Interlude: ...will not wait in vain...
Part 1: The Circle Prepares

The small figure stood in the garden, large ears twitching in the breeze listening for her opponent. Jolie (Spooky) Electra looked around the vibrant plants for any indication of where Michael Flash was. But all she could see was trees, flowers and the stones on the path that she was sitting on. She glanced at Ebony Shade who was sleeping on a near by wall. *I don’t see him anywhere. I can’t hear or smell him either. How is this supposed to help me use my Rainbow powers, * she asked the shadow pikachu.

*Your supposed to use the extra senses that you focus will provide for you. When you can it will be harder for you to be surprised by an enemy, * she responded without opening her eyes. *Show me how then, * She asked. *Look to your right at those cherry trees. Focus you mind on seeing the truth, and feel with your heart the power you seek, * she said to the young pichu. Electra focused in on the trees, concentrating on the same force she had felt doing the bond. She slowly felt other presents, one for each of the focus holders. She felt Shade’s shadow power to her right, and the bright, solid power of Flash’s light directly above her! Jumping back she barely avoided the laser sword that sliced the air in front of her. *Holy Sword! * Flash cried as the afternoon light condensed around his right front paw.

{Attack: Holy Sword Type: (Light) At: 550 Ar: 100% A long glowing white straight sword is formed. If solid it has a molecule thin edge, shaped by lasers and is an indestructible weapon. But it can be also used as blade of solid light. It is the opposite of dark blade. }

A blade of light formed from this paw as which he slashed at Electra. Each cut barely missed her. Charging again, Flash leapt high in the air away from Electra. White lighting sparked from his cheeks as he gathered power to both his front paws. *Grand Cutter! * He yelled as he placed both paws above his head then swung them down as he came back to earth.

{Attack: Grand Cutter Type: (Light) At: 700 Ar: 75% A huge cutting laser is fired straight out. The user can move it to slice through a target a good distance away. }

The long narrow beam cut through air in a downward arc, leaving behind a ghostly after trial. Electra dove to the left to avoid the cutting beam. Rainbow power sparked out of her cheeks as she did. Landing and skidding away from the new trench, she fired an attack of her own. *Rainbolt! * She screamed as the power burst from her toward him.

{Attack: Rainbolt Type: (Rainbow) At: 1000 Ar: 95% Combination of elemental energy fired in like a bolt of electricity. Super affective on all types, it can burn, freeze, paralyze, poison, and confuse a target. }

The flashing bolt of power tore through the air, slamming into a shimmering Light Screen. It slowed the attack just enough so that Flash could dart out of the way. Dashing at the smaller electric mouse, he formed another Holy Sword as he jumped into the air. Coming down on Electra’s head, she had no time to dodge. So she created her own Holy Sword to block. White lighting jumped from each blade of light as they clashed. Flash jumped back just as he started to push Electra back using his greater weight.

*How did you learn how to do that? * He asked. *I am not sure, I just knew how after seeing you do it, * she responded. *Hmm... In that case, let’s go to the simulator. I think you would learn faster if we showed you all of our moves, because I don’t want to damage the garden, * He said as he let the energy he had gather go. He turned a walked inside at a leisurely pace. Electra and Shade followed at a slightly slower pace.

Elsewhere, The chansey know as Medic watched some fearows fly by in formation. Luna the umbreon walked up behind her and sat next to her. They both started off of the north wall at the splendor that was Gold Sanctuary. *So are you joining the Silent Searchers? * Luna asked the healer. *I am not sure what that is, so I can’t honestly answer your question, * she answered.

*Well basically the Silent Searchers are a group of pokémon who have dedicated them selves to helping the Focus holders by going into places they could not go. We serve as go betweens for them and other pokémon. In return, we get stronger abilities and protection from humans. If you are here help out the Rainbow holder, then you are an unofficial Silent Searcher, * She said.

*I guess then my answer is yes. But how did this group get started? * Medic asked.

*By my illustrious ancestor, the great Nocturan the first that severed Kimberly Vision the Psychic holder, * Nocturan said as he walked up to the two. *Thanks for the information, * Luna said. *Anytime, * replied the hypno. The three pokémon looked outward to at the area around them.

Electra was learning at an incredible rare. Already she had mastered Light, Shadow, Water, Electric, Grass, Ice, Fighting, Poison, Ground, Bug, and she had just finished Fire. She was now working on Steel. *Pay attention. I don’t like repeating my self, * Shears said. *Razor Wave! * Launching her attack on some simulated trees.

{Attack: Razor Wave Type: (Steel) At: 350 Ar: 100% several spinning blades are thrown at a target. These six-point whirling death disks slice cleanly through a target. }

As the trees fell into small, cleanly cut peaces. Electra looked on with close attention. She smiled and created a deadly looking snowflake shaped blade in front of her using strange light gray electricity. She had learned the move. [Does this remind you of someone?] Asked Xeroxes. *Kain, * Flash said. [He learned just as fast, but for a different reason,] Xeroxes sent. [Hey where do you think your going]? Xeroxes sent as Flash left the observation room. *I’m going to check the future! * He called as he left.

The light pikachu floated in chaos. He looked around at the hundreds of lights and streams that surrounded him. Each one represented a different destiny or chance. He looked at each possible choice and pondered what path they wanted the world to take. As he was floating a flash of violet light permeated the vacuum as Kimberly Vision made her appearance. *Have you found the path your looking for? * She asked.

*Nope, I am being blocked somehow. My guess is that the future is uncertain and that we could go either way, to chaos or order, * he said. He waved a paw and all but two paths vanished. Each one contained all the others somehow, but both of them extended from a large foggy area. *See this is the near future, * He said pointing at the foggy area. *The right path leads to ruin and the eventually the death of this plant, and the left path leads to harmony and balance. If I can’t know the outcome of the near future and nether can Ender, then Kain can’t, * He said. He placed the gold goggles he was wearing on the top of his head and he could see the empty star shaped room again.

Vision left his mind as soon as he took the Foresight off. As the two paused and absorbed this data, Shade entered the room. *You two must see this. Electra is beating the tails off of everyone. I think we need to step in so she doesn’t get a big head, * she said in her quiet voice. Flash nodded and followed his wife out, as Vision just teleported out of the room.

A blast of a Positron Rife ripped through the air almost hitting Electra in the back. She somersaulted over and away from the deadly beam then countered with an attack of her own, an Omega Beam. The deadly normal attack hit Xeroxes head on. It blasted him back into the building wall and out of the simulation. Electra did two quick back flips to avoid the Double Kick. She retaliated with a massive Aeroblast. Couriga just shrugged off the attack and used Gating jabbing.

{Attack: Gating Jabbing Type (Fighting) At: 25 Ar: 90% the user attacks with multiple Punches. The user fists move so fast they cannot be seen. It hits many times in a row without pause. }

Electra dodged each strike with Agility. She jumped high in the air and released a Rainbolt. The rainbow attack blew the hitmonlee into the ground and all the windows out on the city street. Electra landed on top of a nearby lamppost. She surveyed the burnt cracked city street.

*Who’s next? * She asked painting, *I have yet to lose. * Flash, Ebony and Vision entered the simulation room just as Lisa Couriga stepped out of a glowing sphere. The simulation room was a large square shaped room in the east side of the Crystal Palace. Inside there was several floating orbs along the walls. A pokémon could enter one of these orbs and be artificially transported to any environment. A second door on the right side of the room led to the observation room where the battlers could be watched via a large monitor.

*Be careful you three. That kid’s stronger than she looks, * Couriga said as she jogged out the room. Ebony and Flash nodded and entered into an orb themselves. Vision just went into the other room to watch and to coach.

Inside the simulation, Flash and Shade appeared on a nearby rooftop. They looked down on Electra. The each jumped down attack with Light Ray and Shade Electric respectively.

{Attack: Light Ray Type: (Light) At: 640 Ar: 100% a beam of light is shot to the target blazing through them causing them to explode. Can lower accuracy.

}

The shadow and light attacks blew up the lamppost and the whole area around it. Out of the smoke and light a blur shot out. Electra counter attacked with a Glorious Wave.

{Attack: Glorious Wave Type: (Rainbow) At: 600 Ar: 50% a charge attack in which the user gathers a large amount of energy. The user becomes a living missile and explodes on contact with the target in glory of rainbow colors. }

The two special pikachu split apart and the attack and attacker passed right between them. The then began to use Shadow Dance and Light Waltz.

{Attack: Shadow Dance Type (Shadow) At: 1120 Ar: 85% the user moves at the speed of darkness itself. The user throws many shadow attacks of at such a pace that they look like a moving shadow.

Attack: Light Waltz Type (Light) At: 1120 Ar: 85% the user moves at the speed of light. Many attacks are used on a target as the user moves by as a flash of light. }

Electra could barley dodge or block all of the shadow and light attacks. They both hit her dead on with spinning thrust kick. Charged as they where, they blasted her down the street and into a building. Dashing toward the fallen pichu they crisscrossed each other becoming a black and white blur.

[You’re going to lose if you don’t invert. Shade and Flash fight as one, so they are almost unbeatable,] came Visions telepathic voice. Electra looked around the clothing store for a few seconds, then released that the voice was in her head.

[How do I do that?] She asked.

[Again, focus on your inner power. Image it coming in to your focus and not out. All the power that is available of your element will flow into you. But be warned, you can get lost in the power, so if it is taking to long to win stop.] She sent.

Electra leapt behind a near by counter and began to do as she had been instructed. Just then, Flash and Shade entered the shop be the hole in the front windows. They stopped advancing toward Electra when they noticed a large amount of energy flowing from the air around and behind them to the counter Electra was hiding behind. A scream of power is all the heard before the whole block exploded. As they were lifted up by the shock wave, they heard her scream out "Insanity!"

{Attack: Insanity Type: (Rainbow) At: 2465 Ar: 85% a combination of Barrage, Bind, Bone Rush, Clamp, Comet Punch, Double Slap, Fire Spin, Fury Attack, Fury Swipes, Outrage (3 times), Petal Dance (3 times), Pin Missile, Rollout (6 times), Sand Storm, Spike Cannon, Fury Cutter (6 times), Thrash (3 times), Whirlpool, Wrap, Beat up (6 times) Angel Wings (light), Bone Spin (Ground) and Knife Throwing (steel) for 117 hits. This move will cause the user to be confused and tired afterwards. (Rainbow holder only)

Vision waited outside in the simulation room. She looked on without surprise as the Flash and Shade rolled out of two of the 17 orbs. *That was... unexpected, * Flash said dizzily. *I wonder who told her how to invert? * Shade inquired with quiet venom. Vision put on her cute innocent act. *I have no clue, but there is one more challenge, * She pointed at a newly occupied orb.

Electra was dashing through the cityscape with out a care in the world. (This is great, I feel like I can do anything. I not even tired anymore. I wonder why Kimberly said not to stay this way?) She thought as she landed on a rooftop. [Because, you eventually lose your sense of self and become your element,] answered a psychic voice.

Electra turned around as a glowing yellow figure floated down from the sky. Electric energy surged around her as she beheld the smiling figure of the human form of Candice Storm. "Step Leader!" She screamed sending a whip out of pure electric directly at Electra. The pichu dodged as it split the building in half.

{Attack: Step Leader Type: (Electric) At: 550% Ar: 100% a whip of electricity is made. Electric attacks can be used through it and using it. }

As Electra tried to counter in mid-air with a RainBolt, but Candice dodged and counter with a thunderbolt. Blasting the pichu into the ground. Electric energy surged in the air as Candice gathered power. Storm clouds blotted out the afternoon sky. With a scream of electric power she changed, but not to her pokémon form. Yellow and black feathers covered her skin as two spiky, yellow-black wings sprouted from her back. Her hair stated float as if being blown by an unseen wind. Her face changed shape as a shape pointed beak formed and her boots vanished as her feet changed into talons.

"Kid, you have had it," said the anthropomorphic zapdos. Lighting jumped from around her as her eyes started to glow intense yellow. "Thunder punch!" she screamed as she dove down to attack Electra. She knocked her back up into the air. Electra fired a Dark Electric attack her but she blocked it with one outstretched palm. Electra landed then fired a Positron Rifle at her but she dodged it easily. Candice Strom flew behind, around and above the buildings of Saffron City. Each massive bolt of destructive power destroyed building after building but missed her entirely.

"Kid, I am at 100% full power, unlike you. You are just using just 50% of your max power. But enough talk, Amber Thunder Crown!" She screamed countering from the sky. The last thing Electra saw was the entire sky coming down in a huge bolt of lighting.

Electra rolled out of the orb dazed. *What was that? * She inquired in surprise.

*An ultimate attack. Of course Candy just destroyed Saffron City, but as you can see, normally one attack of that level can normally take out any opponent. But they are highly destructive and most of the time they kill their targets, * Shade said. *By the end of today you will know yours as well, * she continued. Electra nodded, while in the viewing room Candice Storm, now in her pokémon form flew and cried out in triumph.

Sometime later, during afternoon sunset, Electra wearily walked on to the north wall. *Medic are you around here? * She asked in her squeaky voice.

*Nope, just me, * Storm said. The larger electric bird looked down at Electra from her perch. *How are you doing kid? * She asked, *Training is kind of tough, but the control it gives you is invaluable. You never know when this power of ours will unsuspectingly increase in power. *

Seeing the look of confusion on the child’s face she elaborated. *Half of my power comes from all of the electric types in the world. Some of there energy is drawn to the focus, doubled then released back to them. This allows them to evolve and learn stronger attacks. This is the power of my pokémon side, as zapdos, the thunder empress Strom. The other half comes from the electric potential of the planet. As long as the potential for electric energy exists, so does the power of my human side Candice. When used together, like I did today, our power is near limitless. But this power can overwhelms our minds to the point that we no longer care what happens or worse get carried away by some petty emotion. So invert you focus when you have to, but don’t go 100% unless you’re desperate. Don’t let what happened to him happen to you, * She said.

She took off into the sky. *Use the strengths of both halves and accept the weakness too. Kain’s mistake was to hate his own weakness. Even I am not perfect, at least all of the time! * She called as she left.

*Even Candice has some good advice now and again when she comes down off of her pedestal, * Drake said good-heartedly. *I found your caretaker young one, let’s be off, * he said. As Electra climbed on his back to get a lift to Medic she glanced into the afternoon sky at the diminishing form of Candice Storm. (One day I will be strong as her. I wonder if I can handle being responsible for all of that power? Oh well, time will tell...) she thought as the pair flew down to Crystal Palace. (Time will tell...)