THE BLACK LEAGUE
By d2kfuture
Comments, complaints and enquiries to d2kfuture@hotmail.com

THE BLACK LEAGUE

Chapter 8

I woke to Eon's voice pounding at me again.  I sat up painfully and tried to 
tell him to stop.

'Get dressed.  You must battle the gym leader'.

'Why are you so eager for me to battle the gym leader'.

Eon would not answer.  I tried to read his mind but could not.  He was too 
powerful for me.

'Don't try that again'.

'OK, OK, I get the idea.  Just let me wake Mike and Amanda.  Then we'll eat 
and search for the Rock gym'.

'I would have thought it obvious even to a human that the gym is located 
deep within the crater of the volcano'.

I didn't bother replying and woke Mike and Amanda.  They got up quickly, 
eager to search for the gym.  I remembered Eon after a few moments but when 
I looked around for him he was nowhere to be seen.

'Stupid pokemon', I muttered to myself.

We set off looking for the gym once more after packing all the items we had 
used away.  We slid slowly down the inner rim of the volcano.  I noticed 
many strange and unusual pokemon grazing near us but I did not want to waste 
time.  I wanted to get to the gym leader and prove to Eon that humans were 
not as weak as he thought.  We searched on, but in vain.  We combed every 
inch of the innner crater but without luck.  Then Eon appeared again.

'I had hoped that you would not prove to be as stupid as other trainers.  
They could not find the gym either.  You must walk on the cooled magma and 
search there'.

'Thanks so much', I replied sarcastically.

'You're welcome'.

With that, he was gone.  We continued searching round the outer rim but it 
soon became apparent that he was right.  We would have to do as he said.  We 
walked out into the centre and there we found a roughly-hewn staircase.  We 
walked down carefully.  After we had walked for about two minutes, there was 
no light so Mike released his Magmar to guide us.  With him glowing 
brightly, we had no trouble finding our way.

After about a hour walking, we reached a huge metallic door.  We tried 
pushing it, but to no avail.  I released Scizor and the two of us tried to 
move it psychicly, but were unable to.  Then, when we were about to despair, 
I heard footsteps approaching.  I listened intently to the slow thud of the 
heavy footfalls.  Then, a shadow appeared at the corner, growing steadily 
larger with every passing footstep.  Then, a cocky, snobbish head peered 
round the corner.  It was Harold from the training camp!  He was wearing his 
Team Rocket uniform and looking very angry.

'I found you at last', he sneered, 'You seem to have got some decent pokemon 
at least.  I was sent here to teach you a lesson for interfering at Crimson 
City.  You're gonna die!'

With this, he released a large Arbok, which circled round us, it's dangerous 
markings flickering in the light emitting from Magmar.  I psychicly told 
Scyther to use Psychic, and, to Harold's amazement, his Arbok passed out 
without anything seeming to happen.  This made him even madder.

'Battle.  Now'.

It was not a challenge.  It was an order.  He released his Jumpluff, who 
immediately used Stun Spore on Mike, Amanda and Scizor.  They slumped, 
unable to fight back.  I was quickly grabbed and tied up by Harold and 
brought up onto the mountain top again.  He led me over to the opposite side 
to the one we had ascended.  There was a rough shelter there.  He roughly 
threw me inside and then began leering at me.  I refused to rise to his 
taunts and he began to slap me across the face.  He grew redder and redder.

'Think you're so great don't you'.

Slap, Slap.  I wouldn't look at him and this seemed to make him angrier 
still.  He began kicking me where you don't like to be kicked.  When I still 
wouldn't reply, he got out a vicious-looking switchblade.  I thought I was 
dead.

'This'll show you, you smug little bastard'.

He slashed my face with the blade and my right cheek erupted with blood.  
The deed done, he left.  I nursed my wound as best I could while tied up.  
He had taken my pokeballs so there was nothing I could do.  He had left 
Amanda, Mike and Scizor down in the volcano which meant that they, at least 
might be able to help me.  I continued worrying long into the night, but 
eventually fell asleep from exhaustion.

When I woke, it was to Amanda's face.

'Sshhh!  We're getting you out of here.  Harold has gone down the 
mountainside to a little village.  He won't be back for another few hours.  
She cut my bonds with a penknife and we left.

'Mike and Scizor are down in the tunnel waiting.  Mike's left leg is 
paralysed so he can't walk.  Scizor is taking care of him.  We need to get 
him to a doctor but can't with Harold still sneaking around'.

She stared at me for help and it was then that she noticed the cut.  She 
almost screamed but covered her mouth to prevent the sound from escaping.

'What has that rat done to you.  Oh you poor thing'.  She continued 
consoling me.  However, I told her that we would have to get out of sight 
before Harold returned.  We made our way to the staircase and made our way 
slowly down it.  Along the way I told her everything that had happened.

'He has all my pokemon too.  I have to get them back before he does 
something to them'.

We continued on in worried silence.  When we reached the doorway however, we 
were shocked by what we saw.