The cliffside road twisted like a scar along the mountains.
Skylar and Misty advanced carefully, riding Arcanine at a relaxed pace, unaware of the deadly eyes watching from the dense pines above.
The sea breeze masked the footsteps.
The bird cries masked the low hum of PokéBalls unlocking.
But Riolu sensed it first.
He stiffened, growling softly at Skylar's side.
Skylar's instincts kicked in immediately.
"Down!" he shouted.
Misty didn't hesitate.
They leapt from Arcanine just as a series of PokéBalls burst open around them—
Fifteen Pokémon, forming a brutal blockade on the cliffside road.
From the trees, three figures emerged.
Cloaked.
Masked.
Each one wore the insignia of the Shadow Division burned onto their shoulders: a crimson spiral around a black core.
The Shades.
And they weren't holding back.
The Pokémon deployed were not mutated.
They were not corrupted.
They were trained.
Elite.
And cold.
Skylar's eyes narrowed as he scanned the field:
First Shade:
Tyranitar
Crobat
Weavile
Steelix
Alakazam
Second Shade:
Garchomp
Honchkrow
Scizor
Houndoom
Lucario
Third Shade:
Rhyperior
Gengar
Staraptor
Machamp
Drapion
Misty's hand tightened around her PokéBalls.
"They're serious."
Skylar nodded, calm despite the odds.
"So are we."
He released all six of his Pokémon in quick succession:
Gyarados emerged first, roaring and shaking the stones underfoot.
Charizard soared above, flames igniting the darkening sky.
Scyther shimmered into view, blades gleaming.
Darkrai hovered silently, shadows curling at his feet.
Arcanine snarled, fur bristling with fire.
Riolu braced himself, aura flickering around his paws.
Misty followed, sending out:
Starmie, spinning and glowing.
Milotic, elegant and calm despite the tension.
Gyarados, massive and thrumming with rage.
Froggadier, agile and alert.
Squirtle, determined and small—but ready.
For a moment, silence.
Only the wind and the crash of distant waves.
Skylar spoke first.
"Misty. Standard split. Cover and break. No one holds back."
She nodded sharply. "Understood."
They moved.
The Shades didn't issue commands aloud.
Their Pokémon attacked simultaneously—without mercy.
Tyranitar stomped forward, unleashing Stone Edge toward Arcanine.
Weavile darted toward Froggadier with claws gleaming.
Garchomp launched skyward with a Dragon Rush aimed at Skylar's Charizard.
Machamp charged at Skylar directly, fists ready.
Houndoom unleashed a Flamethrower across the middle of the formation.
And Staraptor dive-bombed Misty's Milotic.
It was a full-on assault.
Skylar's voice rang out.
"Charizard, Dragon Claw intercept Garchomp!"
"Gyarados, Aqua Tail on Houndoom!"
"Darkrai—Dark Void left flank, now!"
Meanwhile, Misty ordered:
"Milotic, Protect Starmie!"
"Squirtle, Withdraw and support!"
"Froggadier, Water Pulse—fast and loose!"
The battlefield exploded into movement—fire, water, ice, and darkness colliding in a chaos of strikes and counterstrikes.
Skylar realized quickly:This wasn't a test.
It was an execution attempt.
Fifteen Pokémon against their ten.
And these trainers were trained to kill.
Charizard clashed midair with Garchomp, teeth against talons.
Gyarados battled Houndoom, fire and water hissing into mist.
Scyther met Weavile's claws, steel ringing against steel in furious slashes.
Arcanine sprinted to intercept Machamp's charging fists with a blinding Extreme Speed.
Riolu weaved between Drapion's heavy strikes, striking pressure points when he could.
Darkrai moved like a phantom, sending two Pokémon at once into uneasy slumber with precision Dark Voids—but even as he did, Lucario closed in fast, aura flashing in rippling waves.
Skylar saw it.
"Darkrai—Shadow Sneak out!"
Darkrai blurred away, just barely dodging the high-speed Close Combat aimed at him.
Across the field, Misty's Milotic created barriers of spinning water, holding off Honchkrow and Staraptor's vicious aerial attacks, while Starmie fired Psychic Blasts like artillery, controlling the battlefield with tactical force.
Froggadier flanked, using Water Pulse and slick movements to disrupt Tyranitar's advance.
Squirtle huddled close to Misty, small but precise, using Bubble Beam supportively at key intervals.
And yet—
For every advantage they gained, the Shades pressed harder.
More coordinated.
More ruthless.
More efficient.
Skylar grit his teeth.
This was not a battle to win.
This was a battle to survive.