Chapter 12: Night Shade The trainers were grouped in front of the Pokémon Center. "All we have to do now is find the Boss," Showers announced. "After we kick him out of Ivory Lake, the battle will be ours." "The Boss of Ivory Lake is also the boss of the Flame Force," Erin stated. "Doesn't that mean Flame Force will also be beaten?" "They'll just appoint a new Boss," Alex replied. "It would cripple them, however. I've heard their Boss has a fleet of Dragon Pokémon. There are few Dragon Pokémon in the entire Force." A loud stomping was now heard. "What the hell is that?" Matt asked. "Something big," Jessica replied. Sunder came up to them on a motorcycle. "I'm giving you one last chance," he announced. "Give me the Dratini." "Bite me," Geoff replied. Sunder laughed. "Fine then. Look over there." He pointed behind him, right at the grinning mug of a gigantic Gengar! It was at least 50 feet tall! "Give me the Dratini and I'll call it off." "Maybe you should," Showers suggested. "Are you mad?" Thunders shouted. "We're Fire Strike! We're the biggest pain in the ass Flame Force has ever known! You think they'll just call it off after we give in to their demands? We're going to have to fight that Gengar one way or another, and I say we make them take the Dratini!" "He's right!" Geoff replied. "I say we fight!" "All Pokémon have weaknesses!" Jessica announced. "Gengar's are Ground and Psychic Pokémon!" "You're going to fight Gengar?" Sunder asked. "You idiots! Look at it! Nothing can take down something that big! Hopefully some of your Pokémon will survive the encounter- I'm sure none of you will! I'll be back to extract the remaining Pokémon from your dead bodies, after Gengar crushes you!" He tore off. "Are you sure this thing is weak against Ground and Psychic?" Showers asked. "Yes," Jessica confirmed. "Gastly, Haunter and Gengar are Ghost-Poison types. That means normal attacks won't hurt them at all, but Ground and Psychic will! Everything else won't do very much damage though." "So let's call out all our Psychic Pokémon!" Geoff suggested. "Kadabra, go!" In a few short seconds, a line of Psychic using Pokémon had appeared. Abra, Kadabra, Butterfree, Venonat, Exeggcute, Staryu, Starmie, Jynx, Psyduck, Poliwhirl, and another Jynx lined up and prepared their most powerful attacks. Staryu and Psyduck launched Confusion attacks at the incoming Gengar, while Butterfree and Venonat used PSY Beam. Kadabra, Starmie, and the two Jynxes opened up with Psychic. Poliwhirl and Exeggcute used their Hypnosis powers, hoping to slow Gengar down. The combined beam of Psychic power hit Gengar right in the midsection. It slowed slightly, annoyed by the stinging blasts. "It's gonna take a lot to beat this thing!" Erin shouted. "Matt, use your Grass Pokémon's Razor Leaf attacks," Uiru suggested. "Nick, Showers, soak it with water, then let Thunders nuke it with his Jolteon. Jessica, call out your Marowak. Sandslash, go!" The trainers did as Uiru suggested. "Okay. Sandslash, Marowak, use your Earthquake attacks!" The street under Gengar crumpled, and chunks of rock flew up at the giant Gengar. It finally counterattacked with Night Shade. The blast of Ghost power ran through the assembled ranks of Pokémon. Incredibly, they remained standing, and launched another attack. "Why didn't it knock them all out?" Allison asked. "Gengar is so much bigger then they are." "Because," Jessica replied. "Night Shade does a set amount of damage! No matter how big the user is, it'll do whatever the EXP level is." "That's right," Uiru nodded. Nick and Showers began spraying the giant Ghost Pokémon with Hydro Pump. Jolteon then struck with the unrestrained force of Thunder. A bolt of pure Electric power flew from the heavens and nailed Gengar in the soaked forehead. It was really getting angry now. It struck Jolteon with Confuse Ray, requiring it be returned, and used Hypnosis on Nick and Showers, sending both them and their Pokémon into a deep sleep. It continued stomping towards the Psychic line that hadn't given up it's annoying rays. "Abra, do something!" Uiru shouted. "You've got Psychic power, use it!" Abra looked at it's comrades, blasting away with PSY power. Their power was flowing through it, as well. As Abra felt the unrestrained force of the Psychic element pulse through it, it realized it's own PSY power. Combining the knowledge and strength of it's Fighting abilities with it's newly aquired Psychic skills, Abra reared back and sent a beam flying from it's hands that was powerful enough to cause the other Psychic Pokémon behind it to flinch. This pulsing ray of holy PSY light struck Gengar, causing it to shudder visibly. Abra began pounding Gengar with it's PSY Beam attack. Gengar fired repeated Night Shades at Abra, but it stood it's ground. Every now and then, Abra would glow blue- signifying the use of it's Recover ability. The others were preparing their Pokémon to help Abra finish off Gengar. Matt's Pokémon charged up and launched a Solar Beam at the ghastly ghost. Alex had his Pokémon fire their Ice Beams in unison. Showers shot Gengar with synchronized Bubblebeam attacks. Thunders' Jolteon used another super bolt of Thunder. Allison's Growlithe launched a Flamethrower. "It won't give up!" Erin shouted. Gengar suddenly began lashing out with a new attack! It fired bolts of dark power at the assembled teams of Pokémon battling it! Alex's were the first to go- the rays of evil energy blew through his Water-Ice types like a tornado. "Damn! Return!" "What is this?" Allison asked. "There are only three Ghost attacks- Night Shade, Lick and Confuse Ray!" "No there aren't," Jessica declared. "This is the undiscovered power of Bleak Eternal." "Bleak Eternal?" Uiru asked. "I've never heard of it." Gengar used it's Bleak Eternal power to send Matt's Pokémon to the ER room. "Bleak Eternal is an extremely powerful, extremely dangerous Ghost type attack," Jessica explained. "Unlike Night Shade, it's power is limitless. Very few Ghost type Pokémon have mastered the ability." Allison's Growlithe and Thunder's Jolteon got blasted. As well, Sandslash and Marowak were nuked by the power. "How do you know about it?" Uiru asked. "Turquoise Lake is famous for it's Ghost type Pokémon," she answered. "There used to be a group of Ghost trainers there who called themselves the Eternal Night. They studied Ghost Pokémon in detail, and investigated sightings of different Ghosts. They confirmed the existance of Bleak Eternal, but their test Gengar couldn't reproduce the effect and the Pokémon League laughed at them." "This one doesn't seem to have any problem reproducing the effect," Patrick stated as Showers' Pokémon felt the terrifying effects. "Eternal Night used to let me hang around, because I had a Gastly. They wouldn't let me in when they were testing Bleak Eternal, but I found out about it anyway." Jessica pointed at Abra. "Uiru, your Abra is our only chance. It's got the only attack that damages Gengar." Having wiped out all the other Pokémon, Gengar now turned Bleak Eternal on the Psychic troop. When it's black energy disappated, only Abra was left standing. The fainted Pokémon were returned. "Abra, you have to keep fighting!" Uiru shouted. "It's up to you to take Gengar down!" "Please, Abra!" Allison shouted. "We're counting on you!" Abra nodded. It began to glow! "Abra's gonna evolve!" Uiru shouted. "It's attacks will be a lot more powerful!" Abra evolved into Kadabra! Most Kadabra had scrawny arms and legs, and their thin armor wasn't much good against strong attacks. This Kadabra was a totally different story. Built like a Machoke, Kadabra's body armor gleamed with an adamant light. It's muscles rippled along it's arms and legs as it prepared to launch another blast at Gengar. Although this strength didn't take away from Kadabra's Special power- it's big head matched the big body it sat on. Gengar knew it would be difficult to beat this opponent, even with the power of Bleak Eternal. It began charging it's power! Kadabra did the same. It collected it's Psychic power, charging it in it's hands. Soon, Kadabra was holding a ball of white PSY power. Gengar launched the energy! The solid black beam engulfed Kadabra! "Oh... damn... Kadabra..." was all Uiru could stammer out. The others were silent. Gengar laughed. A flash! From inside the beam came an orb of pure white energy! Against the beam which was blacker then night, this orb which encased Kadabra seemed brighter then the sun. It continued to grow, until Gengar was firing it's power at a wall of energy the size of a small building. Then it erupted, straight at Gengar! The beam, three times as large as Bleak Eternal, covered Gengar, and when the light faded, Gengar had been blasted back where it came from. Kadabra stood there for a moment, then fainted. "Kadabra!" Uiru shouted. "Return!" A helicopter flew overhead. A rock dropped in front of the trainers. Attached was a note that read: 'You can have Ivory Lake, but we've still won this battle! Flame Force will dominate!' Inside the Pokémon Center was a somber scene. Most of the trainers' Pokémon were in Intensive Care. The trainers knew many of them might not make it. "Damn," Matt declared. "I can't believe Flame Force would have something that powerful." "I can't believe they'd use it," Patrick replied. "Booster wasn't kidding when he said this might be dangerous." "Flame Force will pay for this," Alex swore. "If our Pokémon survive..." "I'm gonna rip that Sunder a new one," Uiru declared. "And that Boss as well! They're both dead! I don't care if I have to tear their throats out myself! They're both on borrowed time!" The nurse came into the waiting room. She was instantly pounced upon by Fire Strike. "Listen, everybody," she said. "Calm down, and I'll tell you what's going on." They calmed down somewhat. "The energy of Bleak Eternal has affected your Pokémon somehow. We don't know how to treat it." "Will they recover?" Allison asked. "We aren't sure," the nurse replied. "We've got a small army of Chanseys in there, and our doctors and nurses are the best on the continent. They're all working to save your Pokémon but... I'm sorry to say, it doesn't look good for any of them." Fire Strike looked at each other, then surged past the nurse to the ICU. "No, wait!" she shouted. It was silent in the ICU, except for the milling about of maybe a dozen Chanseys. Even the optimistic hospital Pokémon seemed to be depressed. Their usual happy shrills were absent from the room. The room itself was very large- it had to be to accomidate all the Pokémon. The trainers silently looked at their Pokémon. Jessica picked up her Staryu. It was rigid and lifeless. Before, Staryu had seemed to radiate energy. Now, it was like a brick shaped like a star. Alex looked at his Dewgong and Shellder, then to his Jynx and Starmie. All but his Squirtle had been fried by Gengar. His rage was building every time he looked from one to another. Uiru's Kadabra was unconscious. Bleak Eternal had taken it's toll on it as well, even though it had defeated Gengar. Geoff's Kadabra was in similar condition. Erin had to turn away. Although none of her Pokémon had been attacked by Gengar, the scene was still almost too much. Nick picked up his Psyduck. Although it had fought bravely, it was now in the same shape as the others. Nick looked into it's lifeless round eyes until his own were clouded with tears. "Bastards," Jessica cursed as she ran her hand down Marowak's still form. "I swear... I'll never have Haunter use Bleak Eternal... Never!" As she gazed at the limp Ground Pokémon lying before her, the tears which had been threatening for some time finally gave way. "You want to cure your Pokémon?" came a voice. "Who said that?" Thunders asked. "Where are you?" "Over here," came the voice of an old man. He was standing in the door. "I used to be the leader of the Eternal Night. I can tell you how to cure these Pokémon." "How?" Nick asked. "Tell us!" "It's all up to these Chansey," he replied. "Tell me, nurse. Do any of them possess an ability called Softboiled?" "Softboiled? I've never heard of that power," the nurse admitted. "Then we must teach it to them!" the man declared. "You lot, Fire Strike or whatever. Do you have any Pokémon left?" "A few," Uiru replied. "Not many though." "Then we must hurry to the caves north of here. There is a special stone there. We must bring it to these Chansey so they can learn Softboiled." "You mean, like an evolution stone?" Matt asked. "Sort of," the man answered. "The Chanseys won't evolve, but they will automatically learn how to use Softboiled. With this ability, they may be able to cure your Pokémon." "Where is this cave?" Jessica asked, wiping her face. "We'll get the rock, right now!" "Hold on," the man inturrupted. "There are many powerful Pokémon there. Pincir and Scyther are numerous. Do you have any Pokémon strong against them?" "I do!" Erin shouted. "My Poison Pokémon are strong on bugs!" "Where's the cave?" Uiru demanded. "We're leaving, right now!" "You'd better," the old man declared. "You've only got a few hours before the effects of Bleak Eternal are permanent. After that, there is no hope." "Where's the cave?" Thunders shouted for a third time. "Oh, right. It's due north of here. I'll take you there." As he headed for the door, he looked at Jessica. "I remember you now... You're the little girl who used to hang around Eternal Night." "Yes," she replied. "I remember we wouldn't let you near when we were working on Bleak Eternal. I wish to the gods we'd never begun that research." "At least there's a hope," Jessica told him. "There's no time to be sad!" she declared, wiping her eyes one last time. "We've got a job to do!" "Right!" Fire Strike agreed.