From: Sirius <sirius259@aol.comeleon> Subject: [PW!][LEAGUE] Quiet Descent Date: Sunday, December 26, 1999 12:53 AM "Reis, it can't avoid a Thunder!" shouted Sirius. The Dragonite was battered, but still not done. The same could've be said for its trainer. Sirius had one Pokemon remaining, while Agatha had trampled Sirius with her experienced Gengar. "Draaa..." groaned Reis, charging the electric atttack. "DRAAAA!" Bolts of lightning crashed down onto Reis and scattered throughout the grass field. Agatha's Gengar took the shocks and didn't even flinch. Agatha threw her head back in laughter. "Geeen gah, geeen gah!" laughed Gengar with a smirk on its face. "This match's over, boy!" she shouted. "Gengar, Toxic!" Gengar clapped its hands together, and a green mist filled up the arena. Reis was instantly poisoned, but still awaited commands. "Reis, try a Dragon Rage!" shouted Sirius, in desperation. Without a moment of hesitation, Reis flew around in a circle amidst the toxic air and created a huge whirlwind. The massive tornado took in the toxic mist and rushed towards the still cackling Gengar. The Dragonite fell back to rest, the poison finally taking hold. "Gengar, Psychic." Agatha was already relishing in her assured victory. Reis's Dragon Rage suddenly dissipated. Blue waves came forth from Gengar's body. They lazily cruised to the Dragonite and crashed into her mind. Sirius was still biting his lip. She roared in pain, and fell backwards, still twitching. The crowd was silent. The referee signalled, and the battle was over, and Agatha stepped down from her platform to meet with the press. Sirius finally returned Reis to her Pokeball after he was done, not even noticed her agony. He gingerly took off for the Pokemon Center. Sirius was still waiting in the lobby of the Pokemon Center an hour after he had lost. Apparently, Reis had been out too long and was still badly injured even after the standard healing procedure. But he didn't care. He had failed at the only thing he thought he was good at. He had no friends, and wasn't even invited back home for Christmas. Christmas, of all times to be left alone. There was nothing left to do but wallow in self-pity, recover, and wait to fail again. Nurse Joy suddenly broke into the lobby. "There's a problem, a big big problem!" Sirius jumped up with a start. Something was definitely wrong. "What!? What happened!?" "It's your Dragonite! We thought she was stabilizing, but something in the poison...!" she cried. She turned back. "Come on!" Sirius ran after Nurse Joy as fast as he could. He pushed past other trainers and stumbled over dropped papers, feeling as if he was watching what was happening from somewhere else. Nurse Joy stopped at the operating room and pushed the door open. "Stay out here, there must be no interruptions!" she panted. She walked through the door and shut it. Sirius stared through the glass, watching Reis layed flat on the table, barely conscious. Doctors were desperately shocking her heart, and Nurse Joys were running back and forth with needles and sponges and medicines. This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening. All at once, the chaos ended. Nurse Joy slowly left the operating room and faced Sirius. "I'm... I'm sorry..." "You're SORRY? Sorry!? What happened!?" "You said she was hit by both Psychic and Toxic attacks from Agatha's Gengar. The combination of both of those attacks were too much for her to handle already, in addition to the fact that they were caused by..." "Just tell me. What happened?" Sirius's voice wavered. His eyes filled with tears, and he was choking on sobs. Nurse Joy's mouth moved, but no words came out. Instead, she gestured him to go inside. The doctors were clearing out, busy filling out forms and etc. Reis lay motionless on the operating table. Her face was a little pale, and her eyes were glazed over. Sirius stumbled backwards and blacked out. Pokemon League officials met with Sirius a few days later. They didn't say much, just that accounts from spectators that day proved that is was his irresponsibility that caused Reis's death. He silently handed them his Pokemon Trainer's license, and they left. There was no place left to go. Lance nearly disowned him after he had heard what had happened. Sirius packed his things and headed back home. Along the way, the denial finally ended and the truth hit hard. Reis was dead. He was no longer a Pokemon trainer. And there was only one place left to turn to. TBC... Writing battles = too hard. Call this the easy way out. Once I get the schedules, Round 4 should begin. Sirius Quote of the day: "So then Lenny says, 'As if! Don't even go there, sister!'"