Onward! Onward to Chapter 2!
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CHAPTER TWO: Shadow Pokémon and All That Jazz!
A gentle wind blew from the open window through Rich and Anabel's room the morning after Enigma Shadow's dramatic return. Anabel was already up and gone, leaving a rather disheveled Rich to be stirred by the breeze. He sat up in bed and yawned, his bluegreen hair a mess.
Silently and almost sullenly he arose, shuffled to the mirror, and stared for what seemed like forever. After quite a while he quickly changed from his night robe into his suit and placed his hat upon his head to hide the mess atop it. His eyes then fell to the Snag Machine, innocently sitting upon the dresser.
"Aw, hell no..." he finally grumbled. All night he had hoped, wished and dreamed that the previous day's events were a bad nightmare, Enigma Shadow wasn't back, and everything was okay. The Snag Machine's presence shattered that facade. With a groan of acceptance, he put it on and walked out of the bedroom.
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It seemed like forever before Rich made it to the lab's kitchen. Surprisingly, Olivia was the only one there, playing with Rosemary's Budew.
"Oh! Good morning, Daddy!"
"Subo!! Budewe!!" the tiny green Pokémon chirped.
"Good morning, Olivia." Rich seemed uninterested in her and Budew, though. "Do you know where your mother is?"
"I'm in here, Rich!" Anabel called out from a side room, hearing and answering Rich's question. He promptly left Olivia and Budew to see what was going on, and found Anabel with Ein and Venus. All of them were watching Rosemary, who was kneeling on the ground repairing some sort of machine.
"Good day, Rich," Ein greeted, seemingly back to his old self after the Wintown oddity the previous day.
"What's she doing?" Rich asked, gesturing towards Rosemary, who stood, finished with her work and knowing Rich was referring to her.
"Good morning, Rich! I was just finishing installing the machine parts I ordered into this special computer."
"I see. What do they do?"
"Well, Rosemary explained it to us already," Venus said, "maybe if you woke up sooner, you'd know. But I guess I can sit through it again."
"Thanks for your permission," Rosemary replied sarcastically before turning back to Rich. "This, my friend, is not just any normal computer. It can detect the wave frequencies given off by all matter."
"That in and of itself is interesting, I think," Anabel added, "but the next part's the best."
"Not only can my computer detect wave frequencies, if I hit just the right frequency I can detect precious gems like DIAMONDS and PEARLS. Do you realize what that means? This computer right here before you can confirm the theory behind all my research---once on the right frequency it can tell us the location of Dialga and Palkia!"
"You can WHAT?!" Obviously, Rich was shocked, as anyone would be if they heard a machine could detect the locations of Legendary Pokémon.
"That's right. Remember when I said my research indicated Dialga and Palkia may be in Aquane in their dormant forms? This is the answer! If I can find an area where the readings of diamond aura or pearl aura are greatly exaggerated, that's where they are!"
Ein took a step forward and rubbed his chin in thought, an action he seemed to do more out of habit than actually needing to.
"Naturally, this device holds untold promise for us Pokémon researchers," the former Cipher scientist said dubiously, "but at the same time, it is a dangerous risk. We dodged the first bullet in not allowing them to steal the necessary parts, but if this machine were to fall into Enigma Shadow's control at any time, it could spell catastrophic distaster."
"If this thing could cause so much danger," Rich asked, slightly angry, "why did you create it?"
"Listen, Rich..." Rosemary's voice became serious, which was unlike her. "There's something I need to tell you. For several weeks prior to your arrival, members of a strange organization were going around asking about Dialga and Palkia. I didn't know who they were then, but now that I've seen identified members of Enigma Shadow, I know it was them because they had the same uniforms. I sent you the letter because I knew something bad was going on, and that you could do something about it."
"You know, Rich," Anabel cut in, "isn't it lovely she volunteered us for this without asking first?" Rich laughed, so Anabel continued. "Nothing we can do about it now though. We've got to work with Rosemary to keep Enigma Shadow in check."
"Precisely," Rosemary confirmed. "I devised a plan as to what we'll do. Rich, you and Anabel will distract Enigma Shadow by continuing to battle them and Snag their Shadow Pokémon. Since their attention will be drawn elsewhere, that gives me, Ein and Venus time to find Dialga and Palkia. Once we do that, we all can team up to try and protect them."
At that moment, Rosemary's P*DA rang. She took it out quickly, opened it, read her new e-mail, and stowed it with equal speed.
"Come, we're wanted at the Ranger Base. All of us."
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Rosemary led the group through the automatic doors of the Ranger Base just a few short minutes later. She walked with a strong step, and behind her, Rich and Anabel---the latter holding Olivia's hand tightly---followed upright behind her. Ein and Venus brought up the rear.
Inside, the wind howled through the huge hole that Attila and Hun's mech had left in the roof. Judy was sitting at her desk, plugged back into her computer.
"You got my e-mail," the Mission Coordinator greeted coldly. "I hope you're up for a job."
"I am," Rosemary answered strongly. "We all are. What's the word?"
"We were doing surveillance, like we always do, and we happened upon something..."
"Oh, come now, Judy. It was much more than just 'something.'"
All turned to find the source of the deep yet female voice. It belonged to a rather tall woman who was wearing brown boots and black pants that were covered by a blue-and-white apron. Her top was of the same color scheme, white with a blue stripe running up the center. Purple hair---startingly similar, no, identical---to Anabel's stuck out from under her white hood. Perhaps her most striking feature was her pair of cold, piercing gray eyes.
"YOU," Venus snarled, her face twisting into one of extreme anger. "I refuse to deal with....psssh, forget it."
With that, Venus stormed out of the Ranger Base, leaving the others speechless. It was Anabel's older lookalike that finally broke the silence.
"I see things haven't changed at all." The woman's tone stayed even. "Allow me to introduce myself to you who don't know me. I am Elita, the Leader of the Pokémon Rangers of Wintown in the Fiore Region, sent to hold this Ranger Base together after the kidnapping of your own Leader."
"Hello, Elita," Rich greeted warmly if not with a bit of nervousness. "I'm Rich. This is my wife Anabel, our daughter Olivia, and our friends Rosemary and Ein."
"I am pleased to meet you all."
"Mommy, you look just like her!" Olivia exclaimed, pulling Anabel's hand.
Both Anabel and Elita simply chuckled, though an odd look flashed in Elita's eyes for a brief second.
"Working with you will be a pleasure, I can tell. Ein, it's certainly been a while since we last met."
"Uh...yeah, yes it has. Quite a while, in fact."
"You know her?" Anabel seemed surprised.
"We're old aquaintances," Ein answered, trying to project an air of confidence. "Used to....go to school together. Yeah, that's it."
Elita smiled---a smile that betrayed her otherwise cold look.
"Still as much a ham as I remember. Ein, you've really got to shed that stuffy scientist personality more often and just enjoy yourself. But that's not important right now. What's important is the business at hand."
"Right," Judy said as Elita walked around the desk to the computer. "As I was saying, we were doing surveillance when we spotted something unusual on the coast just south of Okka Town. Upon further observance, we discovered it is some sort of Enigma Shadow research facility."
"And that isn't all," added Elita. "When Judy showed me the recordings this Ranger Base took, we were able to see Enigma Shadow's former leader, Doctor Mitchell Yung, delivering a saxophone to the head of the facility, a very tall and skinny young woman who had her hair down in two long ponytails."
"That's Lovrina," Rich mused. "We've met her before, in the Shadow Incidents of the past. But a saxophone? I don't understand it."
"We don't understand it either," Elita answered, "but it must mean something. I want you to go investigate the facility and find out what's going on there. I've already sent a Floria Town Ranger, he'll meet you there."
Rich closed his eyes, immersing himself in thought. Could he do this all alone? An Enigma Shadow research facility was no big deal, he'd beaten a great number of them before... but it had been seven years. That, and he also couldn't bear the thought of putting Anabel and Olivia into danger again. His mind was completely deadlocked as to what he should do.
"Rich, I know this is hard for you," Anabel broke in, "but we've got to do it. Olivia will be safe. If they wanted to get her, they'd have to get rid of both of us first."
"Stop reading my mind." Rich opened his eyes, turned to Anabel, and smiled. "I forgot, you really CAN read minds. Heheh... nevertheless, you're right. We'll fly back to Okka Town on Salamence, then head to the Enigma Shadow facility from there."
"Bravo! That's the spirit!" Rosemary cheered them on. "We'll wait here for word, so good luck!"
"Thank you." Rich tipped his hat to Rosemary, Elita, Judy and Ein, then led Anabel and Olivia outside. As soon as the doors closed behind them, he took out a Poké Ball and threw it, releasing Salamence.
"Salaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!!!" the dragon roared, happy to be out in the fresh air.
"Listen up, Salamence, we're gonna need your help." Rich directed his Pokémon in a firm yet gentle and kind way. "Anabel, Olivia and I need to get to Okka Town---remember, where we were yesterday---and you're our way there. You up to it, my friend?"
"Sala mennce!"
"I'll take that as a yes. Come on, let's hit the road."
Rich climbed onto Salamence's back, then offered a hand and helped pull Anabel and Olivia up. Salamence took over at that point, using its mighty wings to take to the sky.
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Elsewhere, some others weren't exactly having a good day. Those others would be Attila and Hun---cowering before Queen Shadow, who was completely outraged over their failure.
"You two disgust me!!" the wicked leader thundered. "I sent you to do two things: kidnap Mason and stop Richard Wallace Mistbloom dead in his tracks!"
"But, my queen..." Attila's voice, usually strong, was quivering in fear. "We did kidnap Mason."
"IS MASON THE ONE SNAGGING OUR POKéMON?!" Queen Shadow roared in response.
"If I may," Hun ventured, "why don't we just kidnap Rich and hold him here?"
"Too blatant. If we tried that and failed, several top operatives might fall into the hands of law enforcement, and at this stage we cannot afford that. You've given me an idea though... I propose we strike him with something that'll break his spirit. It worked once, when I faked my death in the Wishmaker Tower bombing, it should work again."
"That's a great idea, my queen! In fact, Hun and I could---"
"Shut up, Attila. I'm not giving you two any assignments right now. Go and train so you might actually get something done next time. Begone."
Attila and Hun saluted their leader, then left the chamber rather quickly. Queen Shadow slumped in her chair and sighed.
"I'm surrounded by fools... if this plan fails I'm in a lot of trouble myself." The queen spun around in her chair to face the video screens, then pressed a button to bring up Dr. Yung's lab on one of them. The doctor and Gordor were busy along with several white-coated scientists building various musical instruments. "Yung, Gordor, what is the status of Shadow Styler production?"
"It's coming along well," Gordor answered, looking up. "We're getting a good handle on what exactly these things can do and what we want them to do."
"Has Lovrina reported in with the field test stats for her saxophone yet?" Yung asked.
"Not that I've heard. Let me get into contact with Domino and see if she's heard anything." Queen Shadow pressed another button on her armrest, bringing up the blonde spy on another screen. "Domino, I want the latest report on the actions of Rich and Anabel."
"Oh! Hello there, Queen Shadow!" Domino's cheery demeanor didn't score any points with her rapidly-souring boss, so she took the clue and became serious. "Yes, yes, the latest report. First of all, our predictions were right about Rosemary's little invention...listen."
"Not only can my computer detect wave frequencies, if I hit just the right frequency I can detect precious gems like DIAMONDS and PEARLS. Do you realize what that means? This computer right here before you can confirm the theory behind all my research---once on the right frequency it can tell us the location of Dialga and Palkia!"
"You can WHAT?!"
"That's right. Remember when I said my research indicated Dialga and Palkia may be in Aquane in their dormant forms? This is the answer! If I can find an area where the readings of diamond aura or pearl aura are greatly exaggerated, that's where they are!"
"Now that is something that I'm pleased to hear!" Queen Shadow exclaimed. "You better keep an eye on that and get me some readings as soon as you can."
"Don't worry about it," Domino answered, "I'm working on a way to bug the machine as we speak. As for Rich and Anabel, they've left for Okka Town... it seems the Rangers found where Lovrina's lab is."
"Well, there's your answer, Yung. We'll find out soon enough, when Lovrina gets into a battle with them."
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It seemed to take awhile, but Salamence finally touched down in Okka Town right in front of the mayor's home. Rich recalled it, then started to approach the door when he heard shouting from inside.
"Oh no, not again...Anabel, you hear that?"
"All too well. Olivia, hold close."
Anabel pulled Olivia close to her as Rich slowly put his hand on the doorknob. He took a deep breath, then shoved it open. Inside, Harlan was sitting at his desk, a Shadow Peon with a Chatot on his shoulder standing before him.
"I'm telling you, Mr. Mayor, your cooperation is necessary in our tests." The peon seemed calm and cool.
"I ain't cooperating with you thugs on anything!" Harlan spat back.
Suddenly, the Chatot noticed Rich and Anabel.
"Rich and Anabel, Chatot!!" it squawked. "Rich Anabel, Chatchatot!!"
"So they've arrived," the peon said to himself in a startingly calm way. "Chatot, come! Back to the lab!"
Chatot landed on its master's shoulder, then the peon flew out the door in a huge rush.
"Has anything happened here?!" Anabel quickly asked the mayor, who was holding his chest and breathing deeply.
"No, nothing," was the response. "That guy just walked in here and started blasting me with information along with his Chatot. Talked my ear off but didn't lay a finger on me, thank goodness. An old man like me can't take their nonsensical abuse!"
"Did he mention anything about a research facility near this town?" Rich questioned, trying to get some information out of the mayor.
"Something about a 'Styler lab' on the southern coast or the like."
"That's all we need to know. Anabel, we've got to chase him, and Salamence can do the job. Let's go!"
In a flash, Rich, Anabel and Olivia were outside the mayor's home, on Salamence, and flying off in the direction the peon had fled in.
"Wait!" Harlan shouted after them, even though they were long since gone. "Stay awhile! I've got a bucket of fried chicken to share over some training stories!"
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Up in the sky, Rich and Anabel were watching the ground closely from their perch atop Salamence, looking for signs of the peon's track. Olivia was safely wrapped in Anabel's arms as they flew.
"See anything yet, Rich? We should be seeing--"
"Wait, Anabel," Rich cut in. He pointed downward to the ground, where a trail of empty Poké Balls had been dropped in the woods. "Awfully suspicious, is it not?"
"I agree. Salamence, follow it!"
Salamence grunted in response to Anabel's command; even though it belonged to Rich, the dragon knew and trusted Anabel enough to listen to her as well. The trail started out promising and soon turned red-hot: the Poké Balls led a perfect path right to a cliff overlooking the beach, where a rusted metal building sat.
"That's the lab, I bet. Salamence, land us here." When Salamence landed on the rocks, Rich returned it to its ball after helping Anabel and Olivia off its back. The three then approached the metal door marking the entrance of the facility. Rich pushed on the door and it gave way, having been left unlocked and open. Immediately greeting them inside the metallic gray room were the peon and his Chatot.
"Rich and Anabel and Olivia too, Chat chatot!" the bird Pokémon squawked in its comical voice.
"You followed me here?" Shockingly, the peon remained calm.
"Obviously we did," Rich answered, "and you're cornered, so give up whatever Shadow Pokémon you have and stand aside. We've got business in that lab."
"You're wrong on two counts, sir. First of all, I can easily escape like this." The peon turned to a digital number pad on the wall next to him and entered a passcode, causing a nearby door leading deeper into the lab to open. "That, and I have no reason to run in the first place."
Rich was about to shout at the peon for his arrogance, but his enemy's next move shocked him silent. With a firm, two-handed grip, the peon pulled his helmet off to allow his long blonde hair to fall---it was Jackie, disguised as a Shadow Peon all along.
"Jackie?!" Anabel screamed in shock.
"Didn't Elita and Judy tell you they sent a Ranger ahead?" Jackie said with a wry smile. "I'm supposed to be accompanying you as you clear out this facility. The Ranger Union wants me to gather information on Enigma Shadow so we can predict their movements."
"It'll be good to have you along," Rich answered, an answer that lifted a burden of sorts from his shoulders---after all, three was always better than two.
"Olivia, stay close to us."
"I will, Mommy."
Anabel pulled Olivia closer than ever, then followed Rich and Jackie as they took the decisive step through the now-open steel door into the lab.
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Elsewhere, deep in the bowels of the facility...
The aforementioned thin, tall young woman stood at a large computer keyboard, monitor mounted on the wall. Her long pink hair was the only bright thing in the room, which was constructed of the same sickly orange rust-covered metal that the rest of the facility was made of. Certainly, it was obvious that Enigma Shadow had not spent much of its funds on building the lab.
Displayed on the computer's screen was the saxophone-fashioned Shadow Styler, which was actually sitting against the wall nearby. Also on the screen was a picture of a Pokémon that resembled nothing more than a paper airplane, white in color with markings of various other hues on its body. As the woman read the statistics being run by her computer, a male scientist wearing a traditional lab coat and dark sunglasses rushed in.
"Miss Lovrina, we've got intruders at the gate!" the man shouted, panicked. "Not only that, remember our new recruit, the one who called himself 'J?' He's a Pokémon Ranger from Floria Town and is helping Rich and Anabel break in!"
"Oh, that is SO not what I wanted to hear right now!" Lovrina screeched in her high-pitched voice and distinctive valley girl manner. "Look, Tekot, you've been working for me for oh so long now, ever since we tried to break that awful Prof. Krane back in Orre, remember?"
"Yes, Lovrina, but how is this relevant to Rich and Anabel breaking in?"
"Do I have to report you for being so rude? Seriously, I am SO your boss! And I'm also so offended over the fact that Queen Shadow left us here with only two peons in addition to you and me, like they so needed to cut the budget and shortchanged us. So, you go do something about it! Like, NOW!"
"But, Lovrina..."
"No buts! I so told you to do something about it, AND I OH SO MEAN IT!"
The exasperated researcher hung his head as he turned and left.
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Rich was leading the way deeper into the lab, Jackie and Anabel with Olivia following closely behind. With each step they took, the metal stairs resonated with sound, which in turn echoed against the iron walls. The two men in the group had the mission of flushing Enigma Shadow from the facility on their minds, though Rich's thoughts were complicated by the fact he had to protect Anabel and Olivia from harm. In fact, Rich's thoughts so clouded his mind that on the fourth to last step, he tripped and fell. The others quickly rushed to him and helped him up.
"Rich, are you alright?" Anabel was clearly alarmed. "You didn't hurt yourself, did you?"
"That was funny, Daddy! Do it again!"
"Olivia-!" Anabel was shocked at Olivia's remark and was clearly about to scold her when Rich held his hand up and smiled.
"No need, Anabel, she's just a child. I'm fine, let's keep going."
Rich took one step forward---and a female Shadow Peon jumped down from the ceiling to confront the group.
"So, J, you're really Ranger Jackie, I hear."
"You guys might be crooks, but you get info fast," was Jackie's response. He never lost his cool.
"I'll be teaching you lot a lesson now for intruding on this Shadow Styler lab. Queen Shadow will be pleased to have the Mistbloom family AND a Floria Ranger in her collection!"
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Pkmn Trainer Rich ---vs.--- Shadow Peon Talia
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"Starly, Minomutchi, it's time to go!"
Talia's two Pokémon were a small black-gray-and white bird with a sharp yellow beak, and a bagworm-type creature with a pink body and yellow eyes. The headset device that came with the Snag Machine---known as the Aura Reader---activated as it detected Starly's being a Shadow Pokémon.
"So it's a Shadow Pokémon. I'd better get my information on it first."
Rich took out and activated his P*DA, then looked up the information on these two Pokémon in the Browser.
"Minomutchi, the bagworm Pokémon. Type is Bug. To protect itself against the cold wind, it makes a coat from materials like twigs or fallen leaves to cover its body. After its coat is destroyed in a battle, a Minomutchi immediately creates a new one with the materials available nearby. Notable for its split evolution---male Minomutchi evolve into Garmeil, and female Minomutchi evolve into Minomadam."
Starly, the gray starling Pokémon. Type is Normal/Flying. These Pokémon move in numerous flocks. Their bodies are small, but their wings are very strong. They usually live in flocks and are rarely seen alone. Starly are known for their high-pitched, loud cries."
"Bug and Flying this time out, eh? Salamence, Slowking, I need your assistance! Go! Salamence, Aerial Ace right now!"
Again, Salamence took to the air. It had Minomutchi in its sights, and bore down on the tiny Bug type without a shred of mercy on its mind.
"Minomutchi, Harden!"
"Mino... mutchi?" Minomutchi seemed completely oblivious to the command its trainer had given and did nothing. This allowed Salamence to deliver its attack unhindered, sending the bagworm flying across the room into a wall. It fell to the ground a moment later, easily defeated from the blow. Rich laughed as Talia recalled it in seething anger.
"Is that the best you've got?" he teased as Salamence landed.
"Minomutchi can only learn three attacks before evolution and no more," Rich's P*DA suddenly blurted out. "Those attacks are Protect, Tackle and Hidden Power."
"Rich, do you realize what she did?" Anabel called out with a grin. "She ordered an attack it can never learn!! If that's the ignorance they're going to field as resistance, we should have no trouble. Mow her down!"
Talia clenched her fists silently as Anabel and Rich laughed, but deep down inside, she knew they were right. Besides Minomutchi, her only other Pokémon was the Shadow Starly. Even as a new Shadow recruit she knew she had quite the tall order before her, taking down all six of Rich's Pokémon with one of the weakest Shadow Pokémon produced.
"Starly, Shadow Wave!" Talia finally commanded.
Shadow energy gathered in Starly's body. It glowed as the force moved to its wings, then let out its trademark piercing cry as it flapped about frantically. A thin, blade-like wave of the sinister purple aura floated out and struck both Salamence and Slowking, neither being hurt much.
"Slowking, use a Thunder Wave!"
"Slooooh ~ ?" Like it always did, Slowking just yawned as weak pulses of electricity came out of its body and shocked Starly into paralysis. The bird thrashed, but weakly and with half-movements.
Rich took a deep breath, then extended his left arm out straight from his body.
"Whew.. it's been seven years since I last did this, but..." A Poké Ball materialized in the glove of the Snag Machine. "Snag Ball, go!"
Balacing himself with the deftness of a dancer on the front of his shoes, Rich spun around and threw the ball. Normally, if a Poké Ball was thrown at a Pokémon already owned by a trainer it wouldn't function properly, but the Snag Machine's purpose was to override this code, but only for Shadow Pokémon. The ball hit Starly and absorbed it, then fell to the floor and began rocking.
After shuddering several times, the ball burst open, releasing Starly. The Snag had failed. Rich didn't seem worried, however.
"No big deal, I guess I'm a bit rusty at it. Slowking, use Confusion to soften it up!"
This time, Slowking's eyes glowed with a soft blue aura that quickly surrounded Starly. Soon enough, the bird was flailing about and striking---itself.
"Oh no! Snap out of it, Starly! Snap out of it and use Shadow Wave again!"
Talia's plea fell on deaf ears as Starly continued to batter itself with its wings.
"This time it'll work! Snag Ball, go!"
With much more confidence Rich threw another Snag Ball, which, after taking Starly in, quickly shuddered about and pinged---indicating that this time, the Snag had worked.
"Ooooooh.. so much for that promotion I'd hoped for."
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"You bunch don't know what you're getting into. Miss Lovrina's going to throw a fit if she finds you here, and trust me, you don't want to be around for that."
"We've dealt with her before," Anabel replied, rather uninterested. "She doesn't scare us."
"Well in that case you should be scared of what Enigma Shadow's got in store for the world this time!"
Talia's plastic boots---standard issue for the Shadow Peon uniform---beat on the metal floor like a frantic drummer pounding his drums. She fled up the spiral staircase Rich, Anabel, Olivia and Jackie had just descended and out of view.
"That was sad," said Rich. "If that's the best they've got to guard this lab, we might as well just walk right up to Lovrina and demand she give over her Shadow Pokémon voluntarily."
"They've got another world domination plot." Jackie was stone-faced serious, ignoring what Rich had said. "Did you hear her? 'What Enigma Shadow's got in store for the world this time.' I think we'd best press on. There's no time to waste."
"Right."
With Rich leading the way, the group pushed across the room and eventually reached an elevator. Rich ushered Anabel, Olivia and Jackie inside, then entered himself and pushed the only button available---down. The elevator took them down a great distance, the screeching of metal rubbing on metal filling the shaft and causing all of the car's occupants to hold their ears. Finally it stopped, almost crashing against the bottom of the shaft, and the doors opened to allow the quite-shaken group to exit.
The floor the elevator had stopped at was more like a giant central chamber of a sewer system than an actual room. Giant pipes stuck out of the walls on all sides, water flowing out into a pool far below the metal platforms connected by bridges made of thick wood.
"Are we still in Aquane?" Anabel asked, however not allowing anyone to answer before continuing. "This looks like the halfway point between Brooklyn and the Mushroom Kingdom!"
Rich and Olivia broke up laughing at Anabel's joke, the former actually having to lean against the wall to avoid falling over. Jackie didn't seem happy about this.
"Come on, you three!" the Ranger scolded, a harsh tone adding to the cutting quality of his voice. "You've been in these situations before, you should know they're no time to be playing around!"
"Sorry," Rich said, a single chuckle escaping before he regained full form. "Look over there---could that be where we need to go?"
Rich pointed across the chamber, having spotted another elevator, this one an egg-shaped car in a clear glass tube shaft.
"I'll bet it is. Come, Olivia."
Anabel took Olivia's hand again, and together the group of four walked carefully across the wooden bridges toward the elevator. Just when they reached the metal platform on which the elevator sat, a male peon jumped out from behind the tube.
"I'll stop you from getting to Miss Lovrina, you intruders! Wait... you're that lot who messed with us in Okka Town! You beat me at the Mayor's home!"
"Oh yeah, you're that guy who had the Shadow Mitsuhoney, right? I guess I should be glad I get another chance to battle you so I can Snag it."
"Not so fast there, pal. Who said things are gonna be the same way?"
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Pkmn Trainer Rich ---vs.--- Shadow Peon Edward
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"Carnivine and Neorant, time to battle!"
Carnivine hadn't changed any since Rich's last battle with Edward, but instead of Keikouo, a different fish Pokémon appeared. It had a rounded body with dark blue stripes running across its normal pale white hue. Its most notable feature was its pair of winglike fins sticking from its back.
"A new Pokémon? Time to check it out."
Of course, Rich went right to his P*DA and scanned Neorant.
"Neorant, the neon Pokémon. Type is Water. Evolved form of Keikouo. It lives somewhere in the deep seas, luring its prey by flashing the patterns on its four fins. In order not to be spotted by its natural enemies, it uses the two fins on its chest to reach and move at the bottom of the sea."
"Should've expected that Keikouo would've evolved. Porygon3 and Roserade, it's..."
Roserade didn't even wait for Rich to call it, it just burst out from its ball and began giving its flaired poses. With a sigh, he just threw the second Poké Ball to release Porygon3.
"Porygon3, use Discha--"
And once again, Roserade began showing Rich why he needed to keep it on a tight leash. Without any orders, the Grass and Poison type simply shoved Porygon3 aside and lept at Neorant, latching onto the fish and using Giga Drain to sap its energy. Both attacker and target glowed with a green hue as Roserade viciously sucked energy from Neorant and Rich fumbled to try and find the Poké Ball needed to recall his disobediant Pokémon.
"Roserade, return!!" he choked, having finally found the ball. The red beam of light pulled Roserade back, but not before it had completely finished off Neorant in its vicious attack.
"And you say you fight fair?!" Edward spat angrily. "Neorant, return. You cheated!"
"First of all," Rich answered with a condesending tone, "making and using Shadow Pokémon makes you unable to talk about fairness. And second, I didn't order that attack, Roserade completely disobeyed me---and that's why I recalled it as quickly as possible."
"Whatever. I think it's time you learnt a lesson. Mitsuhoney, go!"
The Aura Reader activated the moment Edward's Shadow Mitsuhoney entered battle. Rich tensed; he was prepared for it this time.
"I won't be calling Roserade again. This time, it's up to you, Salamence!"
Salamence came out with a roar to replace the misbehaving Roserade. It was so fierce in its entry, in fact, that Edward's Carnivine shrunk back in fear. Mitsuhoney almost seemed like it didn't care about its fearsome opponent, though, so Edward just ignored it.
"Mitsuhoney, Shadow Rush! Let's go!"
A dark cloud surrounded the tiny bee Pokémon as it boldly flew forth, rushing straight at and tackling Salamence. Despite the courage shown in this attack, it did very little.
"Sludge Bomb!"
Edward continued his assault... or at least attempted to. A normal Sludge Bomb attack would've packed much more of a punch, but thanks to its being intimidated by Salamence, Carnivine barely managed to loose a tiny blob of sludge let alone a full attack. Porygon3 became stricken by poison, however, and this made things a bit more difficult.
""Salamence, we needn't waste our time with this foolishness. Wipe Carnivine out with a Fire Blast!"
If it weren't for the dark visor on his Enigma Shadow uniform's helmet, Rich would've seen Edward's eyes go wide as soon as the order was given. Edward actually reached to his belt in an attempt to recall Carnivine before it took the hit, but this was a futile effort. The huge flood of fire, shaped like some sort of Japanese symbol, swept over Carnivine and easily brought it down.
Just a moment after, Edward found the Poké Ball he had been looking for and silently recalled Carnivine, leaving only Mitsuhoney left.
"Thunder Wave!" Rich called out, making his play for Edward's Shadow Pokémon. Almost immediately Porygon3 let loose a weak electrical pulse from its body, which paralyzed Mitsuhoney as it flowed into its target.
"Enough of this! Snag Ball, go!"
Mitsuhoney flicked its wings weakly but put up no other resistance as the Snag Ball Rich threw at it absorbed it before falling to the ground. The ball wobbled multiple times....
...then pinged and locked, sealing and Snagging Mitsuhoney.
"Gah! He's gotten stronger?!"
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////
"No," Rich replied as he recalled his Pokémon, "I didn't get stronger, you just stayed weak."
"Bleah! So you beat me again and took my Mitsuhoney. It doesn't matter. Miss Lovrina's gonna fix you good!"
With no battle-ready Pokémon left, Edward fled. He dashed back across the underground chamber to the creaky elevator Rich's group had taken down, and escaped back up. Rich turned to go on, but Anabel put her other hand on his shoulder to stop him.
"Rich, wait." Anabel pulled, turning Rich around. "You heard his threat, right? That Lovrina was going to 'fix us good?'"
"Hmm, yes, I did. I think I see what you're getting at."
"I think we're close to a battle with her. You'd better heal your Pokémon," Anabel advised as she opened her bag, which was overflowing with various medicines and cures. "Especially Porygon3, since it got poisoned in the last battle."
"Good idea. Got an Antidote in there?"
Anabel nodded, then passed Rich a spray bottle full of some sort of medicine. He sprayed it on Porygon3's ball, then returned the ball to its place on his belt.
"I'm glad to see you're~"
"Mommy, could I have some candy?" Olivia blurted out, having spotted a wrapped up sweet inside Anabel's bag. Jackie didn't seem thrilled that he had been cut off, but he held his tongue.
"Sure, why not?" Anabel replied, handing the candy to her daughter. "You've behaved very well today, so you can have it."
"A-HEM." Jackie almost lost his temper as he tried to restore his sense of order to the situation. "As I was saying, I'm glad to see you take important battles seriously. My Styler..." Jackie showed Rich and Anabel the screen of his Styler, on which there were rapidly fluctuating waves of black energy. "...is detecting high levels of the dark energy from Shadow Pokémon on the floor above us. Therefore, it's a safe bet that Lovrina is above, since an Enigma Shadow Admin would have stronger Shadow Pokémon that give off stronger shadow energy readings. Are you prepared to face her?"
Rich and Anabel both nodded confidently.
"We're ready," he answered. "Let's do this."
With a strong and confident step, Rich and Anabel entered the elevator with Olivia, Jackie following close behind. The doors closed and the elevator went up....
and finally stopped, dropping its passengers off in..
an empty room. Absolutely nothing was in it, just another door immediately across from the elevator.
"Wha?" Anabel was surprised, and thrown off a bit. "Didn't your Styler say..?"
"It says that the shadow energy is coming from the next room now. Lovrina's past that door there."
"Well then, let's go!"
Rich charged ahead and through the metal door, followed closely by the others, who were a bit taken aback by his boldness. Of course, when they arrived in the next room, Lovrina and her scientist Tekot were there waiting.
"Oh, the little pests that I so hate have arrived at last!" the valley girl scientist screamed. "You bunch have made me oh so mad, running about yet making me wait so long to crush you!"
Rich took a step forward to respond, but Jackie cut him off.
"The only crushing going on will be of you----" At that moment, Jackie noticed Lovrina's saxophone lying against the wall. "Why do you have a saxophone of all things here?"
"If you really must know, that's prototype model of our oh so new Shadow Styler."
"Shadow Styler?" Rich wondered aloud. "But isn't that---of COURSE! The Ranger Union's surveillance showed Dr. Yung bringing Lovrina a saxophone, so that was probably him delivering the Shadow Styler!"
"How did you make a new Shadow Styler? I demand to know!" Jackie was getting angrier.
"Oh, uncool! You shouldn't be so angry, Ranger boy, it's not like this Styler can actually capture Pokémon..."
"Miss Lovrina..." Tekot interrupted. "Isn't that something we should keep a secret?"
"DO NOT INTERRUPT ME!" Lovrina thundered in reply. "Oh, Tekot, you make me oh so mad! But it's okay. We'll see how that Styler works, then Yung and Gordor will take our data and use it to make stronger Stylers."
"Gordor?" Now it was Jackie's turn to be surprised.
"I've never heard that name," Rich said. "Who is that?"
"Gordor was the leader of the Go-Rock Squad, a crime gang in the Fiore Region up to several years ago. Under his direction they made dark Stylers with the goal of creating a "Power Styler," a device able to capture Legendary Pokémon for Gordor to use in his evil deeds. I thought he vanished after the Go-Rock Squad's fall, but I guess he joined up with Enigma Shadow to continue his Styler development. That must be how they have all the technology needed to make Shadow Stylers like this."
"You so know far more than we can afford for you to know," Lovrina continued. "Tekot!"
"Yes, Miss Lovrina!"
"We are so going to crush them, and we are so going to do it together! Get it together and help me win this!"
"You mean, a tag battle?"
"YES! Do I so have to spell it out for you?! Ugh, you make me oh so angry! But that'll wait until later. For now... we've got some meddling fools who so need to take a dive, like, NOW!"
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Pkmn Trainer Rich and Tower Maiden Anabel
---vs.---
Shadow Admin Lovrina and Shadow R&D Tekot
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////
[Tekot simply steps forward and adjusts his metallic sunglasses, then puts his hands in the pockets of his white lab coat. Lovrina spins around with her hands clenched by her face, and somehow defying gravity, twirls in the air before winking and landing]
"Mantyke, I choose you!" "Go, Chatot, my sweet! Go and wipe those oh so annoying losers out!"
Lovrina sent out a Chatot, while Tekot released a small blue manta-ray looking creature with watery black eyes and markings on its back that looked like a smiling face.
"Mantyke? I think I've seen that before, but.."
Of course, before he could make a move Rich went to his P*DA.
"Mantyke, the kite Pokémon. Type is Water/Flying. Pre-evolved form of Mantine. It uses its two feelers to catch plankton floating in the sea water. This Pokémon adores people. Scholars have discovered in their research that the special pattern on Mantyke's back varies with the region it lives in."
"I thought so. Anabel, didn't Lovrina herself use one of those a long time ago, when we first met her?"
"Under a different name, I think, but it does sound familiar."
"Tamanta! Now you two so better stop wasting time and send your Pokémon out!"
"Fine. Lucario, let's go!" "Go, my friend! Metagross!"
Rich's Lucario and Anabel's Metagross burst from their Poké Balls and faced their foes. Lucario braced itself in a fighting stance while Metagross let out a low, guttoral growl to signal it was ready for battle.
"Okay, Chatot, let's so demonstrate why Queen Shadow made us Admins! Blabber!"
"Chaaaa...Chatotot!! Chatot laugh at funny machine on Rich's arm!" Chatot said comically. "Funny machine throw funny balls! Hahahaha, Chatot say balls! Chat chatot!"
Even though this attack was completely over the top and ridiculous, it managed well enough to confuse Metagross.
"Lucario, use Dragon Pulse!"
Lucario cupped its hands above its head, and an odd whirring sound filled the room as a large orb of bluegreen energy formed. A moment later Lucario simply extended its arms forward at Chatot, and the energy did the rest---Chatot would have been blasted against the wall had Lovrina not used one of her long, thin arms to stop it.
"Rich, mind if I give my commands telepathically this time?"
"Not at all."
Lovrina and Tekot seemed lost, having no clue who Rich was talking to and not knowing of Anabel's telepathy.
"Metagross, overcome the confusion if you can and hit Chatot with Thunderpunch!"
Telepathy couldn't help, though, as Metagross fumbled and hit itself in its confusion.
"Rain Dance, Mantyke!"
"Manta! Tata!!!" Mantyke flapped its winglike fins about and cast out a dark blue burst of light, which quickly turned into room-covering clouds that began producing heavy rain.
"Hyper Voice, darling!"
Flapping about in the pouring rain, Chatot let loose with a series of high pitched screeches and squawks. Neither Lucario nor Metagross seemed very affected by it, though, much to Lovrina's frustration.
"And now, Mantyke, apply Hydro Pump!"
The purpose of Tekot's calling for Rain Dance earlier became apparent - Mantyke's speed became greatly increased thanks to its Swift Swim ability, and with its new, blinding speed, struck Lucario using a rain-fueled water blast, its power defying the logic of Mantyke's small size.
"Lucario! Are you ready?" Lucario grunted in response to Rich, so he thrust his arm forward and pointed straight at his opponents. "Then let it all go! Drop a Rock Slide now!"
"Luluuuu....CARIO!!" Again using its fists, Lucario drilled into the ground with an earsplitting crack, sending large rocks flying at its foes. Both Lovrina and Tekot shrunk back, realizing too late their fatal error---both Chatot and Mantyke were Flying types, critically weak to Rock attacks. They were both defeated easily.
"Ohhh!! Oh, Tekot, this is all so your fault!"
"What?! Lovrina, are you serious?"
"Don't you dare backtalk me! Ugh, this is oh so annoying! Chatot, return! Go, Beequeen!"
"Sigh... fine. Mantyke, return! Next up, Raichu!"
"Not so fast there. Metagross, Hyper Beam!"
Upon hearing the telepathic command from Anabel, Metagross shook its head in confusion---then managed to return to its sense and lock its gaze onto Raichu. The orange electric rat shrank back in fear of the mighty iron beast bearing down on it, though it had not far to go and not much time to do it in as a huge beam of red energy fired out from the glowing steel cross on Metagross's face and hit Raichu with explosive power. Raichu flew across the room from the blast and smashed against one of the metal walls before falling down, defeated and fainted.
"What?!! That... that power, it's unnatural! Come on, Raichu, stand up and fight!"
"Tekot, you're just so wasting my time now!" Lovrina shouted. She didn't even notice Rich and Anabel snickering to themselves at the spectacle the two scientists were making. "Your Raichu, he's oh so weak, that's why it lost! Now send it back, I so haven't got all day!"
"Are you kidding me, Lovrina? I mean it in all due respect, but what have we got to do but sit in this dank lab all day?"
"YOU ZIP IT NOW!! If you insist on being oh so rude and butting into my business, I'll tell you---I've so got a manicure appointment after this battle. And after that I so need to go to the salon, because my hair has become oh so disgustingly drab from being stuck in this shed. IS THAT QUITE ENOUGH?"
"Whatever. Raichu, return. It looks like my Shadow Pokémon is my last. Go, Metang!"
Indeed, the Aura Reader went off and revealed the shadowy cloud around Metang as soon as it was released from its ball.
"Beequeen, let's go and change it up oh so much! Somersault!!"
On Lovrina's command, the honeycomb-bottomed bee turned into a sphere of deep green energy and threw itself at Metagross. Upon doing its strike---one that only inflicted slight damage---the sphere of energy that was Beequeen returned to its Poké Ball on its own, and a brown-and-white rabbit with long ears and fluffy fur around its arms appeared to replace it. This new creature was instantly identified as a Shadow Pokémon.
"Oh?" Rich stopped for a moment in surprise at the effect of Somersault, then reached for his P*DA. "A new move AND a new Pokémon."
"Somersault, an attack of the Bug type. When used, the Pokémon will strike against one opponent then withdraw itself from battle.
Mimilop, the rabbit Pokémon. Type is Normal. Evolved form of Buneary. A very wary Pokémon. When it senses danger, it covers its body with the fur at the fluffy tips of its ears. Mimilop always tends to its fur at the tip of its ears. It loves tidiness and never neglects self-care. It jumps and runs with agility and grace."
Seriously, though, I'll give you some suggestions for improvements. 'Cause while you are describing things fairly well, some of the descriptions don't quite flow in the sentences. Like so:
