Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom slept like logs when the contest was finally finished. And how could they not? After an exhausting contest and a wonderful dance between Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, the moment they got back to the hotel, they hopped in their beds without even saying their goodnights. However, day broke out over the city and the sunlight shone through the window of the three girls' room, onto their still immensely tired eyes. Reluctantly, they woke up.

"Ugh... Good morning... *yawn*... everyone..." Scootaloo greeted groggily "Is anyone... actually up yet?"

"Ah am..." Apple Bloom yawned.

"Me too..." Sweetie Belle raised her arm before lazily flopping it back down onto her bed.

"Torchic, Torchic, Tor" Torchic laughed at the others' lazy behaviour "Tor, Tor! Torchic, Tor!"

"I guess Torchic's awake too..." Scootaloo stretched and felt a lot less tired than before "So, what's on the agenda for today?"

"Ah'm surprised ya fergot" Apple Bloom chuckled "Today ain't the contest, so naturally this means..."

"...Oh!" Scootaloo slapped herself on the head after a short second to gather her thoughts "The gym is open today! Yes! Now I can finally get myself my first gym badge!"

"Torchic..." Torchic brought out a pamphlet it got from someplace the girls didn't know, pointing to a specific part of the paper "Torchic, Tor. Tor, Tor, Torchic."

"Oh, this is the section on the Gym Leader, Scootaloo" Sweetie Belle picked the pamphlet and began reading it "I think it would be a good idea to take a look at this and plan out... your..."

"S-Sweetie Belle?" Apple Bloom wondered "Are y'all alright?"

"I think you girls better come and take a close look at who the Gym Leader is" Sweetie Belle responded, not sure if she should feel happy, angry, or what.

"No way..." Scootaloo looked at the pamphlet and stared in disbelief "...Fluttershy?!"

"Oh, is that what ya were so worked up about?" Apple Bloom chuckled "Ah figured that one out ages ago."

"Ages?" Sweetie wondered "Why didn't you tell us?"

"Kinda thought ya already knew" Apple Bloom shrugged "Ah mean, if ah'm allowed ta use Pinkie logic fer a second, she was the most important character in the city besides Mr. Verich, Eldes and Ardos, and ah doubt that they actually live here in Las Pegasus City."

"What makes you think that?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Their clothing, their accents... Their names" Apple Bloom gave a few points, her voice falling flat on the final point, but perking back up soon after "Anyway, we should probably head out to the gym and get Scootaloo her first gym badge!"

"Sounds like a plan to me" Scootaloo nodded before looking right at Torchic "Okay, little buddy; hop up and let's get going!"

"Torchic" Torchic nodded and did as instructed, happily hopping on its partner's head "Torchic, Tor! Chic!"

"That's the spirit!" Scootaloo cheered "Together, you and I are gonna beat Fluttershy. Then after that, we'll take on the rest of the Gym Leaders and earn their badges, then go for the Pokemon League and-"

"Okay, okay, settle down there, Scoots" Apple Bloom calmed her friend down chuckling a bit "Now before ya overload on excitement, let's head on down ta the gym."

"...okay" Scootaloo sighed with a small smile.

The three walked through the scenic route of Las Pegasus City from their hotel to the gym, as suggested by Sweetie Belle. Along their way, they encountered many shops and bakeries with blissful aromas and sparkling jewelry. Unfortunately, Scootaloo and Torchic had begun to become very impatient with the route.

"Ugh... When can we start battling Fluttershy?" she complained "Look, you guys know I'm pretty patient when it comes to stuff like this, but what if we're late and I'm denied battle with her twice-in-a-row?"

"Scoots, the gym won't be closed by the next hour" Apple Bloom rolled her eyes "Stop worryin' so much."

"But I can't help it, AB!" Scootaloo eagerly bounced a bit "Look, I'm gonna run ahead and start my battle with Fluttershy, and you two can come later, okay?"

"Okay, but just don't bump into anyo-" Apple Bloom told her as they turned a street corner, accidentally bumping into someone "Ow... Oh, ah'm so sorry... Mr. Verich, Eldes and Ardos?"

"Oh-ho-ho! Why, if it isn't young Apple Bloom and her companion, Scootaloo" Greevil laughed kindly "What a wonderful meeting! It's been a bit since our last encounter. Oh, but I see you have another friend with you. Are you, by chance, the Sweetie Belle I've heard so much about?"

"Um, y-yeah" Sweetie Belle nodded nervously before looking at Scootaloo "Do you know these people, Scootaloo?"

"Ya mean ya fergot ta tell her?" Apple Bloom deadpanned at Scootaloo "Ya had the entire night ta tell her about what we did before the contest. Ya even danced with her fer darn's sake!"

"Okay, okay, you're sounding more and more like your sister, AB" Scootaloo chuckled "And I guess it kinda just slipped my mind. Anyway, yes, Sweetie Belle? I'd like to introduce you to Greevil Verich and his sons Ardos and Eldes. They were the ones that gave me Electrike yesterday."

"Oh, well then, very nice to meet you guys" Sweetie Belle smiled.

"A pleasure" Eldes bowed "Now, where would you three be headed today?"

"Well, I'M heading off to the gym to get my first gym badge!" Scootaloo proudly stated "And with Torchic on my side, or rather my head, it'll be a cinch!"

"I see you are not well informed" Ardos spoke up "Gym Leader Fluttershy is a user of water-type Pokemon. Your Torchic would be utterly extinguished before the battle even began."

"T-Tor?!" Torchic was taken aback "Torchic, Tor?"

"Yes, I'm afraid Torchic will have to sit this one out, so to speak" Eldes said, much to both Scootaloo and Torchic's disappointment "However, the Electrike I gave you will not only be able to resist any water-type move, but critically damage any water-type Pokemon. It would be wise to use to use it."

"O' course!" Apple Bloom cupped a fist in her other hand "Most Pokemon moves have a super effective or a not very effective effect on the opposin' Pokemon dependin' on its type!"

"Quite" Greevil nodded with a kind smile "Now, why don't my sons and I see you to the gym? Please, we insist."

"But father, I-" Ardos said before being elbowed in the arm by his brother "...apologies. This way, young ladies."

(Music Stop)

"This way, you slouches!" shouted a female voice from behind the group. They all turned around just in time to move out of the way for several men and women dressed in purple hoodies and black jeans. The trio of heroines recognized them almost immediately.

"Team Chaos!" Sweetie Belle pointed out, a particular anger towards the evil syndicate swelling up inside her "C'mon girls, lets go!" she ran ahead of her friends, hot on Chaos's trail.

"Sweetie Belle, wait up!" Scootaloo cried out before giving chase as well.

"Ya two get back here!" Apple Bloom shouted, she too running after Team Chaos and, more importantly, her friends.

"Team Chaos..." Eldes scratched his chin "Father, perhaps they are the ones creating those Shadow Pokemon?"

"It is a very high chance..." Greevil nodded "Quickly, we must accompany the girls at once! Whether or not they've faced this syndicate before is irrelevant. Shadow Pokemon are much stronger than normal Pokemon, and could prove a great threat to them."

"At once Gra- Father" Ardos quickly corrected himself before the three attempted to catch up with the young trainers.

Scootaloo, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle skidded to a stop when they saw the three Team Chaos grunts who flew right past them struggle to open the door to the gym. They banged on the door and called out to their superiors, but to no avail.

"Aww, c'mon!" shouted one of the male grunts "You can't leave us out! We're only thirty seconds late!"

"Calm yourself, private!" the female grunt slapped him across the face "Staying outside is still a very important job, y'know! It stops little brats like those girls behind me from getting in!"

"What?!" Sweetie Belle questioned "But... How did you know?!"

"Oh come on, twerp" the woman grunt turned around with a smug grin on her face "I've smelled your little friend here before, so she was pretty obvious. But you literally skid your way behind us, and that kind of gave it away."

"Wait... YOU?!" Scootaloo gasped in realization "Oh man, I've waited a while to take you out!"

"Well, whatever!" Apple Bloom shook her head and shouted at the woman "Whatever ya got planned, we ain't gonna let y'all go through with it!"

"Oh really now?" the woman laughed "Look, I don't have time to play with your dollies right now, okay? We have important adult stuff to do. Now, do us all a favor and SCRAM!!"

"Ah, jeez!" Scootaloo covered her ears in retaliation "Do you really have to shout all the time? Man... But seriously, we're not going anywhere."

"Excuse me?" the female grunt's smile wiped off her face pretty quickly.

"Yeah, you heard me!" Scootaloo repeated, now with a smug grin herself "What you guys are doing is wrong! Pokemon shouldn't be sealed away from emotions and used as weapons!"

"Well, don't you all fight with Pokemon yourself?" the woman smiled once again, taking Scootaloo's smile this time "Think about it: you and I aren't too different, you know. That's what Pokemon basically are, right? Weapons to use against opponents like us. Against opponents like the Gym Leader, and like just about any other trainer in the world."

"I..." Scootaloo looked away, slightly depressed.

"Tor... chic?" the Torchic atop Scootaloo's head questioned, it too looking slightly saddened "Torchic, Torchic?"

"H-Hey, you're wrong!" Sweetie Belle argued "Pokemon aren't weapons or tools or anything! They're our friends!"

"Okay hun, you just keep telling yourself that" the woman laughed.

(Music Stop)

"Enough of this!" spoke a proud voice from behind the heroines, making all present, including Team Chaos and Torchic, look back only to see Ardos, Greevil, and the one speaking, Eldes "Have you no heart or soul? Crushing the hopes of young girls before their adventure truly begins? I know not too much of this 'Team Chaos', but from the looks of things I can only say bad about them."

"Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom" Greevil began "Pokemon are not weapons. It took me many years to finally realize this, and even then I needed the help of my son, Eldes, to understand it. The reason trainers battle with Pokemon is to strengthen the bonds between the two. Never forget this."

"Mr. Verich..." Scootaloo closed her eyes and smiled before opening them again a few moments later and giving off a confident smirk "You're right! These guys don't know what their talking about!"

"That's the spirit, Scoots!" Apple Bloom cheered before she and her friends turned back to face the grunts "Now its time to deal with these jerks!"

"So, plan A has officially failed" the woman rolled her eyes "Whatever. I'm just stalling by this point. If you brats really want a battle with Team Chaos's finest, then come and get some!"

(Music Stop)

The three girls backed up to give the Pokemon some room to battle. With haste, the woman and her two male cohorts pulled out their Poke Balls at the same time and threw them into the field.

"End them, Abra!" the woman shouted.

"Take 'em out, Spinarak!" both the male grunts called out. From the woman's ball came out a yellow cat-like creature with a long tail and brown chest armor that seemed to levitate in the air. From the others Poke Balls came out two normal Spinarak to aid the woman's Pokemon.

Abra, the Psi Pokemon
It sleeps for 18 hours a day. It uses a variety of extrasensory powers even while asleep. It senses impending attacks and teleports away to safety before the actual attacks can strike.

"Come on out, Squirtle!" Apple Bloom tossed out her one and only Poke Ball, releasing the tiny turtle Pokemon.

"Espurr, you can do it!" Sweetie Belle threw out the ball containing her psychic cat. It popped out and gave off an excited cheer, whilst still staring at everything with its unblinking, terrifying eyes. The grunts shuddered at this.

"Torchic, that leaves you" Scootaloo bent down and allowed the tiny Pokemon to hop off her head. It scurried over to where the other Pokemon faced their opponents.

"Spinarak, String Shot!" the two male grunts ordered their Pokemon's task. Without reluctance, the two Spinaraks shot out their sticky web from their mouths and stuck all their opposing Pokemon together, leaving them open to attack.

"Abra, the usual" the woman said simply. Abra, apparently knowing exactly what she meant, grabbed the two spider Pokemon and encased them in a shadowy aura, more akin to a ghost-type move than an actual Shadow Pokemon attack. Finally, it threw them like boomerangs straight at the three trapped Pokemon.

"Espurr, do something with your powers!" Sweetie Belle panicked "Make a shield, do laser beams, ANYTHING!!"

Espurr responded by closing its eyes and muttering something quietly. A pink dome-like bubble of psychic glass then appeared around the three Pokemon, shielding them from the oncoming Spinarak. The bubble stayed long enough for the three to wiggle out of the web, and stayed around even after that.

"Looks like Espurr learned Light Screen" Apple Bloom pointed out "In that case, try an' make a ball with it. Ah have an idea!"

"Alrighty then..." Sweetie Belle nodded "Espurr, make that Light Screen into a ball!"

Espurr immediately complied and turned its dome bubble into spherical one, causing all the Pokemon inside to slid into the middle. This caused some slight discomfort between the them.

"Squirtle, Squirt!" Squirtle complained.

"Espurr, Purrrrr..." the Espurr replied, sticking its nose away from the turtle.

"Torchic!" Torchic bopped it on the head, reminding it to focus.

"Okay, Squirtle, use Water Gun while inside yer shell!" Apple Bloom commanded "Roll that bubble towards that Abra!"

"Torchic, pop out of that bubble and use Ember to set the outside on fire!" Scootaloo added onto her friend's request, earning some stares of curiosity at her from her companions "What? Just thought I'd add some flare to it, y'know? Do a bit of an overpowered final move, like the ones you see on DBZ!"

"Tor..." Torchic sighed before doing as Scootaloo told and setting the ball on fire with the tiny flames spewing from its mouth. Soon enough, the fiery ball began moving forward towards the opposing Pokemon, striking fear into the eyes of the Chaos grunts.

"Abra, teleport away!" the woman grunt shouted, but to no reply "Abra, I said go! Get out of the way!" she looked closer at the Pokemon and saw that it was actually asleep "Oh for the love of... ARE YOU JOKING?!"

"Boss, how long has Abra stayed asleep for?" one of the male grunts asked his superior.

"I dunno, maybe a few hours?"

"Oh no..."

(Music Stop)

Just then, the Abra and two Spinaraks were flattened by the rolling ball. But the ball didn't stop there. As the grunts jumped out of the way, it continued on until it broke a hole right through the gym's door, allowing access into the previously locked building. Finally, the ball dissipated and released the Pokemon inside. The grunts then looked at their Pokemon and saw they weren't dead, but totally knocked out. They pulled out their Poke Balls and returned them to rest.

"Grrrr..." the woman clenched her fist "Don't think this is over because you won by a fluke! I promise you, when we-"

"What is all that racket outside, hmm?" a voice spoke in a calm and collected tone. Everyone looked to see a man with a purple lab coat, white pants, black shoes, pointy shades and dark bluish grey hair with a long strand of it coming down in front of his face. He looked at the hole in the wall and sighed.

"B-Boss!" the woman grunt shivered in fear "L-Look, I can explain! These kids, they-"

"Are you telling me that you fools could not even stop three children from getting into the gym?" the man questioned "How disappointing. And here I was told I was given the best Team Chaos had to offer."

"Ein?" Greevil wondered "Is that... you?"

"Waah! Grand Master! My deepest apologies!" Ein bowed in forgiveness.

"Wait... Greevil... You're...?" Scootaloo looked at him like he just committed murder.

"No, child. Not anymore" Greevil assured before looking back at Ein with a cross face "But this man... This man seems to still be blinded with the curtain of evil."

"Grand Master? You defend these children?" Ein questioned, devastated that his former boss would betray him like that "I always believed your downfall was a ruse so you could one day seize Cipher once more. I always saw you as an inspiration in the Shadow Pokemon plan, but now I see you as nothing more than a sad old man."

"Oh... You make me so angry!" Sweetie Belle frustratingly shouted at the scientist "Who even are you anyway? The big boss guy? The one leading the charge or something?"

"Stupid brat" Ein tried to insult her, but to no avail "Well, I never expected you to know anyway. In short, whilst waiting for Greevil's supposed return, I needed to make a living somehow. So, I merely gave my Shadow Pokemon research to the nearest syndicate I could find in an attempt to branch out the plan. In return, they made me a head scientist in the operation, and right now you are ruining this mission. So take your old geezer home and stay away."

"Enough of this!" Ardos, quite surprisingly, defended his father "Ein, you will cease your actions immediately! Shadow Pokemon should not be created, I finally realize this."

"Look, mister" Apple Bloom began "We have Pokemon, an' y'all don't. So back off an' let us take back..." she gasped "...Fluttershy!"

"Where did you put Fluttershy, weirdo?!" Scootaloo shouted "If you hurt her..."

"Oh, you mean the previous owner of this building?" Ein asked with a smile "I am afraid she will not be present at this time! Fufufu... But if you want to see her..." he tossed out a Poke Ball and summoned his Rhydon "...then you will have to get passed me."

"Nope!" Sweetie Belle grabbed her friends' arms and pulled them past Ein where their Pokemon were waiting for them.

"Hey, get back here you-" Ein shouted before hearing another Pokemon being released from its Poke Ball behind him. He turned around and saw that Ardos had summoned his Alakazam to combat the Rhydon.

"You have a stronger opponent to fight than them" Ardos said simply. This caused Ein's blood to boil, and without thought he began the battle with ex-bodyguard of the original Grand Master.

Author's Notes:

And cliffhanger! How long has it been since the last chapter? Too long? Okay! This was just sort of a shorter chapter to make way for the longer one later. In the next one, Scoots gets her gym badge! Yay!

Like previously mentioned, constructive criticism is widely accepted! However, please don't mention that this chapter was rushed. I am already fully aware of that, and I honestly just wanted to get this one out to you guys sooner rather than later. Besides, I have an entire new chapter up and waiting next time!

Oh, speaking of Shadow Pokemon, there's a petition up that, if we reach our goal, will help Nintendo make a new Shadow Pokemon game! If you want to see a new console Pokemon game that DOESN'T suck, please sign up. All you need is an e-mail address and a fake name, which you can easily make one up. Or your username on FIMfiction, that works too.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/poke

I'm doing a Nuzlocke on Pokemon White, so if you want to keep track of how many deaths I have, please follow me!

Be sure to Like, Comment, Favourite and Follow, and until then, dream on guys!