A Shocking Battle (Parts 1-3)

Dark awoke and stood up out of bed. She stretched and looked around. 6:30. Cass and her had to get moving soon; they needed to leave the city by 10:00 to venture on. Dark exited her room into the hall wearing her black baggy pajama pants and top. She stepped to the next room and knocked. The door opened.

A tired Cass stood in the doorway with drowsy eyes. "Leaving already�?"

"No. I just woke up. We�re on our way to the gym at 7. Get dressed."

She turned and went back to her room. After a half an hour, the two headed out with all their gear packed and their faces looking as if they�d been up for hours.

Cass was eager to face Vincent Surge. She had heard a lot about him, and wanted to see how she�d do against the electric-type pokemon.

They got to the gym- above them arched large golden lightning bolts. The outside walls were a brassy color, and through the tinted windows, only blackness could be seen. Cass�s anxiety turned to calm, and then a shudder passed through her.

"Dark�?"

"Hm?"

"I-I know that my pokemon will fare well, but I just don�t feel it. There�s power in this gym, I know."

Dark narrowed her eyes. A challenge. So perfect. If she had been more emotional, perhaps she would have smiled. True, there was a sense of strength and power radiating from the gym. Without another thought, Dark pushed through the doors. The girls had made it a tradition to go in one at a time.

The inside wasn�t black at all, as it seemed from outside. The walls were the same, and bright yellow lamps hanging from the ceiling decorated the rooms and halls. Still, the power was there�the aura�

Two large brass doors kicked open faster than one might think heavy doors could. A panicked trainer scurried from a large, well-lit room. It was the arena; Dark could tell from the markings on the floor. Vincent stood there, smirking at the trainer. He would seem intimidating to the average person. The aura of authority and strength filled him. The young trainer rushed out of the gym crying to his pokeballs that they would be ok.

The next trainer, a tall determined-looking boy stood. Dark saw in him her own will- he had no fear of this awesome pokemon trainer, no, leader. He brushed his short brown hair back with a hand, bowed, and strode into the arena. The doors closed with a loud �THUD�.

It wasn�t long- maybe ten or fifteen minutes- before the large doors swung open. The boy walked back out confidently. Dark noticed him pat his pocket. He had won; he had the Thunder Badge. Vincent stood at the doors, once again, waiting. Dark straightened herself, and entered the arena.

The large brass doors boomed behind Vincent as the two entered the arena. This gym was fancier than the rest; there were murals of electric pokemon on the walls and there was even an announcer.

"Battle number 10 of the day," a voice spoke over the loudspeaker. Vincent was already standing in his trainers� box. Dark moved to hers. "Shiki Dark versus the Gym Leader, electric Vincent Surge! Two pokemon may be used each. Once one is called back, it stays out. Good luck, and begin!"

Vincent grinned. "Have your pokemon?" Dark nodded. "Good, then let�s begin. Electabuzz, go!"

So it was true that Dark never showed much emotion. However, while in battle, she always got caught up in the rush. If she lost, she never showed that it hurt, if she won, she never flaunted it.

There was a glint in Dark�s eye. "Graveler, you�re up."

There was a pause as the pokemon stared each other down.

"Electabuzz, Seismic Toss!" The pokemon sweatdropped. How was it supposed to throw that thing? It ran at Graveler and lifted it up for a spilt second. It turned around and abruptly dropped him. Graveler seemed to be laughing. Electric attacks wouldn�t work, and that definitely wouldn�t.

"Graveler, Rock Throw." He hunched over and concentrated. He thrust one arm forward and a rush of rubble flew at Electabuzz.

"Hurry! Agility!" Electabuzz dogged with speed and skill. This was going to be a loooong match. Dark thought. "If I could just get its HP down a little�I have an idea�"

"Dig!" The large boulder pokemon spun in circles, and was gone under the floor. The ground rumbled. Vincent looked around, a bit nervous as to where the giant stone would show back up.

Graveler spun out of the ground right under Electabuzz. It fell over with a bit of surprise. "Ok," Dark whispered. "Time for some self-sacrifice." She spoke up. "Self-destruct!" Graveler shone an eerie light, then with a huge blast, both pokemon were out cold. Not to mention that Vincent and Dark had each hit the walls.

There was a stab of pain in Dark�s back. She pulled herself to her feet, and saw that she had hit the wall a little hard for that attack� She saw Vincent- he also had gotten to his feet. The two called back their pokemon, and were ready to resume before the smoke cleared. They waited, and the dust rested. Besides the rubble that was the arena, there were two people in the room. Their black uniforms made it apparent who they were.

Vincent grew angry. "That wasn�t Self Destruct! Graveler hadn�t even done the attack yet! You�re the Shadow Gang! How dare you come here and ruin our match!"

The girl smirked. "How dare you greet your guests like that, Surge. We�ll take it from here."

Dark braced herself for battle. The Shadow Gang was unpredictable and may try anything at any time. "What do you want?"

The girl laughed. "I think that�s our cue, Kain." He nodded. "Prepare for total fear."

"And everlasting tears," Kain spoke easily.

"To be the bearers of devastation."

"To destroy all life in every nation."

"To obliterate the evils of love and light!"

"To bring absolute chaos to the heavens bright!"

"Myuka!"

"Kain!"

"Shadow Gang, destruction by the cover of night."

"Surrender now, or to the death we will fight!"

"Then fight we will!" Dark reached for her pokeballs.

"Feisty little one, Myuka."

"Yes, but she doesn�t know what she�s in for." Myuka also reached for a pokeball. With a flash of reddish light, an Electrode appeared on the ground.

"Pokeball, go!" Kain called out a pokemon too. His appeared next to Electrode- a Raichu.

Myuka grinned. "We play by your tune, Vincent. We�re here for you�re Zapdos Stone."

Vincent blinked. "My- what?"

Kain narrowed his eyes. "Don�t play fool with us, Surge. We�re on a mission, and we want that stone!"

Dark was confused and bewildered. As far as she knew, Zapdos was a legendary bird pokemon, the God of Lightning. What was this stone�?

Raichu moved closer to Vincent and shocked him. Kain scowled. Myuka stepped closer. "This Raichu has the power to electrocute a human being. Hand over the stone, or you�re over!"

There was a loud boom that echoed through the arena. Dark turned and saw the brass doors open. There, in the doorway, was Vincent�s previous challenger. He looked at Dark. "In for a match?"

"Yes."

He stepped forward to Myuka and Kain. "You dared to barge in here in the middle of a match, a gym match!" He threw a pokeball at the ground. Standing before him was now a Nidorino. "Nidorino, Horn Attack!" Nidorino ran forward and hit Kain in the side with its horn. A bit of blood trickled onto his uniform. He grabbed his side.

"Damn you!"

But Dark was up now. Haunter was out of his pokeball. "Haunter, Poison Gas attack!" Haunter shot a mist of black fog from its mouth. From within the cloud, they heard:

"We�ll be back, Surge! We�ll get that stone!"

"The Shadow Gang will not fail! We alone prevail!"

The smoke cleared, and they were somehow gone. Vincent stood and walked to Dark and the boy. "Shiki, Kaumi, thank you both. I guess I�m not as intimidating as I seem myself, but they drive a hard bargain."

They all called back their pokemon. Dark looked at the floor. "What is this�this Zapdos Stone?"

"It is something very valuable. I can�t tell you that, but I�ll say that the Shadow Gang should know nothing about it. I can�t help you with that but," Vincent reached into his pocket, "I�ll give you this." He handed Dark a Thunder Badge.

She held it in her hand. "But I didn�t beat you. Why don�t we rematch?"

He laughed. "I�m afraid I don�t have time, I have a class to teach in a few minutes. I thank you both for your help." He turned to Kaumi. "I would give you one to, but seeing that you beat me already�"

"That�s ok. I don�t need a reward."

"Well then, that�s it. Go on now."

"Kaumi, you�ve done more than enough. Good luck, and goodbye."

The two trainers walked out. They stood in the street. Cass approached Dark.

"Hey, how�d ya do?" Dark showed her the badge. "Well then, I�m up."

"Actually, Vincent has a class. I guess you can go tomorrow."

"What? And put off our map? No way! I�ve missed it, I�ll make it up someday."

Kaumi was a little confused. "What map?"

Cass smiled. "I guess we have a new stowaway, and a cute one at that! We�ll show you later, if you want to tag along, that is."

Kaumi nodded. "Sure."

"We�re headed out tomorrow," Dark interrupted. "We�re going back to our hotel the rest of the day."

"I�ll be there."

The three walked off into the distance.