Pokémon XD: Narrated Gale of Darkness

Chapter 43

- Back at Citadark Isle -

To get back to the Citadark dome quickly, Michael raced back to the island and took the shorter way up by using the elevator near the docks.
Since it was high up, it did take a little while to reach the top.
When the doors opened, he walked up to the bridge to approach Ardos for a rematch.
"I'm back."
Ardos showed anything but respect. "Hm... I had expected you to do better, but you disappoint me. Your abilities are strictly limited."
'What!?'
"You are but a puny presence not worthy of battling. Be gone!"
"I became stronger since last time! I'll prove that to you!"
As soon as he had said that, like last time, Ardos sent out his Swellow and Alakazam.
Michael's Pokémon having leveled up, gaining strength and speed as well, surprised Ardos.
Michael's Jolteon landed a Thunder Wave on Swellow, paralyzing it and preventing it from using any moves. Houndoom landed a Faint Attack on Alakazam, taking it down in one hit.
"Hm... perhaps... Kingdra, use Hydro Pump.."
"Houndoom, use Sunny Day to weaken its water type attacks! Jolteon, Bite Swellow."
"Shadow Break."
"Come back. I choose you, Crobat! Jolteon, Bite again. Crobat, confuse his Kingdra!"
"Kingdra, Double-Edge."
Swellow couldn't move. Michael taking this opportunity, Shadow Swellow got successfully snagged again.
"Heracross."
"Jolteon, use Thunderbolt!"
"Kingdra, attack."
Instead, Kingdra hit itself in its confusion. Thanks to that action, it fainted.
"Electabuzz."
"Thunder Wave it. Crobat, use Wing Attack on Heracross."
Ardos made a low growling sound.
"Snorlax. Electabuzz, use Shadow Half."
'Those two must be his last Pokémon. Both of them are Shadow Pokémon. I just have to catch them.'
First, he snagged away Ardos' Electabuzz. Then, he let Jolteon paralyze Snorlax.
"Snorlax, Shadow End."
"Shadow what? That looks very strong... Jolteon, evade his attack and Crobat, use Bite!"
"Shadow End."
"Jolteon, use Protect!"
As Michael tried to snag Snorlax, it got out.
"Damn it. Crobat, use Bite."
"Shadow End."
"Evade it! Bite!"
The next Shadow End landed, taking down Michael's Jolteon.
A second attempt to catch Snorlax was done. Succeeding this time.
"This is troublesome... If something's not done..." Ardos mumbled. "I realize now that I should have crushed you much earlier. This is out of my hands now. I must defer you to Master Greevil himself. But, boy, don't think that this is over. I won't abandon my dreams!" Ardos warned him and walked past him to somewhere else.
"Fwew. Glad that's over. Training paid off, huh? Good."
Michael turned to the dome's entrance and walked up to it to enter.

Inside, he healed up his Pokémon and walked through the sliding doors, showing a large, round room.
In its centre, Mr. Verich - Master Greevil - was sitting in a advanced hovering chair, awaiting Michael's arrival with Eldes standing right next to him.
"Hohoho. Now this is quite a surprise. You managed to defeat Ardos."
"Yes, and not just him."
"Of course. You have also beaten so many of my followers. Perhaps it's no surprise that you won."
Michael took a step forward, making Master Greevil smile of amusement.
"I must say, boy, that I haven't been this excited in a long time. I do have an appreciation for the strong, you see. However, I also cannot allow your interference. My Shadow Pokémon plan is nearing completion. So... For the time being, I think I will have you securely out of the way right where you are now."
"What?"
Master Greevil turned his back to Michael. Michael wanted to run forward, but a glass barries had quickly risen up, blocking his path.
Eldes didn't show much emotion as he turned around as well.
"Argh!" Michael hit hard on the glass, but it didn't do anything.
He exited the dome and looked around for a possible alternative way in.
To his right, he saw an elevator leading down. He leaned over the bridge's bordors to see where it would lead to.
'It leads to a small hallway. Following that, leads me to another elevator which goes up into... Into that place!'
Michael ran to use it quickly.

The elevator door won't seem to open.
"Oh, come on!"
As soon as he had run back to the bridge's starting point, someone came up with it.
Michael turned around when he heard a laugh not far behind him.
"Heheh! It's me again, kid!"
"Those clothes. That body posture. Gorigan?!"
Gorigan spoke as he kept nearing. "You know, it makes me kind of happy to see you since I've seen you so often! But the way you keep beating me, my cred's taking a beating! Aiyeeh! So, Master Greevil gave me this one last chance to redeem myself. But this is it!" He stood still. "If I lose this one, there's no tomorrow! Here goes!"
'Yep. Here goes.'
The battle started. Slowking & Ursaring vs. Jolteon & Breloom.
Michael remembered Gorigan's Protect and Earthquake strategy. "Pretend to attack Ursaring, but  attack his Slowking instead."
"Ursaring, use Protect!"
'Good.'
Slowking fainted after a Thunderbolt.
"No! Aggron, go!"
Breloom's attack landed on that Aggron.
"Breloom, use Mach Punch."
"Use Slash and Iron Tail!"
"Jolteon, use Protect, then Thunderbolt. Breloom, Mach Punch again."
"Aggron, Protect."
Ursaring got replaced by a Walrein.
"Mach Punch on Aggron! Thunderbolt his Walrein!"
Gorigan let out a loud roar as he withdrew both his Pokémon. "You asked for it! Shadow Poliwrath, Shadow Mr. Mime, go smash him!!"
"Use Thunder Wave and Stun Spore to Paralyze them!"
The Stun Spore missed.
"Use Shadow Storm and Shadow Sky!"
"Attack Mr. Mime with Thunder Wave and Giga Drain!"
"Shadow Storm!"
"Breloom, come back. It's your turn, Houndoom!"
Poliwrath couldn't move.
"Use Sunny Day to get rid of Shadow Sky and use a Bite attack."
"Use Shadow Rush!"
"Attack his Poliwrath!"
The next turn was used to catch it.
Jolteon was switched out for Walrein as Mr. Mime wasn't able to move.
"Use Water Pulse!"
"Shadow Storm!"
A second Water Pulse was enough to bring the Pokémon to a low enough health.
Gorigan screamed something unclear as he stumbled backwards.
"Bleah! That was the very last chance Master Greevil gave me! How could I keep losing to some kid over and over? If there were a tree, I'd climb it to get away from all this!" He said before fleeing.

"Now that elevator must be operable again." Michael mumbled out loud.
He healed up his Pokémon and continued his infiltration.

In the small passageway beneath the dome was the last Cipher peon Michael had to fight. He had five Pokémon including a Shadow Dugtrio.
The teamwork of Michael's Walrein and Aggron made it a short battle.

The elevator at the end brought him back up.
He was inside the big dome again.