Honor Among Thieves (PG-13)

[PsiUmbreon]

Yeah, this is chapter 1 of my first fanfic. Before reading it, you may want to know that it takes place in my made up region, Altairon, and there are Pokemon that I made up featured in the story. If you need any clarification on how they look, or whatever, I'll clear it up for ya. However if it's important I'll put a description of the Pokemon myself. I'll try to post a chapter every couple of weeks.

Yeah, it's rated PG-13, but the content right now is... well I'd say more PG. But rating it PG-13 gives me more wiggle room in terms of cussing and stuff...

Honor Among Thieves

Chapter 1: The Remorseless Criminal​

The sun had set on the dirty, criminal-riddled slums of Murdock. The streets were mostly quiet, with a couple of cars occasionally flying past the dimly lit roads. Nocturnal Pokemon, such as Virat, could be seen pawing through the dumpsters. An atmosphere of fear settled over the town at night. During the day, the streets are fairly crowded. However, at the first sign of sunset, most people scurried home like rabbits.

This was the perfect time for Vyle, a common thief, to prowl the alleys, looking for his next victim. Vyle was short and skinny, and wore a tattered black robe, with a hood on it that covered his face. He crept along the darkest alleys, his robe making him nearly invisible. Vyle wasn?t a person that even wanted to be seen anyway.

Tonight, Vyle was on the hunt, like a hungry lone wolf. Having lived on the streets since childhood, he was an expert on survival. The only way for him to survive, besides pawing through rotting garbage looking for food, was to steal. And Vyle was built for it. Being fairly small and always cloaked in the color of shadows, and having small, nimble fingers, he was a natural thief.

Vyle was growing impatient at not finding any targets. These days, less people dared set out on foot at night. That?s when suddenly, he heard footsteps coming from a sidewalk nearby. Vyle knew the intricate maze of alleys and streets of Murdock by heart. He silently made his way into an alley near the source of the footsteps. An older woman was walking hastily, her high heels clicking against the sidewalk loudly. And she didn?t even appear to be carrying any Pokemon. A perfect target for Vyle. He crouched down low, and then as the lady passed by, he sprung into action. He leapt from the shadows, yanking the small red purse she was carrying right out of her hands. The force of Vyle snatching the purse right from her had caused her to fall right on her back. She screamed, and looked over to where Vyle had come from. But she could only see a cloaked figure darting away, the robe trailing him like the wind.

For the old lady, this will undoubtedly be a traumatic experience. But for Vyle, this was just another day?s work, and the reward was a purseful of cash, and possibly some IDs that he could pawn off on the black market. He made sure to run until he was several blocks away, then in a nearby, dimly lit alley, he began to dig through the woman?s belongings. He tossed random items from the purse onto the street. ?Let?s see? make-up, some papers? aah here we go?? he muttered to himself. He pulls out a brown wallet and immediately looks through it. ?What?! Where?s the cash? Credit cards? Anything?!? he thought. The only thing he could find in the wallet was a few small coins, a library card, and a picture of that woman with what seemed to be her family. He pocketed the coins, then cast the rest of the stuff onto the street. The picture fell to the ground like a feather, then landed in a puddle of water, smiling faces peering straight into the sky.

For Vyle, this was a huge disappointment. He waited half the night looking for someone, only to find 67 measly Pokecents. Not even close to enough to buy him his next meal, even. Vyle then proceeded home, his home being a large cardboard box in a small, dark corner between two towering, dingy apartment buildings. He sat in the box, atop a couple of old, dirty sheets, remaining very much alert. Vyle dared not sleep until sunrise, for he knew that there were others like him out there prowling, who would take the first chance to prey on a sleeping target. Hours passed, then at the first sign of the sun?s rays, Vyle closed his eyes and drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

As daylight appeared, the city sprung to life. Cars filled the streets, and people filled the sidewalks and outdoor cafes. The city teemed with life, for the most part unaware of the events of last night. But in the narrow space where Vyle slept, there was barely a ray of sunshine. No living creature stirred nearby, except for the occasional curious stray Persian or Virat.

Then, as darkness fell, and most had emptied the streets, like clockwork Vyle sprang up. He knew that if he slept much longer, it would be unsafe. He also wanted to get to the convenience store to spend his ?earnings.? Vyle very much doubted he would be able to get anything at all with last night?s slim pickings, but he was hungry.

As he neared the store, he opened his robe and took off his hood to reveal a more normal, innocent look. He had on an old flannel shirt and some tattered jeans. His face was unshaven, and had unevenly cut hair and sparkling blue eyes. He walked into the store, and the few people that were in the store didn?t notice him at all. It was near closing time, so the store was nearly deserted. Even the convenience stores in Murdock were locked tight past a certain hour out of fear of being robbed. Vyle shopped around casually, ironically not stealing anything, since he knew that security cameras were everywhere, watching his every move. He was uncomfortable with that thought, so he wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. He grabbed a small bag of chips, then took out his old water bottle from his side pocket of his robe and fills it up with the water fountain in the back of the store. Vyle knew that water was important to survival, and clean water was hard to find on the streets. He pocketed the full water bottle, then proceeded to the front of the store. The convenience store clerk was a tall and muscular man who looked like he meant business. Vyle placed the bag of chips on the counter, then pulled out every bit of spare change he could muster. ?That all?? the clerk said in a gruff, unfriendly voice. Vyle simply nodded. He was lucky that he had exactly enough change to at least buy something for the night. He left the store, then covered up with his robe again.

Vyle returned to the dark labyrinth of the city. He was out of money, and knew he needed to hunt again. He didn?t dare hunt in the same area twice in a row, for he knew the town?s police department could catch him. Though the police department of the city was seemingly nonexistent, Vyle had witnessed a few others being captured before. He knew not to underestimate the predators of his kind.

Two hours passed, and Vyle saw no one. Vyle was growing weary and impatient. Suddenly, the silence of the city was shattered by an ear-piercing scream. Out of curiosity and boredom, Vyle ran towards the source. He pressed against a wall with his back, then peered past the corner of the dark alley. He saw three figures, dressed heavily in white robes. The figures appeared to be surrounding someone else.

?Give us the Pokemon NOW!? one of the figures demanded.

?Your Pokemon is evil. It needs to be purged!? announced the second figure.

?NO! Leave my Eevee alone!? shouted a voice that sounded like a little girl?s.

?Do not stand in our way. The will of Team Judgment is beyond your comprehension, little girl.? The third figure declared.

The figures began to advance on the child, despite her pleas for help. Ear shattering screams could be heard.

Vyle had been watching the incident unfold, silently and attentively. He could not believe what he had seen. For the first time ever, Vyle felt something he had never felt before- pity for the small child.

Instinctively Vyle sprang into action. He knew not what he was doing. With silent footsteps he dashed towards the cloaked men from behind. As hard as he could, he rammed one of the figures, knocking him down. He then punched the second figure directly in the face. His knee then met up with the belly of the third white-cloaked figure. He then grabbed the girl and the Pokemon in his arms, then darted into the shadows, his cloak trailing behind him. ?What? do? you? think you?re doing?!? one of the figures shouted, obviously in pain. The men staggered to their feet, then give chase. However, Vyle effortlessly shook the pursuers off in the labyrinth of alleyways.

Vyle headed for the nearest building that he knew would still be open-the Pokemon Center. The girl was silent throughout the short trip, but her Pokemon occasionally cried out, ?Vee! Eevee!?

As soon as he arrived at the steps of the Pokemon center, he put the girl down and handed her the Eevee. Police sirens blared in the background. The girl said, in an innocent voice, ?Thank you for saving me!? but Vyle had already vanished into the shadows.

 

[PsiUmbreon]

Chapter 2!

Chapter 2: Shadows of Light​

Vyle was standing in what looked like the middle of nowhere: an empty plain stretching to the horizon in all directions. The sky was tinted with the shades of sunset, although no sun was visible. Wind howled, softly but chillingly all around him. Alone in this vast emptiness, Vyle actually felt an eerie tinge of fear. He walked in one direction for a bit, hoping to see something beyond the horizon, to no avail. He stopped, and out of desperation, cried ?HELLO!? No response.

Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, something moved. It appeared to be? a shadow. As soon as Vyle turned, three more shadows appeared on the ground, all shaped human and wearing robes. The shadows began to circle him. Vyle felt helpless as more shadows appeared and begin to enclose him in their deadly circle. When he was completely surrounded, the shadows rose from the ground, and completely engulfed the helpless Vyle in pitch-black darkness.

Vyle opened his eyes wide, and sprang up with the agility of a Jolteon. It was early evening, but a few minutes before Vyle would ordinarily have woken up. Normally his sleep was the way he preferred it- dreamless. But occasionally, horrifying visions appeared in his sleep. He thought nothing of them, and went on with nightly prowling as usual. Tonight was no different. His mind zeroed in automatically on the next thing he needed-a new victim.

Tonight, Vyle did not have to wait long. He spotted a happy young couple, chatting merrily without a care in the world. As usual, Vyle quickly found the best ambush point. He scanned his targets with his mind. The woman, he knew was no problem. The man, however, looked like he could take Vyle out if they were pitted against each other in a one-on-one fight. He also looked like he had a couple of Pok?mon on him.

Of course, this was not enough to stop Vyle. He relied on speed, and the element on surprise rather than strength. He already had a plan to get that backpack off the man?s back. Vyle carried a small knife around him for protection, and for times like this. He was fast enough to cut the straps with a clean sweep of his knife. Then, fast as lightning, he would trip both of his targets, giving him enough time to slip back into the shadows unseen.

As the time to strike neared, Vyle got anxious and began to tremble. ?This is a standard operation! This should be as easy as pie; why am I so tense?? He thought. He braced himself anyway. When the precise moment to strike came, Vyle froze up and hesitated. The memory of the night before passed through his head. He remembered the sheer ruthlessness of Team Judgment, and the helplessness of the little girl. He was paralyzed by his memories, and as a result the couple simply passed by, unaware of their sinister stalker.

Vyle could not understand what was going on. He had done this hundreds of times before. ?What is so hard about this?? He thought. After a few seconds of pondering to himself, he got up and resumed his hunt. But Vyle could not concentrate. He wandered the alleys aimlessly, haunted by his own thoughts. The memories of last night crossed his mind over and over.

Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he saw something terrifying-a figure, dressed heavily in a white cloak and wearing a hood. This startled Vyle, and he ran full speed down another alley. Vyle stopped a few blocks later, exhausted from running. As soon as he stopped, a spotlight shined on Vyle from above, blinding him. A helicopter could be heard from above. Ropes descended from the chopper as four figures cloaked in white slid down. A voice could be heard, sounding as though it came from a loudspeaker:

?Vyle: for your actions against Team Judgment, and your lifestyle of unholy sin, you shall be purged!?

Vyle made a run for it as soon as he heard this, darting into the safety of darkness. The figures touched ground, their shoes clicking on the ground, and immediately gave chase. The spotlight from the helicopter followed him, keeping his dark figure illuminated. Vyle knew the alleys by heart and immediately thought of a plan to elude his strange pursuers. He headed for the industrial section of Murdock, where there were places the light of the sun never reached. The spotlight followed his every move as he traversed the labyrinth of dark passages.

Vyle reached a crossroads in the alleys. He had a daring plan to shake off that light. He turned down one of the three other branches of the crossroads, then rolled out of the spotlight and continued hastily down another of the paths. It had worked, as the spotlight shined on him no longer. He was shrouded in darkness once again, barely visible, and still dashing.

But Vyle had not escaped the enemy at all. Three white figures descended from above, blocking his path. Vyle turned on a divergent alley and dashed. Random old newspapers fluttered in the wind created by his speed. The spotlight soon found its way back to Vyle, chasing away the darkness that cloaked him. There were now seven of those strange figures tailing him.

Vyle had reached another crossroads. This time, however, white figures descended from above, blocking off each path, leaving Vyle boxed in. But Vyle was not going to give up that easily. He rammed one of the figures, knocking them clear into the brick wall of the building bordering the alley. Vyle continued down that path, darting past discarded boxes, with the spotlight still following his every move.

At this point Vyle?s exhaustion was beginning to show. He had slowed his normally lightning pace considerably. The 10 or so figures on his tail began to gain on him. His vision began to blur, and he had also began to feel light headed and out of breath. He still continued onward despite his fatigue, running on sheer will. He shut out the pain of exhaustion and focused on the path before him.

Vyle reached a wide street lined with factories. He knew he had reached the industrial area. Here, there were many abandoned warehouses to hide in. However, it seemed like Team Judgment were on to him. They seemed to know his every move. A van appeared in his path, careening towards him, its headlights blinding him further. Vyle had no choice but to leap into a nearby alley. Unfortunately for Vyle, a towering fence lined with barbed wire at the top blocked off this alley. The van rolled in front of the alley. The back doors opened, and at least four more figures hopped out. They pulled out flashlights and shined them directly at his face. Light shined on him from several sources. Vyle nearly collapsed, dizzy with fatigue. The figure in front spoke in a deep, booming voice:

?Fool! You cannot escape! The light of Team Judgment shines upon you.?

?Prepare to be judged!? spoke a second, more feminine voice.

The three figures in front reached for something at their waists-their belts, which had two or three Pok? Balls attached. Each one grabbed one of their Pok? Balls, then commanded in unison, ?Sparquartz, use Light Arrow NOW!? They released their Pok?mon. Three obelisk-shaped crystalline Pok?mon appeared in front, with two small eyes near the top, at about knee height. Their bodies glistened in the light. The Pok?mon then each began to glow, and began to charge energy. Glowing spheres appeared in front of them. Vyle knew he was done for.

?Eevee, Quick Attack!? Vyle heard a familiar young voice in his fatigue. A brown blur then streaked in front of the Sparquartz, knocking them over. It then dashed through the legs of each Team Judgment member, causing them to trip up. Vyle was dumbfounded and did not move for a split second. The voice called out to him, ?C?mon!? Without thinking, Vyle headed towards the direction of the voice. He hopped over the stumbling figures as they barely were getting back to their feet. ?In here!? the voice shouted, coming from a partially opened manhole in the middle of the street. Vyle slithered into the darkness and closed the manhole cover behind him. Voices could be heard from above:

?You will never escape the light of the holy Team Judgment!?

?The light of Team Judgment will forever shine upon you, casting its revealing light upon your life of sin!?

 

[PsiUmbreon]

Chapter 3: The Underground​

Vyle descended into the darkness of the sewer system. He landed on his feet in a puddle of water. The splash echoed throughout the cavernous sewer. He noticed a dank, slightly foul smell in the air. The sewers were an unfamiliar territory to Vyle, but at least he was safe from his mysterious pursuers.

Vyle thought to himself, ?Was that?? That voice, could it have been??

Suddenly, Vyle heard that voice again, shouting festively, ?Heya Vyle!? It was the little girl from the night before. She was wearing a pink sweater and what looked like a dark-colored skirt, but Vyle could not tell since it was pretty dark around there. The girl ran up to Vyle and hugged him, her head barely reaching up to Vyle?s waist.

Vyle was stunned. It had been many years since Vyle had been spoken to cheerfully, much less hugged. However, he suddenly became afraid as his childhood memories came flooding back to him. Vyle tensed up and a hateful feeling welled up inside of him. He hissed at the girl, ?GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME!? He brushed the girl off and darted away into the unknown darkness of the sewers, his footsteps echoing behind him.

But Vyle could not get too far. His vision was blurring, and everything appeared to spin around him. His stamina had already been pushed to its limit. Yet out of fear he continued down the path. Beams of light from streetlamps shone through the manhole covers above. Pipes lined the ceiling, and puddles glistened in the light from above. All of this was spinning around, twirling, until Vyle was not sure which way was forward. Vyle?s eyes slowly closed, until finally his consciousness slipped away. He could run no longer.

Vyle awoke in a bed some time later. He looked around the room he was in. Fluorescent lights shone onto his face from above. He noticed a dresser directly in front of him. A bookshelf filled with various books was to the right of him. More beds were also in different parts of the room. To the left of him was a large umbrella shaped plant. A table was also right next to him. To each side of the room were more potted plants. He noticed that pipes ran across the ceiling, and the walls were made of a dull grey concrete. Pok?mon posters were put up to give the room a more homely look. Vyle then noticed that his clothes were different. He was wearing a plain black t-shirt and some much newer black jeans. His only possessions, his knife and his water bottle, were not with him either.

Vyle then heard the door creak open. That same girl from before walked in, this time carrying a tray of sandwiches and a glass filled with a blue liquid. Upon sight of the girl, Vyle tried to get up and run but he was paralyzed with exhaustion. His muscles ached too much as well. So Vyle could only stay and watch as the girl approached with the tray. ?Here ya go! Nothing like some nice sandwiches and Oran Berry juice to help ya get better!? She announced cheerfully. She placed the tray on the small wooden table next to his bed.

Vyle did not know what to make of this situation. Ever since he began his life on the streets, he had never been handed free food. He thought to himself, ?Oh well, free food?s free food.? He quickly began devouring the sandwiches as soon as the girl walked off. When he finished the sandwiches and juice he went to sleep.

A few hours had passed, and Vyle sprang up instinctively, as he had always done on the streets. He could not see what time of day it was; yet he jumped up. Judging by has reaction he figured that it was sunset. He thought to himself, ?Well, thanks for the food, but I?m outta here!? He made his way out of the room slowly.

Outside there was a hallway with a concrete wall at the end nearest the door, and at the other end, a stairway with only darkness at the top. There were several doors in the hallway. Vyle ran silently towards the stairs His muscles still ached and he could not run at full speed.

Once Vyle painfully climbed the flight of stairs, he saw nothing but pitch-black darkness. There usually was some form of light nearby when Vyle roamed the streets. Vyle was not used to the darkness of the underground. He crept along slowly with his hands in front of him. Occasionally he stepped in a puddle of water, the sound echoing throughout the sewers.

Vyle kept treading forward cautiously through the complete darkness of the underground. But then came a point when he felt a concrete wall in front of him. He felt around him, and discovered more walls. He determined that he was at a dead end, and that he could only go backwards, but that meant he would have to go back with that girl.

Suddenly, he heard a squeak echoing throughout the cavernous sewer. The tunnels seemed to magnify the squeak to an ear-splitting volume. Vyle recognized the screech as belonging to a Virat. He could picture its dark grey rodent-like body, about ankle high, with pointed ears and a pointed snout, eyes like small black beads, and hairless pink tail shaped like a worm. He could imagine it nearby somewhere. He tried to kick at it, since he knew that noise might have alerted someone else as his instinct told him. But his efforts were futile and he could only kick at air.

Light shone in Vyle?s face. At the other end of the light was that strange little girl who fed him. ?Hey, come back Vyle!? she cried out in a cheerful voice. ?Come back and meet everyone!? she exclaimed, her voice echoing in the dark tunnel. ?We don?t bite!?
Vyle felt trapped and could see no way out of this. The girl grabbed his arm and tugged at him. Vyle reluctantly followed along. Eventually they reached the stairs and then the hallway. The girl led Vyle to a room across the hall from the room he slept in. she opened the door with her free hand.

The inside of the room looked to be a meeting room of some sort. There was a table in the center, which was made of wood and looked worn. The chairs around it were also worn. Papers were scattered all over the table. The room otherwise looked pretty drab, save a few Pok?mon posters on the walls, and tropical plants in the corners.

Three people were seated at the chairs in the room. The first person was a male, large and with a muscular physique. He wore a black t-shirt that stretched tightly over his figure. His hair was short and spiked, and combed slightly backward. The second person was female; she had fiery red hair, slightly curled and about neck-length. She had on a crimson vest, not unlike the type Pok?mon trainers wore. Under that vest was also a black t-shirt stretched fairly tight. She also wore a crimson colored short skirt. The third was also female, with long, straight black hair. She had on a purple headband, and for some reason wore black lipstick. She wore a black trench coat, which descended past her knees, and tights underneath the coat. All three seemed to be young adults like Vyle.

As soon as Vyle and the little girl entered the room, the three people turned to face them. The male spoke:

?I see you brought your friend in to meet us, Kyra. Why don?t you introduce him to us??

?Okay! This is Vyle, the guy who saved me!? Kyra spoke excitedly.

?Call me Spike,? the male announced.

?I?m Blaze,? the female with red hair spoke in a friendly manner.

?Shade,? The other one spoke, although not as friendly seeming as Blaze.

Vyle did not respond for a few seconds, which seemed like forever. He then timidly replied, ?Hi.?

?So you?re the one that saved Kyra?? Spike replied. He seemed to be the leader of their little group. Vyle did not respond.

Spike went on to explain, ?Ya see, we?re a gang of outlaws. We call ourselves The Underground. We live off the streets, stealing just enough to get what we need, though we usually attack the kind that look like they deserve it. We made this place using the Secret Power attack from our Pok?mon.?

?And jacked our decorations and stuff,? Blaze added.

He paused for a second, and then continued explaining, ?Kyra is our newest member. We found her on the streets before you saved her. We were on a mission that night, and ya see, she kinda got lost. That?s when those strange men found her.?

Blaze added, ?They seem to be a lot like that group of petty thugs, Team Magnet, but they must be after something bigger. That, and they seem to like using the Miracle type.?

Vyle had some important questions for them. ?Who are they, how did they find this place? Who is Team Magnet? Do they know any more about that odd Team Judgment? Who is more deserving of being robbed?? He thought to himself. He refrained from asking them, as was his instinct from the streets not to get too curious. He decided to figure out his answers on his own. After all, as the saying went, ?Curiosity killed the Meowth.? His contemplation was interrupted by a familiar squeak.

?Squee! Squeeeeeeeek!? a Virat cried as it streaked across the room, seemingly from nowhere. Vyle noticed a small hole at the bottom of the room near his feet. The Virat excitedly circled Vyle?s feet.

?Oh, that?s our little friend. We named it Squeak,? Blaze explained.

?It? seems to like you? Spike said.

?Ya know, you don?t seem to have any Pok?mon. They would be good to have for protection. Why don?t you see if you can?t take Squeak with you?? Blaze suggested. Shade nodded and passed an empty Pok? Ball across the table to Vyle. He caught the red and white sphere as it rolled toward him and said nothing.

?I think we should leave the room alone with his new friend,? Blaze suggested.

?I agree. If Squeak likes you, and would like to travel with you, it?ll simply go inside that ball,? Spike said. Shade simply nodded. Everyone else then got up and proceeded to leave the room.

From the floor, Squeak looked at Vyle. Vyle gazed back at Squeak. Squeak seemed to be looking into Vyle?s soul. Vyle did not know what to think. He had never considered carrying a Pok?mon with him before. That and, he did not know how Pok?mon were caught. He had seen them being released from Pok? Balls before, however. Vyle looked at Squeak with its beady eyes, as if he were accepting Squeak. Squeak seemed to accept Vyle as well, and they gazed at each other with what seemed to be a mutual understanding. The Virat hopped up onto the table, and nudged the ball. The ball popped open and absorbed the Virat, then closed. A light blinked on and off on the button of the ball as if to signify that something was caught.

Vyle took the ball on the table. He decided that he could keep the Virat, but he still did not trust those people. He had always lived and hunted alone, and wasn?t about to change that, save the Virat of course. Vyle decided to try and sneak away once again. But he could not leave without his cloak, which he needed to conceal himself. Vyle slowly pushed open the door and peered outside. The hallway was empty.

Vyle slipped out the door and pressed his back against the wall. He walked against the wall carefully. His muscles still slightly ached. He decided to himself to check every room. As he crawled along the walls, he put his ear to one of the doors. He could hear voices coming from that room, so he did not dare open it. He went along to the next door, and put his ear to that one. He heard nothing, so he decided it was safe and cracked it open.

The room appeared to be a closet. Several cloaks and trench coats hung from the wall. He recognized his own, although it seemed to be much cleaner. He took his cloak, and on the floor, he saw a bag filled with more Pok? Balls. He thought to himself, ?Hey, why not take something for the road anyways?? Carefully, he slipped on his cloak, then took the bag of Pok? Balls and stuck them in one of his pockets. He stuck the Virat inside another pocket. Silently yet quickly, he then proceeded out of the closet and into the hallway, checking to make sure the coast was clear first. No one in sight.

He dashed down the hallway and up the stairs silently. As he climbed the stairs, he was greeted with the same darkness as before. This time, however, he decided to creep against the walls until he found another passage. He reasoned that there had to be one somewhere, since the path in front was a dead end. He continued along the wall for some time, until he found a gap in the wall. He felt around it, and determined that it was a corner, and that there was a passage ahead. He peered past the corner. Light seemed to pour in from the ceiling, and Vyle could see ahead for a long way. He then broke into a sprint down that path.

But Vyle could not get far. He bumped right into what seemed like a wall. He fell to the floor, the Pok? Balls in his pockets spilling out onto the floor. Vyle looked up, and saw the muscular figure of Spike. Blaze and Shade appeared behind Vyle.

?You thought you could get away, huh?? Spike said in an intimidating manner.

?Don?t forget, we?re thieves too!? Said Blaze.
?It was a nice try,? Shade said rather calmly.

All three of them broke into a laugh, which surprised Vyle. ?Yep, looks like you got what it takes to be a part of the Underground.? Vyle accepted the compliment to himself, although he still had no intention of sticking with them. But it looked like he was there to stay with them, at least until he could find his way back to the streets.

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Several white-cloaked figures were approaching what seemed to be an altar, with a throne at the top. The altar was covered in an intense light, too bright to be able to make out the features of the person at the top of the throne.

The figure in front of the group spoke. His white cloak seemed more elaborate than the cloaks of the others, as if he was one of their leaders.

?The criminals escaped into the sewers. We could not give chase, my Lord.?

A booming voice echoed back from the throne, ?Take 50 additional members with you, and flush those rats out. The dark labyrinth is indeed dangerous, so bring plenty of light. One way or another, Murdock shall be purged and recivilized. And remember, the light of Team Judgment shines even in the darkest depths, revealing the sins of all who live."

The booming voice paused for a moment, then spoke again. "May the light of Team Judgment shine upon you, aiding you in your holy quest.?

?Thank you, my Lord,? The head figure spoke. The figures all bowed to the floor, and then left the room.

 

[pokegirl909]

Man, this is good. 10/10 I love the suspence

 

[PsiUmbreon]

At last... it's... chapter 4 :o

Glad you liked it... anyways, I'm finally done with chapter 4! :o

Caution: contains some cussing. Well, it's not PG-13 for nothing.

Chapter 4
Fight or Flight​

​

Several days had passed since Vyle had become a member of the Underground. Vyle had thought about leaving, but he never got a chance. Besides that, he was getting the benefits of free food and a nice place to stay. So, despite his instincts, he decided to stick around.

Vyle spent most of those days training with his new friend Squeak. The other members of the Underground had taught Vyle the basics of battling with Pok?mon. They told him how to command a Pok?mon during battle, and what types of moves his Pok?mon might know. They taught him about the various element types that Pok?mon belonged to, and the types that Virat belonged to.

On one particular day, Vyle had just begun to get the hang of Pok?mon battling. As usual, he began by walking into the training room. The training room was filled with what would seem like junk to most people. At one end of the room there was a broken mattress with springs sticking out. There also was an old, tattered punching bag hanging from the ceiling. Wooden blocks that had been chipped, gnawed on, worn out, and sometimes sliced in half by Pok?mon attacks lined the edges of the room. In one corner, barbells were stacked neatly, suggesting that this was a training room for humans as well. Posters were stuck onto the dull concrete walls, with different facts about Pok?mon. In the center of the room, a line was painted across, with two circles intersecting the line at the center, indicating an arena for a Pok?mon battle.

Vyle started off the day as usual. He walked into the room, and placed one of the wooden blocks at the center of the room. He then pulled out his Pok? Ball and tossed it out onto the floor. ?Squeak, use Scratch!? he called out. The Virat emerged from the ball as a glowing white sphere of energy, and then materialized on the floor. It squeaked in response, then dashed towards the wooden block and slashed it repeatedly with its claws. ?Good, now Feint Attack!? Squeak then leapt back, then streaked right towards the block. It then changed course and headed at an angle from the block. Then, in the blink of an eye, as if to fool an opponent, Squeak veered into the block, knocking it over.

?Hmm, wonder if it can use Thief?? Vyle thought to himself. Vyle was indifferent toward his new companion before, however, he gradually began to care for it more as the days passed. So Vyle had an idea. ?Squeak, can you take this coin from my pocket? Use Thief now!? The Virat squeaked in agreement. Then it charged at Vyle as he slipped the coin into his pocket. It leapt at Vyle, and ripped the pocket with its claws, then grabbed the coin with its teeth. At that exact moment, Spike walked into the room, dressed in his trench coat.

?Teachin? it Thief, eh? Hmm? to steal from people, you?re gonna need to teach it to be more sneaky.? Vyle just nodded at Spike?s suggestion.
?Anyways, just came in here to come get ya. We?re goin? to the abandoned warehouse on the East Side. We?re gonna kick some ass in battles, and earn ourselves some money. We?re almost broke.? Spike gestured at Vyle to follow him. Shade, Blaze, and Kyra were outside the door waiting, also dressed in their trench coats. Vyle called Squeak back into the ball.

The five of them headed out of their base and walked through the sewers. Everyone except Vyle seemed to know the way already, despite it being in near total darkness. Vyle just followed them. He wanted to run off, but he knew it would be futile since he would get lost, and they?d find him and drag him back to the group. The four other Underground members talked and shared jokes along the way, while Vyle stayed silent.

Eventually they reached a staircase with some dim light at the top. The stairway, however, seemed crude and improvised, as if people simply blasted their way through with explosives, or perhaps Pok?mon. At the top of the staircase was the inside of a large building. Boxes and crates lined the walls. There was one exceptionally huge crate next to the stairway in the corner of the room. Blaze informed Vyle that the organizers of this event pushed that box over the stairs when the warehouse wasn?t in use to help hide the fact that the people were illegally gathering and battling in there.

There were crowds of people inside the abandoned warehouse. The majority of them seemed like they were part of crews such as the one Vyle was now part of, or lived on the streets. Several Pok?mon battles were going on in the large warehouse as well. Pok?mon were leaping at each other at the commands of their trainers. Most of the people were on the sidelines cheering the trainers on while drinking beers or smoking. A few vendors were lined up on the side of one of the walls, selling thing such as trainer supplies such as potions and antidotes to counterfeit papers and IDs to illegal drugs.

Spike turned to the group upon walking in. ?All right, we ain?t really here to have fun. We gotta earn a few bucks, cuz we?re broke. You guys already know what to do. Vyle and Kyra, come with me.? Vyle and Kyra followed Spike through a crowd of people, while Shade and Blaze went their separate ways.

Blaze walked away towards another crowd of people, looking for someone to challenge. She was confronted by a spiky haired individual with a muscle t-shirt and jeans.

?Hey, wanna go out back real quick?? The man held out some money as he spoke.

?Excuse me? You think I?m a hooker or something?? Blaze replied harshly.

The man looked at her waist, and saw the Pok? Balls. ?OK, fine. My bad. I?ll take you on in a battle then. How much you got??

?Two fifty,? Blaze replied.

?That?s it? Well, all right, this?ll be easy, cleanin? out a chick!?

With that remark, Blaze knew she would win. She was used to those cocky men that underestimate her. The two stepped into a makeshift arena, formed by a crowd of people circling it, where the battle had just ended. Blaze heard someone in the crowd call out, ?I got five hundred on the chick!?

The two trainers each drew one of their Pok? Balls from their waist.

?Go, Chomp!? The man called out as he tossed his ball out towards the center. The brown, furry body of a Raticate materialized, bearing its fangs and waving its rat-like tail. It stood up on its back paws and slashed at the air with its front ones.

?Go, Hellhound!? Blaze responded and tossed her ball out into the center in the same fashion. Her Houndour also appeared, across from the Raticate. It was black and had two silver bands across its back, and a band around each of its four legs. Its underbelly was red, and it growled at the opponent, baring its sharp fangs. It was not unlike a canine in shape.

?I?ll go easy on you. Ladies first.? Blaze?s opponent sneered confidently.

?Hellhound, use Howl to intimidate your opponent!? Blaze yelled out. Hellhound released an eerie howl, as the Raticate growled and hissed back.

?You think I?m scared of a little pooch howling?? Said the opponent. ?Chomp, use Hyper Fang!? The Raticate leapt at Hellhound bearing its extremely large fangs.

?Hellhound, Feint Attack!? Blaze yelled back. Hellhound hopped out of the way of the Hyper Fang attack as Chomp clamped its fangs on air, then leapt back and rammed Chomp. The Raticate then fell to the floor.

?No, get up! Use Quick Attack!? Blaze?s foe snapped.

?Use Feint Attack again!? Blaze called out. But this time, the opponent was too quick. Chomp rammed Hellhound and knocked it to the sidelines.

?Another Hyper Fang!? Blaze?s opponent called out. Instantly Chomp sprang at Hellhound, baring its fangs.

?Hellhound, Bite!? Blaze shouted. Hellhound sprang up and lunged at Chomp, biting it before it could bite back. The Houndour then released Chomp from its teeth.

?Hyper Fang again!? The other trainer shouted, but his Raticate could not move. Chomp had flinched from the effect of the Bite.

?You?re still gonna lose. You?re weak and so is your Pok?mon.? The foe sneered at Blaze.

?Oh that?s it, you asked for it. FLAMETHROWER!? Blaze shouted at the top of her lungs. Hellhound let loose a stream of fire from its mouth, singing Chomp?s fur. Chomp collapsed onto the floor in pain, unable to battle any longer. Blaze?s opponent called back his Raticate. Cheers could be heard from the crowd as the battle ended.

?All right, now pay up!? Blaze smirked confidently as she spoke.

?You got lucky. Next time I ain?t goin? easy on you,? said her opponent as he handed her 250 Pok? Dollars.

?Yeah, right,? Blaze thought to herself. Right when Blaze stepped through the crowd and out of the arena, Shade ran up to meet her.

?How?d ya do?? Shade said calmly and smugly.

?I kicked the guy?s ass. Another one of those cocky son of a bitches.?

?Yeah, same here. I?d rather go on a heist myself. Screw this crap,? replied Shade. Blaze nodded in agreement. The two of them went to meet Spike, who seemed to be finishing up his battle as well.

?Pummeler, use Karate Chop!? A man in a leather jacket, who was Spike?s opponent, called out. Spike waved at Blaze and Shade. Kyra was standing right behind Spike in the crowd, cheering him on.

?Punk, Defense Curl!? Spike turned his attention back to the battle and commanded. Spike?s Sandslash curled up into a ball, aiming its downward-pointed spines at the opponent?s Machop, who with it?s short, human-like figure, prepared to chop at Punk. As the attack connected with the spiny ball that was Punk, Pummeler flinched in pain.

?Mega Punch!? Pummeler?s trainer screamed. The Machop obediently made a fist, pulled it back, and the fist began to glow with energy.

?Jump and use Crush Claw!? Spike yelled. Punk uncurled from the ball and leapt into the air. Its claw began to glow. Before the Machop could connect, Punk slammed its claw into Pummeler?s shoulder. Pummeler staggered in pain.

?Pummeler, try a Seismic Toss! Don?t let up!? The Machop got ready to grab Punk.

?Punk, Slash!? The Sandslash quickly slashed at Pummeler?s belly. Pummeler collapsed in pain. The Slash appeared to have been a critical hit.

?All right, all right, I give. Here?s your stinkin? money,? The man tossed Spike 1,000 Pok? Dollars as they both called back their Pok?mon.

?That was niiiiiice!? Blaze exclaimed as Spike walked over to her and Shade. Kyra followed.

?Aah, it was nothin?,? said Spike, with a confident tone. ?Let?s go check on Vyle now.?

The four of them searched the crowds of outlaws for Vyle. When they finally saw him, he was in a hard battle with another thuggish-looking outlaw in a leather jacket, with a greasy T-shirt and jeans that were heavily stained in what looked like oil on.

?Looks like another one of them bikers,? said Spike.

The opponent had a Mankey out, and Vyle obviously had out his Virat. ?Berserker, Fury Swipes now!? His opponent called out. The pig-nosed monkey-like Pok?mon that had a body almost like a furry tan ball charged at Squeak and drew its claws.

?Uhh? use Scratch,? said Vyle in a dull voice, almost a mumble.

?That ain?t how you do it!? Spike yelled from the sidelines. ?You gotta say it with heart!?

?Don?t give up!? The normally quiet Shade yelled from the sidelines.



Squeak hesitated, and then raised its claw in preparation to attack. However, it was too late. As the Mankey bore down on Squeak, it slashed Squeak several times, each slash hitting its mark. The final slash knocked Squeak to the sidelines with a skid. People in the crowd knocked Squeak back into the arena with their feet. The Virat let out a squeal of pain. It then struggled to get up.

?Oh no, Vyle?s in trouble!? Exclaimed Kyra.

?Now, Scary Face!? Vyle?s opponent yelled. Berserker looked down at Squeak and glared in an intimidating manner. Squeak looked up at the Mankey, then at Vyle, who had no expression on his face whatsoever. The Virat then shuttered in fear, sensing no more confidence in itself than in its trainer. From the sidelines, all four of the other Underground members looked worried.

?All right, finish this loser off with Low Kick!? The biker commanded. Berserker responded with a simple kick, sending Squeak at Vyle?s feet. Vyle looked at Squeak, clueless and afraid. This experience with the other trainer brought out Vyle?s worst fears, and as a result he was almost paralyzed. Squeak struggled to get up, looking at Vyle for encouragement. It found none, however, and immediately collapsed, with no more will to fight.

?All right, you loser, hand over what ya got,? the biker spoke harshly as soon as the battle ended.

Vyle fumbled in his pockets, but could only find a few small coins. After about 30 seconds, the biker got impatient. ?What, you a deadbeat? Fine, hand over your measly Pok?mon.?

?N?no?? Vyle replied in a voice of complete fear.

?Hey, I asked you if you knew the rules, and you nodded yeah. You ain?t got no money, so you gotta hand over whatever else you got. Don?t be tryin? to get yer way out of payin? up,? the Biker replied more menacingly.

Vyle returned the fainted Squeak to its ball and turned around. The crowd began booing, and blocked his way out. It was at that moment that Spike stepped in. ?Hey, you mess with him, you mess with me!?

The biker replied, ?Hey, this punk kid lost, and he ain?t got nothin? else to pay up with. You know the rules here, so don?t be trying to cheat me out, man.?

?All right, I get ya. How bout a double or nothin?? If you win, I give you my money, and you get his Pok?mon. If you lose, I get all of your money, and your Pok?mon,? Spike replied, flashing his latest winnings.

?Hell no, man, ?fraid that ain?t enough. So make with the rat.? The biker flashed a huge amount of money that dwarfed Spike?s winnings.

?All right, you can have my Pok?mon too, if ya win,? Spike then sent out Punk.

?It don?t look half bad,? the biker said with consideration after evaluating Punk.

?So you accept?? Said spike, boldly. The biker nodded.

?You?re? crazy!? Blaze exclaimed.

Don?t do it!? Kyra exclaimed as well.

?Aah, don?t worry, I won?t lose to this freak,? Spike explained confidently.

?Meh, typical of him,? Shade remarked.

The two stepped onto opposite sides of the arena as the crowd turned from booing to cheering. The biker sent out Berserker again, while Punk walked into the center.

?Ahh, go first,? Spike confidently told the opponent.

?All right, I will. You?re making this too easy. Two losers in one day, man what a haul,? the biker replied. ?Berserker, Focus Energy!? he commanded. Berserker took a deep breath, closed its eyes, and energy began to gather in the center of its body.

?Punk, use Sand Attack!? Spike ordered his Sandslash in response. Punk blew sand in Berserker?s face in an attempt to blind it and lower its accuracy.

?Playin? dirty, eh? All right, smash ?em. Use Karate Chop!? The biker replied.

?Punk, use Defense Curl!? Punk curled up into a ball, its spines pointed at Berserker. Berserker attacked the spiny back of Punk, and immediately an expression of pain appeared on Berserker?s face.

?Low Kick ?em!? The biker angrily ordered.

?Use Rollout, Punk!? At that moment, the crowd backed up cautiously, and then began cheering louder. Punk rolled right into Berserker before it could kick, sending Berserker into the crowd. Punk continued to roll around the arena, gaining speed and momentum with every passing second.

?Catch that thing and use Seismic Toss!? The biker then commanded in a harsh tone. Berserker held its ground as Punk rolled towards it menacingly. As the Rollout attack hit, Berserker grabbed Punk, but the force of the Rollout sent Berserker flying. Berserker skillfully did a back flip and hurled Punk into the ground, then landing on its feet. The Mankey appeared winded but was still able to battle. Punk, however, bounced into the air upon being slammed into the ground.

?All right, now?s the perfect time. Punk, use Crush Claw!? Spike yelled, undaunted by his opponent?s success in stopping the Rollout. Punk uncurled itself in the air, and then got its claw ready to strike Berserker. The glowing claw coming down at Berserker worried the biker.

?Berserker, Mega Punch!? The Mankey pulled back its fist, ready to strike. Its fist began to glow as well. But Punk was too fast, and its claw connected with Berserker before it could attack. Berserker was knocked to the floor.

?No? you can still fight! Get up!? The biker exclaimed. ?C?mon, show ?em your Mega Punch!?

?You shouldn?t push your Pok?mon like that, ya know,? said Spike.

?Shut up. I don?t need no punk ass like you telling me how to battle!? The biker retorted with hostility.

?All right, you asked for it. Punk, Slash ?em!? Spike yelled. Before Berserker could get ready to attack again, Punk slashed at the struggling Berserker. Berserker instantly collapsed in pain, with a red mark across its face.

?Ok, now you lost. Now cough up your dough!? Demanded Spike.

?No fair. You cheated.? The biker contended. ?I ain?t givin? you shit.?

Spike recalled Punk back to its ball, then walked over to the biker. ?Care to explain how I cheated? You accepted the bet. We battled. Your pathetic ass lost.?

?All right man, here.? The biker shoves his stack of bills into his hand

?But? what about his Pok?mon?? Kyra asked.

?Aah, I don?t need it. That loser can keep it,? replied Spike.

The biker then spoke up, ?What kind of freak brings a little girl in here anyway??

Spike turned around toward the biker again. ?Excuse me? It ain?t my problem that we?re the only family she gots. So shut your face!? Spike?s body towered over that of the biker.

?Sheesh man, I didn?t mean nothin? by that.? The biker replied with a tinge of fear in his voice. He then turned around and pushed his way through the crowd.

Spike turns and faced the group. ?All right, I had enough of these losers. Let?s go,? he said in a grim voice. But Blaze and Shade had wanted to stay. They were used to partying hard afterward, as was Spike, when he wasn?t in such a bad mood.

?I don?t much feel like partyin? tonight,? said Spike.

?Well? all right. Yeah, let?s go. These freaks scare me sometimes,? replied Blaze. Shade simply followed Blaze. Kyra and Vyle were completely silent. As the five of them fought through an increasing crowd to get back to the passageway, the lights dimmed, and rap music began to blare loudly. The rest of the crowd was only getting more excited, while a somber mood flowed through the five Underground members.

 

[pokegirl909]

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Wow *Claps hands*
I really do like it

 

[mew_master]

lol you stole a chapter name from the fifth harry potter book


10/10, awesome fic

 

[PsiUmbreon]

lol you stole a chapter name from the fifth harry potter book

10/10, awesome fic

I did?? umm... oops... ^_^;

 

[PsiUmbreon]

For my loyal readers (read: like no one)...

Chapter 5
Chaos in the Sewers​

The mood of the Underground members was somber as they returned to their base. The incident involving Vyle has soured Spike?s mood especially. And this, in turn, had dragged down the mood of everyone else. The only words spoken on their trip home were between Blaze and Shade. Still, even they did not speak much.

As Spike opened the door to their sleeping quarters, he turned to Vyle. In a disappointed tone, he said to Vyle, ?Vyle, man, what happened? I can?t be around to stand up for you. You gotta learn how to fight sooner or later. More like, sooner. I can?t keep ya on this team if ya can?t pull your own weight.? Spike paused, contemplating what he had just said. His gut told him that Vyle was not too keen on being part of the team anyways. He then added, ?No, even if you?re not on this team, ya still gotta learn how to fight.?

The team went straight to bed, and just threw their trench coats on the floor. Everyone except Vyle fell asleep within minutes. Instead, Vyle lay awake, troubled by his thoughts. He used to be able to fend for himself on the streets. There was always somewhere to run. Vyle could hide easily in his former above ground world. Now Vyle had nowhere to run. He stood little chance of escape from the Underground, since he would get lost in the dark corridors of the sewer system. And even if he did escape, he knew he could not return to his former life. He had witnessed a crime, from the perspective of the victim. He now knew what it was like to be the person getting attacked. The experience had unlocked the feeling of empathy in the heart of a hardened denizen of the streets. Vyle was now trapped in a figurative prison. His ability to sustain himself had been taken away, and he was imprisoned, figuratively stuck within the confines being The Underground, and the guards being its members. Vyle was now ruled by the very fear which he had inflicted upon others before.

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Several white vans all pulled up to the curb of a deserted street in the twilight hours of the morning. The vans all had red circular logos with cross shapes inscribed in the middle. The words ?Team Judgment? were wrapped around the cross. On the front and back of the vans, the words ?The day of Judgment shall be upon us? appeared in bold, red letters.

The doors of the vans all opened, and several white cloaked people wearing pointed hoods hopped out, relatively in unison. The people all wielded flashlights and had one or two Pok?mon on their belts. A few of them had some net launchers, which looked like rifles, only with a net folded up tightly attached to it that was designed to be fired off into a crowd and to ensnare that crowd.

A white car with the same logos then sped down the street and stopped in the middle, where the Judgment members were gathering. Out of the driver?s side door, a figure with a more elaborate robe stepped out. Gold bordered the edges of the robe he wore, and the Team Judgment logo appeared on the hood and on each side of the robe.

The elaborately cloaked figure began to speak. He seemed to be a high ranking official of the team; an administrator. ?Crusaders of Light, line up in your ranks!? The Judgment members instantly cooperated. ?Battalion A shall lift the manhole cover and proceed first,? the administrator pointed out toward a group of seven men and women as they were lining up. ?B, C, and D shall follow A, and proceed to the right. E, F, and G battalions shall follow me to the left. Those rats shall be captured, and the evil shall be purged. We move at sunrise. Everyone clear on the plans??

?Yes,? the members all spoke in unison.

?Good,? the admin added. ?May the light of Team Judgment shine upon us!? The crowd of Judgment members cheered in response.

As the sun came up, the members stood perfectly still, poised and ready for action. As soon as the first ray of sunlight struck the administrator from behind the building, he shouted, ?Now MOVE!?

One member turned to the administrator. ?But sir, what if?? he was harshly interjected.

?Silence! To question your orders is to go against the will of the Lord! Any more lip out of you and I shall have you sent to the Purgatory!?

The figures all began to mobilize. The manhole cover was lifted off, and one by one the members descended. They lined up according to ranks as best they could. A few muttered complaints about the smell of the sewer, but they dared not speak within earshot of their leader. They switched on their flashlights, and slowly proceeded forward according to their copies of the floor plan of the sewer. Their assigned routes were drawn on the plans, as well as possible places to ambush.

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It was about an hour after sunrise. This was unknown to Vyle, however, since no windows were present in the sleeping quarters. Vyle had been awake all this time, tormented by fear and guilt. The other Underground members were sound asleep. Vyle tossed and turned in his bed, unable to shake off the dark cloud that had settled over his mind.

But Vyle then suddenly heard a noise echoing from the hall- footsteps. He also heard what sounded like voices coming from a distance. Vyle sat up quickly, ready to run. As he sat up, the mattress creaked loudly. This sudden movement woke Shade up. Spike called out, ?Vyle, need anythin??? However, Shade picked up on the fact that Vyle had heard something, which had caused him to spring up from the bed.

The footsteps began to echo louder, and light began to pour from the underneath the door. Shade?s suspicions had been confirmed. ?Everyone, wake up!? Shade whispered harshly. ?Someone?s here!? Shade got up, and woke Blaze and Kyra, who were both dreaming contently. Spike then woke up as well.

The words, ?I think we?ve found them,? spoken into a communicator could be heard. The team, who had just thrown their trench coats on the floor in laziness, picked them up and slipped them on. Vyle had worn his cloak to bed.

Spike then announced to his team in a hushed voice, ?You all know the drill.? Spike got in front of the door, with Blaze and Shade on each side. Kyra and Vyle stood behind Spike.

?We know you?re in there. Come on out with your hands up, and surrender to the divine will of Team Judgment!? could be heard from behind the door.

?Fat chance,? Spike muttered to himself. The door flew open as a Team Judgment member and his Machop stood in front. Spike sprung into action, and rammed both of them. As the Underground members emerged from the door, in the moment that the Judgment member in front was caught off balance, they saw several more members in the hallway, releasing their Pok?mon. ?Oh ****,? Spike remarked.

?Back up!? Blaze shouted to her teammates. They backed up quickly. ?Hellhound, Shadember, Flamethrower!? She released her Houndour, and another, more unfamiliar Pok?mon. It looked like a levitating ball of fire. Two small fireballs rotated around it, which served as its arms. As commanded, the two immediately released a stream of fire down the hallway, which singed everyone and their Pok?mon in front. Some of them pressed to the wall to avoid the direct impact of the flames, but others fell to the floor, rolling to get the flames off their badly charred clothes in pain and futility. Their Pok?mon, which comprised of floating Sharine that were shaped like a four-pointed star, with mystical energy sparkling out of the front, Fairon that looked like floating fairies with wings and a glowing body, along with the familiar Sparquartz and Machop. The Underground then quickly ran by the singed and burning members. As they passed, several voices could be heard.

?We? need? backup? sector? 3?ugh?? ?Sparquartz, Cleansing Light? ?Sharine, Recover? ugh?.? ?Heal Magic, Fairon??

As they ran up the stairs and outside of their secret base, they had a feeling that there would be more of them. They stopped and crouched against the wall, when they saw a flashlight beam coming from a divergent path.

Shade whispered, ?I know what to do.? She called out one of her Pok?mon. ?Spook, sneak behind them and use Night Shade, but watch out for their lights!? Her purple Sableye, with sparkling diamonds for eyes, and a thin, translucent body vanished into the darkness.

?You hear that?? one of the white-cloaked members asked.

?Naah, but we still better be careful.?

At that moment, Spook reappeared behind the Judgment members, grinning evilly and showing its pointed fangs. Beams of dark energy shot out of its hands, incapacitating two of the members. The rest of them turned around, and impulsively released their Sharines, Sparquartzes, and Fairons. ?Light Arrow!? they commanded.

With their attention diverted, Spike released his Sandslash. ?Rollout, Punk!? he commanded. Punk curled into a ball, then rolled right into the feet of the Judgment members. Their Pok?mon were distracted with hitting the highly elusive Spook with Light Arrow attacks. The white robed members fell to the floor, but their Pok?mon kept attacking.

Blaze then sprung into action. ?Hellhound, use Feint Attack on the Pok?mon!? Hellhound leapt at the nearest Pok?mon, a Sharine, and knocked it to the floor. Some of the Pok?mon?s attention was now diverted to hitting Hellhound and Punk. However, one of the Light Arrows managed to hit Spook, who clutched its belly in pain. A bright spot glowed where it was hit.

?Dammit!? Spike growled. ?Finish ?em off with Crush Claw!?

?Hellhound, let?s take ?em out! Flamethrower!? shouted Blaze.

?Battalion C requesting backup in Corridor 7,? one of the white-cloaked members yelled through his communicator.

?C?mon Sharine, finish ?em off! For the light of Team Judgment!?

?Fairon! Use Gust and blow them away!?

But before they could attack, Punk and Hellhound had both fainted every single Pok?mon on the opposing side. Spook, despite being highly sensitive to Miracle attacks, being a Dark and Ghost type, managed to stay conscious and use the move Recover instinctively. The Judgment members got up, but as another beam of light could be seen further down the corridor, the five Underground members made a run for it, their Pok?mon running, rolling, or floating behind them as appropriate. They hopped over a couple of streams of dirty, greenish water as they ran.

Spike, Blaze, and Shade all seemed to know where they were going. They knew of a nice escape route, since they knew the sewer system pretty well. But on the other hand, Team Judgment also seemed to know the sewer. They planned their attack very carefully, as it seemed. What these people wanted was still unclear to The Underground, but they knew that either way it could not have been good, at least for them anyway.


?They went off towards Sector 7,? a Judgment member spoke into their communicator. I think that?s your area, Smith.?

The Judgment member known as Smith among their ranks, responded back. ?I gotcha. Wait, I think I hear some footsteps?? then he cut off his communicator and commanded the rest of the battalion to lie in ambush. The battalion was assembled along two walls of a crossroads in the sewer, behind some large pipes that ran from the ceiling to the floor.

The footsteps got louder as the unsuspecting Underground members approached the point of ambush. Then, right as they passed the intersection, with Spike in the lead, the members were assaulted with barrages of Light Arrows from yet more Fairons, Sparquartzes, and Sharines. Three arrows passed through Spike, and a couple also hit Blaze and Shade. They collapsed onto the floor, clutching their chests in pain, despite there being no physical wounds. Their Pok?mon, however, were ready to instinctively attacked, and Vyle and Kyra stopped, just short of being found. They hid behind the wall in fear.

?Sparquartz, Sacred Power!? one of the members of Smith?s battalion commanded. A blinding light emanated from the Sparquartz. Hellhound, Punk, Spook, and Shadember were damaged, and reeled back in pain.

?Now, everyone, fire more Light Arrows!? Smith commanded. Barrages of Light Arrows, like bullets, struck the four Pok?mon, who collapsed in pain next to their trainers.

?Fire capture nets!? Smith then yelled.

A voice echoed behind from behind the wall, interrupting them. ?Eevee, Quick Attack!? Kyra could not just sit there and watch. Her Eevee might not have been at a high enough experience level to fight them, but she had the element of surprise on her side. Eevee shot out from the ball at its top speed, and knocked the Judgment members with the net launchers onto the floor. They hit their heads and were knocked out.

?Get that Eevee!? several of the battalion members shouted at once. Their Pok?mon shot Light Arrows at the swiftly moving Eevee. Eevee escaped by running between the legs of the Judgment members. As a result, a couple of them were hit. They also collapsed on the floor, clutching their chests.

As these members fell to the floor, Smith spoke to them. ?You?re not pure enough. The truly pure of hear are not affected by Miracle-based attacks. You?re a disgrace to the almighty Lord. Sharine, show that Eevee a Sacred Power!? Smith?s Sharine, who was stronger, since he was the leader of their battalion, began to glow. A blinding light once again filled the corridor. Kyra?s Eevee clung to the floor with its paws tenaciously, as if trying to hang on under a storm of fierce winds and blinding light. When the light stopped, Sharine was still glowing. The surface of its four-pointed body shimmered like polished steel. Eevee lurched back, and then collapsed. The attack was powerful enough to knock it out with one hit.

?Somebody fire the capture nets, NOW!? Smith demanded. He picked up one of the capture nets launchers from one of the fallen battalion members. Another member on the other side of the path did the same thing. They then fired the nets. One of them wrapped completely around the Eevee and the other fallen Pok?mon, and the other ensnared the bodies of Blaze, Shade, and Spike.

Kyra yelled out, ?Eevee, NO!? and ran towards the net. She crouched over it, and stared at the Judgment members. ?Back away, you bad people! Don?t take my Eevee away!? She futilely tried to protect the Pok?mon.

?Step aside, little girl. You?re coming with us!? Smith snapped back. Battalion, grab them, and let?s get them to the temple.?

?What about Kearney and Bullock?? one of the members inquired in an unsure tone.

??Carry them if you can. They can sit in the Purgatory for a while, to be purified.?

Kyra struggled in vain to free Eevee from the net. The five remaining members in the battalion advanced toward her. One of them took the net with the Pok?mon, and two of them took the net with Shade, Blaze, and Spike. They groaned under its weight. A third member took the brunt of the load to assist them. Smith advanced toward Kyra, and grabbed her as she tried to run. He hoisted her over his shoulders as she struggled to get free, flailing her legs wildly.

Smith pulled out his communicator. ?Smith here, requesting backup. We?ve captured the-?

?NOOO!!! Quick Attack!? Vyle yelled out, interrupting Smith. Vyle, inspired by Kyra?s bravery, was struck with a heroic feeling, the same feeling as on that night when he first saw her. Instinct took over. Squeak rammed Smith in the back. Smith lost his balance and fell over. The communicator rolled off to the wall. Kyra fell, using her hands to brace her fall.

?Smith, are you OK?? a voice from the communicator sounded.

?Squeak, scratch!!!? Squeak ran quickly beneath the feet of everyone cutting through their clothes and slashing their skin. The Sharines, Fairons, and Sparquartzes all instinctively began trying to hit Squeak with Light Arrows. It was not easy, since Squeak was a small target. Vyle himself then leapt into action, drawing his knife, and slashing one of the members. Blood trickled from the wound in the member?s chest.

The members all tried to tackle Vyle, and the Pok?mon were focused on Squeak. But both of them were too fast, and evaded well. Vyle cut open the net containing his new associates with a clean sweep of his knife. Spike, Blaze, and Shade were still unconscious. Kyra was on the floor, trying to get up. The fall had injured her arms, and she groaned in pain.

They could not evade forever. Vyle tried to slice one of the members, but Smith threw a punch, which connected with Vyle?s cheek. Vyle was stunned by the impact and dropped his knife. The four other members surrounded Vyle and started to beat him repeatedly. Vyle had made a heroic stance, and did not fall without injuring several of them. Blood flowed from different places on several of the members, staining their white uniforms with streaks of crimson. They did not heed their wounds, as they were charged with adrenaline.

Meanwhile, Squeak was also getting tired, as dodging seven different Light Arrows was exhausting. Just as one of them was about to hit, Kyra had gotten up and leapt in front of it, intercepting the blow. Kyra reeled in pain, but did not collapse. The situation did not look good for the Underground. Vyle was being kicked and punched by the Judgment members, Squeak was dodging Light Arrows left and right and the rest were either in pain or unconscious.

As this was all going on, Shade managed to regain consciousness. She crawled out of the incision made in the net by Vyle. She then pulled the other Pok? Ball out of her belt. As she got to her feet, one of the Judgment members looked over her shoulder and saw Shade.

?Gravecall, NIGHTMARE SEAL!? She called out as she released her other Pok?mon. A floating human-like skull with fierce red glowing eyeballs and eight blue will-o-wisps orbiting it came out. It released one of the flames from orbit, which drifted to the center of the room. The other members notice, but before anyone could react, the flaming sphere in the center dissipated, and streaks of blue light shot from where it was. They hit each Judgment member and each of their Pok?mon. They all collapsed suddenly, moaning in pain and fear. Blue light shone from their eyes and mouths, which were twisted in an expression of pure horror.

This gave everyone else a chance to recover. Blaze and Spike slowly regained consciousness. Vyle, who was bruised and bloodied, and with his clothes torn up, staggered to his feet. Kyra, who had reeled in pain but had not lost consciousness, ran toward everyone. ?Those awful men- they? they tried to take us away! But? Vyle saved us?? She gasped as she spoke. Everyone looked at Vyle, who can barely stand with his wounds that he took-for the team. He could have run away, but instead was heroically driven to fight.

Spike picked up the knife and cut the Pok?mon free from the other net. They all called back their fainted Pok?mon. Squeak was too tired to run to Vyle, so Vyle just called him back. ?We ain't out of the woods yet!" Spike said to the group. ?More of ?em are coming soon, probably. We gotta move!? Everyone then began to run again, but they were weary and in pain. As they ran, the moans of the Judgment members afflicted by the Nightmare Seal echoed through the hallway in a haunting tone, their bodies writhing in agony.

?Since when was that an attack?? Blaze asked Shade as they ran.

?It isn?t really. Gravecall carries eight powerful curses around it, which sustain its life in this realm. I had to use one just now, but I?d rather not. Now those creeps will be cursed for a long, long time. But, if I use them all, Gravecall will vanish. And it is said that it takes its trainer with it when all of them are used. I also have to wait a while before fighting with Gravecall, since it is destabilized and needs to regain its balance.?

?Ooh, scary,? Blaze commented, huffing and puffing as they ran. ?Only you would use a Pok?mon like that.?

It wasn?t long before they met with another Team Judgment battalion. This one was coming at them head on. There were no other paths to take, as this was a long and narrow corridor. The Judgment battalion saw them as they got close, and proceeded to release their Pok?mon, but the Underground members all got an additional boost of adrenaline, and just rushed them.

?Light Arrow, everyone!? was the command from the fresh battalion of members. They release their Pok?mon, which were nothing different from what they have encountered earlier.

Before they could execute their attacks, however, Blaze, Shade, and Spike rammed them. Spike threw a punch which sent one of the white-robed members flying into all of the Pok?mon, preventing them from attacking. Shade delivered a roundhouse kick to another member as he instantly collapsed. And Blaze punched a third member, and then kneed him in the groin. The member also collapsed in pain, clutching his groin.

The Pok?mon began to charge their attacks again, but Spike sensed this. He picked up another Judgment member, who was flailing wildly in the air, and used him as a shield to block the Light Arrows. The attack went through the hapless victim, and hit Spike in the chest, but they were lessened by the body and simply dissipated on Spike?s chest. He then hurled the now unconscious member into the Pok?mon, knocking several of them out. Some were buried under the dead weight of the member?s body.

Two female members advanced on Blaze and Shade. One of them struck Shade with a blow to the face. The other one Kicked at Blaze, but she caught the kick and flipped the white robed member over. The last member, another male, advanced at Spike, but Vyle leapt from behind Spike and slashed with his knife across the member?s side. He collapsed in pain, clutching the wound, which bled and stained his white robe a dark crimson. Vyle then stopped, clutching his chest and panting for breath.

Shade and Blaze were exchanging blows with the two female Judgment members. Spike made sure none of the other members or Pok?mon were still conscious, smacking one in the head as he tried to get up. But a couple of Pok?mon, a Sparquartz and a Fairon, got up and got ready to attack. Spike called out his second Pok?mon, Nightclaw. Nightclaw was a Sneasel, with two, long sharp claws which glistened in the dim light. Its head was decorated with a long red ornament shaped like a feather. Its head was a little large, but it still managed to have speed and power on its side.

?Nightclaw, Slash!? Spike commanded. Nightclaw rushed through the air and hacked at both the opposing Pok?mon with its claws. The Pok?mon then prepared to counter attack. The Sparquartz charged a Light Arrow, and the Fairon used Gust by flapping its wings. Despite the wings being small, they still were able to kick up a powerful gust of wind, which blew Spike and Nightclaw back a distance. Nightclaw braced itself by digging a claw into the ground. \

?Nightclaw, Beat Up!? Nightclaw rushed at the Sparquartz, and delivered a rapid flurry of blows. Sparquartz began to glow with light, however, and somehow appeared to restore its health. Its beat up surface was restored to a glistening shine. Fairon attacked with Light Arrow, and Nightclaw was hit. It clutched its chest in pain.

?Slash that flyin? thing!? The Sneasel leapt into the air with a back flip, and slashed Fairon with its right claw. Fairon fell to the floor, its wings lying limply on the ground, and its furry body no longer glowing. However, the Sparquartz was glowing with a bright light, ready to unleash Sacred Power.

?Ice Beam!? Spike yelled. From its mouth, an orb of blue appeared, and it turned into a beam of bluish white energy. The beam hit Sparquartz, instantly freezing it in a block of ice. It also became unable to attack.

As Spike?s battle ended, he looked over at Blaze and Shade. They had been victorious over their female assailants. Shade had a bloody lip, and Blaze had a bruise on her cheek which was swollen and red. Nevertheless, they had triumphed. But they could not celebrate. Soon they ran on, breathing heavily with each step.

The corridor seemed to stretch on forever. The Underground members all slowed down, weary with exhaustion. They passed a branching tunnel. Spike knew something was wrong when he looked and saw light at the end of one of the tunnels, as opposed to the usual darkness. He desperately pushed his team to go faster; he himself panting and gasping for breath.

The corridor eventually led into a large room. The sounds of running water could be heard. As they entered the room, the concrete floor was replaced by metal. They were on a catwalk overlooking a water filtration plant. A stairway led from the catwalk to the floor. Control panels, computer screens, and various LED lights lined the wall. Turbines could be heard nearby, humming as they sucked in dirty sewer water to be purified through the filters. The group hurried down the stairs, their footsteps clanging on metal.

?We?re almost there! This way!? Spike commanded to his group while pointing toward another corridor. But before they could advance down that path, they were struck with a beam of light. They all knew exactly what was waiting for them, and did not want to leap into Team Judgment?s waiting arms.

?Crap! Let?s go this way!? Spike commanded once again, pointing to another corridor on the opposite wall. But no sooner had Spike spoken then did several more Judgment members shine light on them from the darkness. They proceeded to climb back up the staircase, but another battalion descended from the catwalk and landed on the floor. Spike and the others were all boxed in. The battalions advanced into the room, surrounding them in a circle.

?Hands up!? one of the battalion leaders ordered. No one complied. The Judgment members all got ready to draw their Pok?mon, and some prepared their net launchers.

?Aah, how appropriate. Just as the filters in this room purify the water, so shall the holy Team Judgment purify you!? A more elaborately cloaked person spoke. He was their administrator, and the one who coordinated the attack. ?Yes? the Lord will be most pleased. This band of dangerous criminals shall be purged from the streets??

The Underground members were in a panic. They desperately looked around them for a possible way out, but there was none. They were surrounded, and ready to surrender. But Spike looked like he had an idea. ?Not if I have anything to say about it!? he replied. To the admin boldly. ?Punk, Earthquake!? He called out his battle-weary Sandslash. It could barely stand, but its claws began to radiate light. All the Judgment members drew their Pok? Balls. Punk then slammed its glowing claws into the floor. At that instant, the ground split open, and the Underground members fell through the cracks. Several Judgment members lost their balance and fell. Net launchers were fired at that moment, but they missed their targets and instead ensnared fellow Judgment members. Spike and the others landed on their feet, in what seemed to be a hole a few feet deep. As the Underground members got a better look, they discovered they were actually in some sort of long, dark tunnel.

?After them!? was yelled from above. But Spike was not about to let them follow in pursuit. He had a daring and risky plan.

?Punk, Rock Slide!? He called out. Punk slammed the floor with glowing claws again, but this time, at a more sideways angle. This caused chunks from the ceiling above to fall. The Underground members adroitly leapt out of the way, despite being exhausted and badly injured. A large piece of the ceiling collapsed, filling the hole which the Earthquake created. After performing two of its strongest attacks, Punk collapsed with exhaustion. But The Underground was sealed away safely from Team Judgment. A long, pitch black tunnel greeted them with uncertainty as they began to press ahead.