn't let his Pokémon do any serious damage to her. He wasn't that bad, but she couldn't shake the fear either. But then again, Akuma had just confessed that he had been losing control of his Pokémon lately. What if this was another case? She trembled at the feeling and stared into the dark trying her hardest to figure out what kind of danger it was that Akuma had not yet removed. It was at that point that she saw large gleaming eyes distantly in the dark. They were staring right through her as when a hunter locks onto its prey. Again she felt overtaken by fear. Ekans must have been feeling the same thing because it wrapped itself around her leg. She confirmed that Ekans was afraid because she could feel it trembling. She closed her eyes tightly in an attempt to will away the fear. When she opened her eyes again she saw that the eyes had disappeared. In a panic she searched the dark trying to figure out where the enemy had gone when once again she was forced into terror. From the darkness all around her there was a dark haunting laugh. The voice surrounded her and made her insides flip. That was definitely NOT Akuma's voice. But what scared her even more was that she now realized the voice in her ear from before had also not been Akuma's.
Kurishimi was beyond fear now. She was terrified. This training session was over. She forced herself to move. She grabbed up Ekans in her arms which scared the poor snake and darted toward the light of the fire. She hadn't gone more than a few steps before she heard a splash and felt her leg get wet. Was it water? No, it burned. It was the acid! She jumped back and ran around the pool to her best guess then made a direct run toward the firelight. It was then that she felt her attacker take on a real presence of fear. As she ran, she felt someone or something following her from behind. There were no footsteps, nor was there any rapid breathing, but she knew undoubtedly that she was being chased. More than halfway to the fire she tripped and fell to the ground with Ekans at her side. The ominous presence swept up behind her and she felt it wash over her body. Again the dark voice laughed as it crept over her. This exercise was definitely over with.
Kurishimi was no longer afraid, but angry. She grabbed Magnemite's pokéball from her belt and opened it in front of her. The electric energy from the magnet Pokémon gave it a warm blue glow as it hovered in the air in front of her.
"Magnemite, use thundershock on me right now!" she screamed.
The little Pokémon was startled, but the urgency in its trainer's voice caused it to obey immediately. The electric attack struck Kurishimi and as it did she felt the dark creature pull away from her. She hurried to her feet, grabbed up Ekans, and ran for the fire calling for Magnemite to hurry after her. As the light came over her she felt her fear and desperation evaporate. She was sure that whatever it was would not be a threat to her now and collapsed to her knees while gasping for air.
Chad, who had heard the entire exchange taking place from his seat at the fire, rushed over to Kurishimi before she had hit the ground. He put an arm over her and helped her to a seat by the fire while she slowly began to regain her composure. Ekans rushed inside the safety of the tent and dove into Kurishimi's sleeping bag while Magnemite scanned the darkness for any threat. Kurishimi couldn't even look up from the fire for the longest time. When she could hold herself up, Chad began washing her leg with some water Vaporeon had provided earlier that day to clean the acid off.
After her breathing became stable and her posture began to relax, they heard approaching footsteps from the darkness. Chad looked up to see Akuma step out from the shadows with an unreadable expression on his face. He didn't say a word, but sat down on the opposite side of the fire to look at Kurishimi's face. The result was not a pleasant one. When Kurishimi realized he was there she lifted her head and the look on her face told Akuma that she was not at all pleased. When Magnemite saw her eyes it dashed into the tent where Ekans was cowering. Fortunately for Chad he couldn't see the look she was giving to Akuma, but he could feel a threatening aura from the older girl that made him slowly inch away to a safer location. It was obvious this night was not going to end well.