Hah, on the off-chance that anybody reads this. Oh well.
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The Wraith of Blaze #3: Ash VS Erika
Written by Razorclaw X (spiceoflife@IEATSPAMhotmail.com)
http://www.crosswinds.net/~slythe/pokemon/index.html
Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo. Proper licenses
belong to respective properties and characters.
This file may be freely distributed so long as it appears
in its complete form and proper credit is given. No part may
be reproduced in part or whole for monetary/personal gain
without permission from the author.
Fair question: who is Cinder?
Fanart can be found at:
http://www.crosswinds.net/~slythe/fanart/index.html
------------------------------------------------
Pokemon League Final Tournament, Day 4
Ash was surprised to find himself still standing after
the previous three days of the tournament.
In a bizarre turn of events it turned out that this year
the Gym Leaders in the local area were to compete for the
right to keep their gym status for the next three years.
It was a well known fact to most trainers that the Gym
Leaders were among the best Pokemon masters, but in an
unfortunate turn of events, that proved not to be the
case at all.
On the first day of the tournament Misty, representing
her sisters in the tournament, lost, due to a quirk of
fate pitting her against Ash that day. The other Gym
Leader suffering a defeat that day was Surge, who was
pitted against another Gym Leader, whose Pokemon were
invulnerable to electric attacks. Many other minor Gym
Leaders lost that day, but not enough to possibly
create some sort of hazard.
The third day, however, proved far worse than the
first day. Even though it appeared that the Gym
Leaders were changing their tactics by utilizing
different Pokemon, some of them still could not make
it past the third elimination round. Koga, who
narrowly won the previous day, suffered a terrible
loss to Ash, and Blaine, one of the veteran Leaders,
was beaten by Giovanni, even though he used Pokemon
other than Fire-type. Brock, representing his dad in
the tournament, also lost his match to Sabrina.
After that series of defeats rumors were spreading
around amongst the trainers that the tournament schedule
was purposely-designed to defeat the current Gym
Leaders, while others pointed to the sole entrant made
by the notorious Team Rocket. Ash found Team Rocket's
entry puzzling; although he knew the Viridian Gym was
owned by the Rockets, he never expected them to be so
open about it. The Rocket, Billy, was not known to Ash,
but it seemed he knew what he was doing.
Other than the rumors, Ash started to become suspicious
himself when he first faced the days' opponent: yet
another Gym Leader.
Across the stadium field stood Erika, the Gym Leader of
Celadon City, her arms folded, and, strangely enough,
smiling. Had Ash not known any better he would have
expected the girl to be afraid for herself... but there
was only confidence in her youthful face.
"It's been quite a while," Erika said. "We never finished
our last battle."
"Well, I'm not going to let anything stop us this time!"
Ash replied. "I've gotten a lot better since last time!"
"As I've seen," the Gym Leader said, nodding. She
produced a Pokeball. "And, as you'll see, I've gotten
better as well! Your luck streak is about to run out!"
Ash turned his cap backward as he produced his own
Pokeball. "We'll see!"
"Charizard, go!" he yelled, throwing his Pokeball into
the fighting arena.
"Kabutops!" Erika yelled in turn. "Show 'em what you've
got!"
Ash gasped in surprise as the ancient Pokemon, Kabutops,
materialized before Charizard. "N... no way!"
"Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!" laughed the Gym Leader. "I KNEW
when I'd be fighting you that you'd assume that I'd be
using Grass-type Pokemon, and use your own Fire-types.
So I chose Kabutops to take advantage of that."
"No way you could have THAT!!" he complained.
Pointing at Charizard, Erika commanded, "Kabutops, use
Swords Dance!"
"Kabutops!" the monster yelled, swinging its bladed arms
about.
"Charizard, don't let that distract you!" Ash yelled.
"Attack it with a Flamethrower!"
Obeying Ash, Charizard belched a stream of flame toward
Kabutops. The ancient Pokemon sidestepped the flame
attack, narrowing its eyes with contempt.
"Now, Kabutops!" yelled Erika. "Slash Charizard!"
Swinging blades like sickles Kabutops leaped at
Charizard, but the fire Pokemon kept its enemy at bay
with its own Slash attacks, acting in self-defense.
"Don't let Kabutops get you!" encouraged Ash. "Use
Seismic Toss!"
Charizard roared, and, instead of Slashing, rushed
into a slam against Kabutops, sinking claws around its
arms. Lifting the ancient Pokemon into the air, Ash's
monster slammed Kabutops head-first into the battle
arena's ground, creating a huge hole.
Kabutops rolled backward and onto its feet, angered,
but hardly dazed, protected from the brunt of the
attack by its hard, rock shell.
"Absorb Charizard's energy!" Erika ordered.
"Ka...bu...tops!"
Suddenly, Ash realized the real reason why Erika had
ordered Kabutops to Swords Dance first.
"Charizard!" he yelled. "That Absorb attack is much
stronger than usual!"
But it was too late, as Kabutops, crossing blades,
fired a concentrated beam that collided with Charizard's
midsection, bathing Ash's monster in hellish light. The
fire Pokemon resisted as Kabutops' Absorb sucked its
energy, stomping closer to the ancient Pokemon. But
Kabutops held its ground, confident for good reason, as
Charizard's resistance lessened gradually.
"I can't stand this!" Ash screamed, holding out a
Pokeball. Firing the ball's tight-beam on Charizard, he
yelled, "Charizard, return!"
Erika laughed. "Never underestimate old fossils, Ash!"
"I don't know where you got that Kabutops from," Ash
said, "but I'm not letting it beat me!" He produced his
second Pokeball, and threw it into the arena. "It's your
turn, Muk!"
A smelly, sludge-like Pokemon materialized before
Kabutops, bobbing up and down with a wide grin.
Erika took an involuntary step back, but soon
recovered herself, producing her Pokeball. "Kabutops,
return!"
"Both trainers withdraw their Pokemon," the two heard
the announcer say. "No points awarded this round."
"I knew Muk would remind you of Grimer," Ash said
triumphantly. "Not only does it have an advantage against
Grass Pokemon...."
"Very cute, Ash!" Erika yelled, holding another
Pokeball. "Be disappointed, that I'm not the little girl
I once was!" She threw it into the arena. "Dratini! Show
Ash what you've got!"
The young dragon Pokemon, Dratini, materialized in the
arena, eyes full of innocence. He crooned puzzlingly at
Erika, as if unsure what to do.
"That's just as rare as Kabutops!" Ash complained.
"But THIS is hardly rare!" Erika shouted back.
Pointing toward Muk, she commanded, "Dratini! Show
that Muk your Dragon Rage!"
Dratini turned to face Muk, who was slowly
advancing, arms wide open. At the last moment when
the dragon Pokemon appeared to have disobeyed his
master, Dratini opened his small mouth and belched
flames.
Muk shielded itself from the Dragon Rage with both
of its gooey arms.
"Muk, Sludge attack!" Ash ordered.
Almost stupidly, Muk wound one arm back, then pitched
a piece of itself at Dratini. But the small dragon was
far too agile for such a clumsy attack.
"Your Muk is pathetic!" Erika said, laughing. "Now,
it's time to stop playing games; Dratini, Hyper Beam!"
Ash stepped back in surprise as an energy wave formed
around Dratini's open mouth. A strong blast of wind
blew the stadium as the dragon Pokemon unleashed his
most powerful attack. A solid column of air fired from
Dratini's mouth, cutting through Muk as if it were not
there.
Muk exploded in all directions as the Hyper Beam
ripped it apart.
"NO!!" Ash screamed.
The sludge Pokemon, however, was already putting itself
back together as Dratini recovered from the desperate
attack. Congealing back into a somewhat familiar form,
Muk appeared less stable than before to Ash, and it was
no surprise when it collapsed to the ground with a heavy
splash.
"Dratini is the winner!" the announcer said. "One point
goes to Erika."
"One out of three," Ash told himself. "Looks like I'm
going to have to count on this." He held out an empty
Pokeball. "Muk, return!"
"Don't bore me by bringing that Charizard back out!"
Erika taunted from the other end of the battle arena.
"Then you should like this one!" Ash shouted back.
Throwing his third Pokeball, "Your turn, Bulbasaur!"
Materializing into the arena, the lizard cried,
"Bulbasaur!"
Erika smirked. "Dratini, return!"
"Huh?!" the other trainer gasped. "Now what?!"
She produced her third Pokeball. "I should've known
better than to overestimate you, Ash! I've been saving
this one for you since our last battle!" Throwing the
Pokeball into the arena, Erika shouted, "Victreebel!
Go!"
"I don't remember fighting Victreebel," he said.
"Of course not! Last time, it was Weepingbell."
"So you evolved your Weepingbell into Victreebel?!
Fine then, this shouldn't be much different from the
last time!" To Bulbasaur, he commanded, "Show Erika
some of your own 'new' tricks! Finish that Victreebel
with Solar Beam!"
"Bulbasaur!"
Solar energy gathered around the bulb on the lizard's
back for Bulbasaur's most powerful attack.
Erika shouted, "Stun Spore, Victreebel! Don't let
that Bulbasaur finish gathering sunlight!"
Pointing its 'mouth' toward Bulbasaur, Victreebel
expelled a cloud of spores, using its leaves to fan
the spores toward Bulbasaur.
Abandoning the Solar Beam, Bulbasaur leaped back in
an attempt to dodge the spores.
"Vine Whip, Bulbasaur!" Ash shouted.
Two vines lashed out from Bulbasaur's back, slapping
Victreebel twice.
"You just don't get it, do you?" Erika said. "When
it comes to Grass-type Pokemon, nobody can beat me!
Victreebel, Razor Leaf!"
Spinning in place, the bell-shaped Grass Pokemon
threw a storm of leaves at its opponent. Each leaf
cut through Bulbasaur's tough hide as if they were
knives, true to the attack's name.
As soon as Ash's Pokemon fell on its side, the
announcer declared, "Victreebel has beaten
Bulbasaur. Point awarded to Erika."
Summoning Bulbasaur back into its Pokeball, Ash
reproduced Charizard's Pokeball. He stared at the
ball intently. "Now it's all up to you, Charizard.
You can beat that Victreebel easily!"
He threw the Pokeball into the arena, summoning
Charizard for the second time in the match.
"Now it's time for payback, Victreebel!" the Gym
Leader encouraged her Pokemon. "Razor Leaf!"
"Charizard, Flamethrower!"
Although weakened from the battle with Kabutops,
Charizard obeyed, belching a blast of flame at the
incoming Razor Leaf attack. Each leaf burst into
flame in mid-air, but none of the flames touched
Victreebel.
"Eh?!" gasped Ash.
"Don't you think I'd remember that from last time?"
Erika said. "Your problem is that you're too
predictable, Ash!"
To Victreebel, she ordered, "Stun Spore!"
From the bell's mouth Victreebel blew another cloud
of stun gas spores.
"Charizard, Fire Spin!" Ash shouted.
Roaring loudly, Charizard spun in place, summoning a
column of flame around it. As the spores came into
contact with the flames they burst, proving just as
useless as the Razor Leaf attack.
Stopping itself, Charizard threw its spinning flame
at Victreebel.
Erika yelped in shock as the Fire Spin attack caught
Victreebel in its deadly spiral, sending the bell
Pokemon into the sky with flames trailing behind.
"Charizard," Ash shouted, "follow up with Seismic
Toss!"
Charizard launched itself into the air, wings beating
rapidly. The great lizard caught Victreebel at the top
of the Fire Spin, and with a mighty heave slammed the
Grass-type Pokemon toward the ground.
When Charizard landed, Ash was shocked to find that
Erika was still smiling. Victreebel was getting up!
"I admit that surprised me," the Gym Leader said. "But
with proper training even using a Pokemon's weakness is
no match! Victreebel has one more trick up its sleeve."
"I thought Victreebel's best attack was Razor Leaf,"
Ash said, confused.
"For the most part," Erika said. "But this is a
technique of my own design.... Victreebel, Mega Drain!"
Although weakened, Victreebel complied, firing a
beam from its mouth. Charizard took the full brunt of
the attack, and started to become weaker.
"An attack even more powerful than Absorb?!" Ash
cried. "It's... it's fast!"
True to its name, Mega Drain siphoned energy from
Ash's Pokemon and gave it directly to Victreebel, which
appeared to get stronger with each passing moment.
When Victreebel completed its attack, Charizard was
lying on the ground, knocked-out.
"Victreebel is the winner. Point awarded to Erika."
Ash stood dumbfounded. "I... I lost?"
"Erika is the winner!" the announcer cried, followed
by great applause from the audience.
Recalling Charizard, the Orange League champion
walked off the field in defeat.
"An unexpected turn of events," Billy, the black-suited
Rocket said to himself, rubbing his chin.
In the stadium seats next to him Jessie, James, and
Meowth simply stared at the field, jaws dropped.
"I don't believe it," Jessie said. "The brat lost."
"To that girl, of all people," James added.
"They say 'you win some, you lose some,' but that's
takin' it a bit too far," Meowth agreed.
Billy shook his head. "Not good, not good at all. My
plans were riding on that kid beating the Gym Leaders for
us... and one of them beat HIM."
"Isn't she the Grass-trainer?" James asked.
"I thought so, too," Jessie answered. "So what's she
doing with all those rare Pokemon?"
"Who cares?" Meowth said. "We could always swipe 'em
later...."
"We're NOT here to steal rare Pokemon!" Billy yelled.
"Have you forgotten our mission?"
"Hey!" the Pokemon said. "Nothin' wrong with doing a
few jobs on the side."
"You stupid beast!" the black Rocket yelled, drawing
the attention of those around him. "Don't you talk back
to me!"
Jessie shook her head. "I don't know how much more of
this I can take!"
Leaning over to whisper in her ear, James said, "If I
didn't know any better I'd think he didn't like us."
"What gave you THAT idea?!" Jessie yelled back.
"C'mon!" Meowth complained to Billy. "I'll give you a
good share of the ransom cash, too!"
"Ransom cash?!" echoed Billy.
"Yeah!" the cat Pokemon said. "Didn't y'know that girl
was filthy rich?"
Regaining his calm exterior, the black Rocket considered
the new information carefully. He snapped his fingers.
"I've got it!"
"Got what?!" Jessie and James asked in unison.
"Milk?!" Meowth asked hopefully.
Billy waved the Rockets to follow him, away from the
stadium crowd. As soon as the four were out of sight from
any of the audience members, he said, "I think might have
a way to get our 'friend' back in the competition, and
get rid of the girl."
And get rid of three birds with one stone, he added
silently.
He picked up Meowth by the scruff of his neck. "Tell
me more about this Gym Leader...."
Cinder slammed the door to his room shut behind him,
not bothering to take off his robes even when alone.
Since the Pokemon League's tournaments often drew
very large crowds there were many hotel accommodations
to trainers and viewers, varying in degrees of furnish
and expense, depending on what the customer was looking
for.
The room Cinder rented for his stay was a few
buildings down from the VIP building, where important
individuals stayed in luxurious comfort, and this
included the Gym Leaders. Cinder's single-room
contained all that he deemed necessary: a bed, a
window, climate control, an alarm clock, a bathroom
(of course), and, most importantly, a television set,
mounted on a dresser directly across the room from the
bed.
He sat on the edge of his bed, dumping Pokeballs
behind him with one hand and grabbing the remote
control with the other. Immediately the local
Pokemon tournament newslets appeared.
Whenever the Pokemon League held tournaments all
the televisions in the local area were given
broadcast signals from a station below the stadium,
providing real-time news of events that might
concern the guests, ranging from Pokemon battles to
last-minute schedule changes and important
announcements. The former was particularly important
to those guests unable to attend the battles in
person, but it was the latter that Cinder was mainly
interested in.
A Pokemon battle in-progress was being televised
live from the stadium, which, judging from the
scoreboard in the upper-right corner, had just
started. Three lines of ticker-tape-style scores
ran across the bottom of the screen, in a fashion
similar to the televised stock exchanges. Cinder
paid no heed to the trainers duking it out for the
fourth elimination round, and checked the time on
the alarm clock behind him-- this was the last
battle of the day.
He turned back around to find the standings of
those people he knew in the tournament, but the
combatants caught Cinder's attentions first. In the
obvious lead, even though she never scored a point
yet, was Sabrina, the psychic Gym Leader from
Saffron City, her vicious Alakazam making mincemeat
of the opponent's Jolteon.
Cinder folded his arms, not surprised that the
psychic girl was having no troubles in the final
tournament, unlike her comrades; only Giovanni and
Erika managed to keep ahead besides Sabrina, and
it was perhaps more due to variety than luck that
got them that far (Cinder made sure in the case of
the former's selections). The wraith snorted with
amusement, sounding quite similar to someone
blowing air through a tube.
When the opponent's Flareon entered the battle
arena Cinder knew, and he guessed Sabrina knew as
well, that this particular fool was an Eevee-
trainer-- that is, a trainer that relied on the tri-
evolutions of Eevee, the genetically-unstable
Pokemon. The creature Eevee itself was uncommon to
most areas, and battling an individual with even
one Eevee monster was rare, but trainers with three
Eevee monsters was extremely rare-- as well as
quite limiting. Such tactics only worked against
those trainers who are unprepared for Eevees, but
any veteran trainer can overcome them.
Not that Sabrina's Alakazam was having any problems
in the fight.
True to form, Alakazam picked up Flareon with a
Psychic attack, and slammed it to the ground-- hard.
Cinder knew the tactic well, as it was terribly
common for any Psychic Pokemon to psychically-slam
opponents in such a manner, since only the strongest-
willed Pokemon could resist such an attack. Cinder
reached one claw into his hood, and scratched his
chin, producing a metal-against-metal grating.
He stopped himself, as such behavior was only
suitable for his previous life.
Only such an unrefined master would use such a
predictable attack, he broadcast in his mind to the
girl on television.
Sabrina jumped, causing the wraith to chuckle out-
loud. Tearing her eyes from the battle she stared
directly at the camera currently in use.
Cinder! she 'cast back from the stadium.
Careful, he warned, or your slave may fumble without
your constant command.
My Pokemon are more than capable of handling a
battle themselves! the Gym Leader replied proudly,
turning her eyes back to the arena.
Once I'm through here I'm coming for you next, she
added, recalling Alakazam as if to prove a point.
Cinder watched her send out Porygon, as if to insult
the opponent by beating him with an inferior Pokemon.
The battle is in the bag already, he 'cast back. I look
forward to our little confrontation.
He watched Porygon fire a simulated Psybeam at
Flareon, taking the Eevee monster out, and giving
Sabrina her second point in the match. There was no
surprise when the opponent produced Vaporeon; the
Gym Leader remained impassive, allowing Porygon to
continue the battle.
For a moment the wraith wondered how the other
trainer ever got so far into the elimination in the
first place as Porygon unleashed Tri Attack.
"And therefore we look forward to our match on day
six," Cinder decided, as Porygon finished-off the
other monster.
The wraith waited for the usual closing pleasantries
to commence, only watching because the news was coming
on next.
Each day the Pokemon League's tournament ended with a
summary of the day's events, in particular the highlight
battles of the day, and speculation upon which trainers
in the lineups would come out ahead of their peers. The
exercise was a pleasantry, nothing more, as Cinder
found the opinions of the so-called 'experts' to be
quite flawed, even if some of their picks did win.
Instead of the closing, however, the words "Special
Report" blotted-out everything on the screen.
Leaning forward with interest, the wraith relaxed his
chin on his folded arms, staring at the television. His
mechanical left eye adjusted itself to focus quickly.
The message tore away to a reporter standing in the
packed conference hall, blabbering on about some kind
of important announcement concerning the tournament.
Cinder ignored the reporter's words, wishing the
authority holding the conference would make it quick.
His thoughts were rewarded when Lance, the head of
the local League and of the tournament, appeared and
headed straight for the podium, dark cape flowing behind
him. Arrogance was the only word that described the
Pokemon Master, for it permeated his very being, and
his eyes were full of confidence, and appeared
somewhat piercing to any who looked at them directly.
The Dragon trainer was unmatched in terms of ability,
and some whispered he was just as reptilian as the
dragons he trained.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Lance began, "I've called
this conference so soon because we have learned of a
conspiracy within the tournament."
The Dragon trainer allowed a pause as those gathered
in the conference room murmured amongst themselves.
He produced a file folder from the folds of his
cape. "We have conclusive proof that the tournament has
been tampered with, as given by these documents, among
other pieces of evidence. Also, we have reason to
believe that the perpetrators are here at Indigo
Plateau, participating in the tournament themselves.
More murmurs ran through the audience. "It's those
damn Rockets!" someone shouted, a woman.
Lance raised his hands. "We're not pointing fingers
at them yet; there's no conclusive evidence of their
involvement."
"But you let one of them participate, and he's still
winning now!" the woman cried.
"This is not a press conference!" the Dragon trainer
pointed out. "And we are not here to form a lynch mob.
Now, be silent, or be removed. Your choice."
When the woman remained silent, Lance took it as his
cue to continue. "However, although the Rocket Gang
may not be the perpetrators, we do have certain
individuals under investigation. For that reason, we
are pulling them from the tournament."
This time the murmurs turned into outright yelling
and complaining. Cinder chuckled as the sound room
monitoring the feed attempted to filter-out the
'background noise.'
"Following an anonymous tip," continued Lance,
"we have put the following trainers under
investigation."
Cinder listened intently to the list of names--
a short list of eight names, but his concern raised
as two of the names were ones he recognized: Erika
and Giovanni. For a moment, the wraith was
surprised that his name wasn't mentioned at all. And
neither was the Rocket's, either.
"All being investigated operate under unusual
anomalies," the Dragon trainer explained. "Each will
be removed from the tournament and be placed under
house arrest."
"What about the people you're taking off tomorrow's
fights?!" a man yelled.
"A reasonable question," Lance said. "At the moment,
this affects only three trainers, so in their cases
their replacements will be the trainers that lost to
them today. We're effectively giving them a second
chance."
Some of the words Cinder made out were "Rip-off!"
and "Scandal!", but the very idea of the investigation
made the wraith uneasy.
"The girl Erika has my Pokemon," he said aloud, to
himself. "If that is the reason she's under
investigation, they can easily trace the Pokemon back
to me."
Cinder stood up, and began pacing. "But, there
may be a way...."
He had stopped paying attention to the conference,
but at that moment a runner handed Lance a note,
instantly grabbing the wraith's interest again.
"Ladies and gentlemen, if I may have your
attentions!" Lance shouted, over the numerous angry
voices.
Strangely enough, the noise died down, satisfying
the Pokemon Master, but there was a hint of worry in
his expression.
"While conducting a search for the whereabouts of
Giovanni," Lance read from the note, "the investigators
happened upon positive proof in his hotel room. We
have conclusive evidence to prove that Giovanni of
Viridian City Gym is in fact the Rocket Boss...."
Gasps of shock and surprise seized the audience.
"...and a search is being conducted for Giovanni,
who has an outstanding warrant for his arrest."
From their hiding spots in the ventilation shaft of
the conference room Jessie, James, and Meowth let out
a scream of shock. Fortunately, since the conference
room was just as noisy, the Rockets' presence went on
undetected.
"Someone sold out the boss!" Jessie whispered, trying
to contain her excitement.
"We're going to get it now!" James whined in panic.
"If they're looking for the boss, then they're going
to come after us as well!" she pointed out.
"But what are we supposed to do now?!"
From down the shaft, the voice of Billy said, "That
just means *I'M* the boss now!"
All eyes turned to the black-suited Rocket as he
appeared from around the corner. "Now that the boss
is... busy, and since he put me in charge... I'm the
boss now."
"So now what?" asked James.
"Don't ya think the boss'll need our help?" Meowth
added.
Billy shook his head. "We're going to continue on
as planned, but this time we're not going to play by
the rules. While they will start searching for us now
that the boss has been exposed... we still need a
gym secured."
"So we're going to steal one?" guessed Jessie.
"Any number of sucker-trainers'll help us out for
the right price," answered the black Rocket. "Now,
let's get going, before we're noticed."
Ash stared at the cafeteria television set, along
with Brock, Misty, and Pikachu, in shock. While the
news of Ash's reinstatement to the tournament was a
pleasant surprise, the idea that someone like
Giovanni being a wanted felon was something else
entirely.
"Giovanni's Team Rocket's boss?" Ash said in
disbelief.
"I can't believe it," Brock said. "After all this
time the guy in the next city was one of them."
But Misty was skeptical. "It does make sense; if he's
the Gym Leader of Viridian City, and Team Rocket has
that gym, that he'd be one of them. But don't you think
it's fishy how it just came up like that?"
Likewise, Cinder remained unimpressed with the
revelation of Giovanni's affiliations, as the
special report ended.
Even if Giovanni was the leader of Team Rocket, an
idea which Cinder seriously doubted, the fact
remained that the sudden appearance of the 'evidence'
was a little too convenient.
He gathered the Pokeballs strewn on his bed,
placing them in special slots in the sleeve of his
robes. Cinder walked out the door, heading for the
one place he needed to go before getting back to the
business of getting trainers to change their ways.
The trick was, of course, avoiding trouble.
Gary Oak, grandson of the famous professor of
Pallet Town, sat up in bed when someone knocked at
his door. Picking up the alarm clock that rest on
the nightstand next to the bed, his lack of energy
burst into anger.
"Can't anyone tell I've gotta sleep, even if it
IS five in the afternoon?" he wondered to himself.
After completing a grueling match that morning
Gary found himself lethargic, and as soon as he
made it to his hotel room sleep overcame him, so
he hadn't the time to even take off his boots.
Thinking back, he decided that it was probably due
to the fact that some of Jeanette's Bellsprout's
Sleep Powder got to him; that was the most
ridiculous monster he'd ever fought in the
tournament.
The knock came again, much harder than before.
"Awright, I'm comin'!" Gary yelled, rubbing his
eyes.
Not bothering to peek his eye through the door,
he pulled the door open.
All thoughts of slumber were swept away as Gary
stood at attention to Lt. Surge.
"Taking your time, soldier?" the Gym Leader
asked in his stiff voice.
"N...not at all," Gary replied. He stood back,
gesturing a hand inside. "Come on in."
Surge entered Gary's room, hands behind his back,
as if inspecting troop barracks. As soon as Gary
shut the door he turned to face him.
"Have you been keeping up with the news?" Surge
asked.
"Well... no," admitted Gary. "I've been sleeping."
Starting his pacing, the Gym Leader explained,
"In the space of two hours two more Gym Leaders have
been removed from the tournament, as well as one
other, in investigation to the sabotage."
Gary nodded, knowing Surge referred to the alleged
tampering of the tournament roster.
"Blame has fallen upon one of eight people, those
three inclusive, and Team Rocket EXCLUSIVE," the
former soldier continued. "This, I believe, is also
the work of the saboteur."
"It has to be the Rockets," Gary concluded. "It's
the only explanation why they've been quiet."
"My thoughts exactly, soldier!" agreed Surge. "It
is apparent to the saboteur that the remaining
Leaders are too good to be beaten so easily even
when stacked, and therefore they had to be removed
by technicalities. Erika stands accused of using her
money to buy off her wins, while Giovanni was
initially accused of the same."
"Initially?!"
"Conveniently, upon searching his empty hotel room
the investigators found evidence pointing to his
alleged affiliation to Team Rocket, as their boss."
"That's crazy," the younger trainer said. "That only
means it's Team Rocket for sure."
"An old tactic, but perfectly effective," Surge
said. "To throw off blame you thrust it on another.
Yet, it must also be pointed out that although it
appears Giovanni has fled, so has Team Rocket."
"So it can't be them?"
"I didn't say that."
"But wouldn't it be counterproductive of the Rockets
to disqualify themselves from the tournament?"
"Winning the tournament was likely not their
original intention. Creating a ruckus with the power
structure may be it."
"So now what?"
"We need to find Team Rocket, of course."
Gary sighed. "That could take all night. I've gotta
go to the tournament early tomorrow, too, you know."
"I won't keep you late," Surge promised. "If my
scouts are correct, then they haven't left the
plateau yet. We may find them quickly if we act fast."
While Billy was gone the rest of the Team Rocket
members sat around the campfire in their camp hidden
in the woods, not far from the stadium. James poked
a stick into the fire, sifting the ashes meaninglessly.
"The boss is gone," James moaned, "and we're all
alone!"
"Without the boss Team Rocket is finished!" added
Jessie. "He was the one who kept everything together."
"And now we've got to put up with Mr. 'I'm the boss
now' for the rest of our lives!" James added, bursting
in tears.
Meowth shook his head, and folded his arms. "You two
don't get it, don't ya?"
"What?" both Rockets asked, their attentions fixated
on Meowth.
"Do I have to come up with the brilliant ideas
myself?" the cat Pokemon wondered aloud. "Anyway, if
those police are lookin' for the boss, we should
GIVE him to them."
"Don't be ridiculous, Meowth!" Jessie yelled in
anger, raising a fist.
"We don't even know where the boss is," James pointed
out.
"Not THAT boss!" corrected Meowth. "I mean... the
'boss....'"
"Ohhh...." the two Rockets said in understanding.
"We can get rid of Billy that way!" James exclaimed
in excitement.
"And clear the boss's name at the same time!" Jessie
added.
"The trick is turning him in," finished the cat.
"I assume you have a plan?" asked the female Rocket.
"All we gotta do is tie him up and throw him to the
police. Then we turn ourselves in and tell them that
Billy's really the boss, which ain't entirely untrue!"
"That's brilliant!" praised James.
"Wait a minute!" Jessie said. "That requires that
WE go to prison, too!"
"And there ain't no prison us three can't get out
of!" Meowth replied proudly.
"He's got a point there," agreed James.
"You guys got Pokemon to deal with him!"
"But he took away my Weezing...."
"And Arbok," added Jessie. "You expect me to win
a fight without him?"
"What makes you think they'll listen to him over
you?" the cat asked honestly. Nostalgia filled his
eyes. "Don't you think, after all we've been through
together, that they'd run out on us like that?"
"Actually, now that you mention it, they will,"
Billy yelled in anger, appearing from the darkness
of the woods.
For the seventh time since being placed under house
arrest Erika wanted to throw a few hotel pieces around
in her room.
Confined to the luxurious VIP room was hardly the
source of the problem for the Gym Leader, but being
cooped up there by force was.
She sat down on the couch in the living room of
the room (it was more like a condominium, she admitted
to herself), and buried her head in her hands. One
of the biggest obstacles of becoming a Gym Leader in
the first place was being taken seriously by the rest
of the trainers, and that was hard the first time,
given how Erika was born to a rich family. And, of
course, that automatically gave the impression to
those who knew about it that she got her Gym title by
virtue of the fact that she had money to spend.
That was the primary reason why Erika never told
anyone about her wealth, or allowed any of her
'attendants' anywhere near the Celadon Gym. But,
unfortunately, it seems the choice caught up with her
in a bad way.
"How are you feeling?" a low, metallized voice
asked.
Without turning to the source of the voice, Erika
answered, "As best as can be, given the circumstances,
you know."
Cinder nodded, glad he hardly had to explain how
he got into the room in the first place. "What exactly
is the accusation?"
"Somebody's saying that the only reason I'm winning
is because of money," the girl said, telling the
wraith nothing new. "But there's other stuff, too, that
the League won't say until there's positive proof of
it."
"And that is?"
"They think I paid-off somebody to use their most
powerful Pokemon, and that's how I got so far ahead
of the other Gym Leaders."
"And in that they would be partially correct."
"I know. But it sounds so much better to them if
money was involved."
"Do they suspect me?"
Erika shook her head. "Not yet, at least, if at all.
The last I heard someone wanted to tie me with
Giovanni and Team Rocket."
She looked back at Cinder. "Can you believe it? I
mean, Giovanni?"
"If he truly were the master of Team Rocket," Cinder
observed, "then I doubt he would've been as clumsy as
to leave direct evidence pointing that way in plain
sight. It was planted."
"Except there's no proof of that, either," the Gym
Leader pointed out. "Nobody's got a motive to do that."
"Only those who wish to see either Team Rocket fall,
or all the Gym Leaders vanquished. Whoever has done this
also rigged the tournament from the start, and their
goal is not apparent."
He was ready to say more, but Cinder felt a tingling
feeling on the back of his neck.
"What is it?" asked Erika, catching the break.
"It appears I'm going to confront someone very soon,"
answered Cinder. "You know what it is. If you don't
hear from me in twelve hours, you can assume that I
won't be coming back. My battle will be late tomorrow
afternoon... so I may return."
"I see," she said, nodding in understanding. "Both
of you have until tomorrow afternoon, then."
The wraith turned to leave. "If it becomes necessary
I'll do what I must. In the meantime, keep your head
above water, and don't mention my connection."
"B...boss!" gasped James.
The black Rocket leaned against a tree, arms
folded, hat tipped low. "Don't you think I would've
known what you three have been planning? Did you
really think I made all these plans so you could
throw me out in an hour?"
"I really should turn you three in," continued
Billy, "but you do have rather loose lips. Only one
thing to do."
James clutched his neck in fright. "I don't want to
die!!"
"Shut up!" Jessie yelled, shaking her partner
violently. "He's NOT going to kill us!"
"To be bluntly honest, I really don't know what
to do with losers like you," Billy admitted. "But,
as we are now on the run, I want the balloon blown
up and the camp broken as quickly and as quietly as
possible."
"And you expect us to get out quietly in a hot-air
balloon?!" Meowth said.
Billy kicked the cat Pokemon with his boot. "Just
do as I tell you, lowly monster! We will return to
headquarters by sunrise tomorrow, with or without
you."
"Well, you can do it yourself!" Jessie shouted in
anger. "We're tired of following your orders, when
all you do is run off and hide to play stupid games!"
"My work is very delicate!" Billy insisted. "Now
get the balloon ready!"
James stood beside Meowth and Jessie, suddenly
finding a surge of confidence. "What've you ever
done for the boss?"
"All ya did was betray our boss!" Meowth accused.
"Even greedy guys like us'd NEVER betray him!"
"Oh?" Billy said with amusement. "What are you
going to do about it? I've got your Pokemon!"
"And that's mistake number two!" Jessie yelled,
throwing a Pokeball. "Lickitung, GO!"
"Victreebel, GO!" James ordered, throwing out his
own Pokeball.
The black Rocket's eyes moved from Victreebel to the
comical Lickitung in surprise. "You have MORE?!"
"Looks like someone didn't do his homework!" Jessie
taunted.
Billy threw three Pokeballs of his own. "Raticate!
Farfetch'd! Tauros! Show them what you've got!"
Arrayed across from each other, the Rocket Pokemon
stood at a face-off: Raticate and Lickitung, Meowth
and Farfetch'd, and Tauros and Victreebel.
Grabbing the training whip tied to his belt, Billy
lashed out his weapon. "Attack!"
But already the battle proved to be against the
black Rocket, as Lickitung wrapped its long tongue
around Raticate, paralyzing it. Meowth slashed the
duck Pokemon's onion sprig into pieces, disarming
Farfetch'd. Victreebel spat acid at the charging
Tauros, forcing the bull Pokemon to fall back.
Seething in anger, Billy threw his final two
Pokeballs. "Arbok, Weezing!"
Both Jessie and James lost their battle edge as they
paused in shock when their own Pokemon appeared.
"Chaaaarrrbok!"
"Wwwweeeeezing...."
"That's not fair!" James complained.
"Arbok, constrict Lickitung!" Billy ordered. "Weezing,
Smokescreen!"
For a moment, both Pokemon hesitated, staring from
Billy to their respective masters.
"Arbok!" Jessie yelled angrily. "Get HIM!!"
"Yes, Weezing, you too!" ordered James.
"Whata'ya waitin' for?!" demanded Meowth, looking to
both Poison Pokemon.
"Don't listen to them!" Billy shouted. "They don't
treat you as well as I! They can't get you two to win
any battles, when I can! They're betraying Team Rocket
by defying their leader... me!"
Arbok and Weezing passed confused looks to each
other, then back to their masters.
"Aarrrbok?"
"Weeezing?"
The two looked back at the black Rocket.
And attacked.
"CCCCHHHAAARRRRBOOOOOK!!!!"
"WWWWEEEEEZZZZIIIINNNGGG!!"
"You ungrateful monsters!" Billy cried, turning to
flee.
"You're not getting away!" James cried. "Weezing,
Poison Gas attack!"
"Arbok!" yelled Jessie. "Bind him!"
With surprising speed Weezing belched noxious gases
toward the fleeing Rocket, overcoming him instantly.
Arbok, being used to Weezing's terrible gases, had
no trouble catching up with Billy and winding around
him.
When the gas cleared Jessie, James, and Meowth
surrounded Billy, caught in Arbok's snaky body.
"So nice of you to volunteer yourself," Meowth said.
"The boss'll thank us for your sacrifice, even if
he doesn't find out about your betrayal," James added.
Struggling in Arbok's grip, Billy replied, "Don't
think this is over between us! You're still a bunch
of incompetents!"
"Maybe," Jessie conceded, "but we're members of the
team, unlike you."
Standing opposite each other in the empty stadium,
Sabrina and Cinder stared each other down, neither
unyielding to each other's gaze.
"I knew you'd come," Sabrina said.
"Rivals such as we shall end it now," Cinder replied
in a bored tone.
Smiling to herself, the psychic Gym Leader produced
a Pokeball. Unlike most other Pokeballs, this ball
was blue instead of red, and a large 'M' was prominently
emblazoned on it.
"Master Ball," the wraith knew.
"I made a deal with the president of Silph, Co.," she
explained.
"Then you indeed are in over your head," spat Cinder.
"No creature requiring such a device would listen to a
lowly trainer such as yourself."
"Oh, no, that wasn't my intention at all," Sabrina
insisted. Dropping the Master Ball on the ground, she
produced another Pokeball. "You see, it's more of an
insurance. I don't need it to destroy you!"
"Such arrogance!" Cinder replied with a chuckle.
"If you know what's good for you you'll use it right
now."
"Enough talk!" Sabrina demanded, throwing her Pokeball
into the air. "Alakazam, go!"
Cinder smiled under the darkness of his hood,
dropping a Pokeball of his own on the ground. "Now,
Spidera...!"
Pokemon League Final Tournament, Day 5
Ash was the first to enter the stadium that morning,
as it was hours before he would have his turn to
battle in the fifth elimination round.
For a moment, he felt a tinge of regret, that his
second chance in the tournament came at the expense
of a fellow trainer, even if it was her own fault in
the first place. He looked behind him to Pikachu, who
followed along behind his master, and smiled.
"Pikachu," he said, "this time, we're going to make
it to the end."
But Pikachu appeared to have not heard, looking
beyond Ash with worry in his eyes. "Piiikaaa...."
"What's the matter, Pikachu?" Ash asked. When the
little Pokemon pointed a stubby finger past Ash, the
trainer looked forward, and gasped in shock.
Six craters littered the field, each about five
feet deep, with a radius just as large. At the bottom
of each crater was a Pokemon... Alakazam, Ash knew,
from peering into the first crater. Quickly scanning
the rest of the craters, Ash found a Mr. Mime, a Hypno,
a Kadabra, a Porygon, and a Jynx, all battered and
beaten from the same disaster that befell Alakazam.
"These are all of Sabrina's Pokemon," Ash knew,
walking back to Alakazam's crater.
Suddenly, the young trainer was assaulted by mental
images projected from Alakazam. In a flash, Ash saw
Sabrina and Cinder from the previous night, ready to
duke it out in their grudge match. He saw Sabrina
discard the Master Ball to the ground. He saw Alakazam
battling a huge, horse-sized spider-like creature, and
lose to its awesome Thunder attacks. He saw the rest
of Sabrina's Pokemon, likewise defeated by more of
Cinder's Pokemon, including a scorpion creature, an
Aerodactyl, and a Scyther. Finally, Cinder threw a
yellow and black Pokeball at Sabrina....
Pikachu was tugging at Ash's pants leg when he came
to.
He looked down at the monster with worried eyes. "I
think Sabrina's in trouble."
Suddenly, Alakazam's psychic energies propelled the
Master Ball in front of Ash. He caught it when the
psychic energies released it.
"A Master Ball?!"
As soon as Ash exited the elimination round victorious
he went straight to where Brock and Misty were waiting
for him. Quickly, he explained what he saw that morning.
"Apparently," Brock said, "it must mean that Sabrina
challenged him, and she lost."
"But both of them are still in the tournament," Misty
pointed out. "Why would they leave so suddenly when they
still had a chance to win?"
"I don't know, either," admitted Ash. "But we've got
to find out where they went."
"Do you have any ideas where to start looking?" she
asked.
Brock scratched his chin. "Maybe... maybe somebody
else knows where they went?"
"Who could we turn to?" wondered Ash. "Sabrina isn't
that kind of person, and neither is Cinder."
"You forgot one thing, Ash," Brock pointed out. "There
IS somebody who seems to know Cinder."
Ash's eyes lit up as he came to the same conclusion as
Brock. "Erika!"
------------------------------------------------
Author's Notes
Believe it or not, the real reason I started the fic
with a battle between Ash and Erika was simply because
I'd just seen that episode before writing, and, needless
to say, I was 'pumped' :) Anyway, from the looks of it
Erika pretty much whooped Ash's butt even if he did have
Charmander, so my opinion of her skill raised quite a
bit-- and also gave me a unique opportunity to exploit a
problem seed I planted in the last part (and helped in
giving me a reason and opportunity for Billy to usurp
control of Team Rocket, and give the Rockets another
good reason why they want to get rid of him ^_^).
Will Ash and company find Sabrina in time to get
her back to the tournament? Just what is Cinder planning
on doing with the psychic Gym Leader? What is Team
Rocket going to do with Billy? And, just what IS in
that Master Ball? Stay tuned....
Q: Why is (Kenji) not in this story?
A: I know absolutely nothing about the character other
than what Pokemon he uses, much less the name 4Kids
is going to give him for the NA release. If it matters
to you that much he's gone home (which is likely in the
Southern Islands somewhere).
---------POKEMON ROSTER----------
Name: Ash Ketchum (Orange League Champion)
Pokemon: Pikachu, Charizard, Squirtle, Bulbasaur, Snorlax
Stored: Kingler, Muk, etc.
Name: Gary Oak (Professor Oak's grandson)
Pokemon: Blastoise, Nidoking, Arcanine, Pidgeot,
Exeggutor, Alakazam
Stored: Kingler, Fearow, Rhydon, Jolteon, Sandslash,
Gyarados, Cloyster, Magneton, Ninetails, etc.
Name: Cinder (The Wraith of Blaze)
Pokemon: Scyther, Kingler, Omastar, Aerodactyl, Scorpin
(new; see below), Spidera (new; see below)
Stored: Venomoth, Tentacruel, Beedrill, Parasect, etc.
Name: Brock (Rock Gym)
Pokemon: Graveler, Geodude, Onix, Vulpix, Zubat, Rhyhorn
Name: Misty (Water Gym)
Pokemon: Staryu, Starmie, Togepi, Psyduck, Goldeen, Dewgong
Name: Erika (Grass Gym)
Pokemon: Gloom, Victreebel, Tangela, Ivysaur, Exeggcute
Stored: Vileplume, Clefairy, Wigglytuff, Dratini
Borrowed: Electabuzz, Magmar, Cloyster, Pinsir, Kabutops
Name: Sabrina (Psychic Gym)
Pokemon: Alakazam, Slowbro, Exeggutor, Porygon, Jynx, Hypno
Stored: Kadabra, Mr. Mime, Abra
Name: Giovanni (Ground Gym; Team Rocket)
Pokemon: Gyarados, Nidoking, Cloyster, Electabuzz, Rhydon
Stored: Persian, Kingler, Machamp, Nidoqueen, Dugtrio, etc.
Name: Jessie and James (Team Rocket)
Pokemon: Lickitung, Victreebel, Meowth
Name: Billy (Team Rocket)
Pokemon: Raticate, Farfetch'd, Tauros
Borrowed: Arbok, Weezing
---------POKEDEX ENTRY-----------
Basic Pokemon
Spidera
Spider Pokemon
Bug/Electric
No. 690, Level 6; Evolves at Level 23 (Spidek)
Length: ???',???", Weight: ??? lbs.
Skill Level
----- -----
Tackle -
String Shot -
Thundershock 9
Thunder Wave 13
* Absorb 20
* Thunderbolt 24
* Agility 32
* Thunder 45
Spins sticky webs in order to catch prey. Usually
sends electric shocks through its webbing.
---------------------------------
---------POKEDEX ENTRY-----------
Basic Pokemon
Scorpin
Scorpion Pokemon
Bug/Ground
No. 693, Level 7; Evolves at Level 25 (Skullpin)
Length: ???',???", Weight: ??? lbs.
Skill Level
----- -----
Scratch -
Sand Attack -
Poison Stinger 8
* Swords Dance 15
Twineedle 21
* Slash 28
* Earthquake 36
* Guillotine 48
It's stinger and pincers are made of stainless steel.
Wears a strange reptilian helmet of unknown origin.
---------------------------------
Razorclaw X
http://www.crosswinds.net/~slythe/pokemon/index.html
<!-- End of File -->
"That's my story and I'm sticking to it."--JMS, creator of Babylon 5.
"If you go to Z'ha'dum, you will die."--Kosh, Babylon 5.
"Understanding is a three-edged sword."--Kosh, Babylon 5.
"Never show your hand until the end."--me, being profound.
--Razorclaw X