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"Nah. The most you have to worry about is being buried accidentally underground. You know a collapse or something." I said, looking at Aden. Dark humor, I know, but Jesus Christ, Aden needs to lighten up a little. Hypocritical of me, I know.

"Well are we just going to stand here? Come on already." I said, walking forward. When we finally go down the entrance path, Aden would find this place was by no means a dark alley. In fact, quite the contrary. The place was well lit, and pretty vivid. Like any mall, displays were everywhere, store stands were placed right in the middle of halls, selling whatever one wanted or could sell. Stores were lined down the side of the halls, some more specialized, others more well known throughout the region. Right in the center of this whole mall was a food court, a very large one. In fact, so large, that it fit a massive pit right in the center with two small stairways going into it. It was a battlefield, enough room for two battles to happen at the same time, for anyone who wanted a battle. Though given the supply of only one field and the demand for a sanctioned fight, there was a small fee. Nothing that no one would miss too much, unless they were severely scrapped for cash. It was fine to the people here in Goldenrod. It was a little hard to have a battle on the city streets. "Well Aden? Some alleyway, huh?" I asked.

I made my way along the hall with Aden, following him to the pit and leaned up against the railing that encircled the pit. However, I noticed something. Apparently one end was locked. Strange. People were lining up next to the stairwell. They usually don't do that unless there was some sort of event...

Pokemon officials on the other side, along with an official ref down in the pit...oh yea, we stumbled onto something. People battling though...doesn't make sense with one side locked-wait a second. One of the battlers in progress now...on the whole 'official' filled side. A woman, dark complexion and a vibrant personality, controlling her Flareon in the center of the field. I couldn't believe it...

"Well son of a...what the hell is she doing here?" I asked.

"That woman in yellow, Aden. The one with the Flareon." I said. "Aden you are witnessing a person who's Pokemon battling prowess rivals that of an Elite; some arguing that such a person such as her is even tougher considering the rules that she, and others like her, have been known to battle by, which while sanctioned by the Pokemon League, they really test a trainer's wit. Aden, you are looking at a Battle Frontier Brain. In this case, you're looking at the Frontier's Battle Arcade Star Dahila." I said.

The battle down below ended finally with her Flareon not even the least bit winded. "Nice Try, just keep up the hard work! You're a pretty good battler for having started out when you did!"

"Now Dahlia! Really, you're just picking on anyone that is willing to be masochistic enough to take you on, aren't you!? That isn't too nice!" I shouted down to her, jokingly of course.

She looked around then looked up, spotting me near by. "Well well well! I don't believe it! Johto's resident icy chicken!"

I sweatdropped. Well. Her humor has yet to know limits, for sure. "So, what brings you to these parts!?"

"You see it, doncha!? How about YOU come down here and show me what you got! It's been a while, you know! If I recall. I think you got stomped on by me about three or four years back, wasn't it!?"

"Lucky break!" I said. "Excuse me, Aden. I'm going to see if I can't change my luck against Ms. Arcade Star real quick." I said, hopping the railing and falling down into the pit.

I walked off to the challenger's side of the field. Dahlia had to give a couple of motions to the officials that it was alright. "So, how has life been treating you?"

"The usual. Crazy." I said. "But all good, I suppose."

"Is he with you?" She said. I looked back up towards Aden for a second then back at her. "Yea. He is. Or I should say I'm with him."

"Huh?"

"You can kinda say I got myself a student."

"Oh really? Not even a gym leader yet."

"Kind of had no choice. Long story."

"I'm sure." She said. "So, how about this. Since You probably have things to do, as do I, let's keep this simple."

"How?"

"One a piece?" She asked.

"Fine by me." I then said, taking out a Pokeball.

"Flareon, take a break. You done real well today."

"Flare!" The Pokemon cried out gleefully. The Pokemon was recalled to its Pokeball. Probably to Aden's surprise, people then started to crowd the railing. A famous apprentice squaring off against a even more famous Battle Frontier brain. This was going to get rather heated.

"Ladies first." I said.

"Too kind. Go get em'! Vaporeon!" She shouted.

She tossed out the Pokeball and released the Pokemon inside, sending out a rather majestic looking Vaporeon, ready to go. Crap...and me without Rotom or Raichu. Okay...in that case...

"Zangoose! Go!" I shouted, tossing out a Pokeball, releasing Zangoose inside the ball.

"ZANGOOSE!" He shouted.

"My my? What's this? No ice type?" she asked.

"Problem?"

"No." She said with a smile.

"This will be a exhibition battle between the challenger and the Battle Arcade Star Dahlia! Begin!" The ref shouted from the sidelines.

"Get things started Vaporeon! Use Waterfall!" She shouted.

The Vaporeon started to rush forward. Water started to rush ahead of the Pokemon as it made it's way towards Zangoose.

"Zangoose! Incoming! Move!" I shouted.

The Zangoose stepped off out of the way, averting the watery wake.

"Vaporeon! Use Aqua Tail!"

And just as majestic and graceful it looked, it pulled a hard 180-degree turn almost instantaneously on one paw and sent its tail right into Zangoose with the force of a tidal wave. "ZANGOOSE!" He shouted as he went flying, hitting the floor a second later and skidding across the battlefield floor.

This was already kind of looking bad. "Zangoose! You okay!?" Zangoose managed to hop back on his feet.

"Keep it going! Use Ice Beam!" She then shouted.

"EONNNN!!!" The Vaporeon shrilled, firing the chilling beam across the field.

"Like hell! Zangoose! Get in there!" I shouted.

The Zangoose jumped out of the way of the beam and started to rush for the Vaporeon.

"Keep it up, Vaporeon! Again!" Another Ice Beam fired. And another. Zangoose dodging it as they came.

"Quick Attack!" Zangoose then started to speed down the field even faster. He started to appear to the left, right, center, in random order, keeping to the evasive action, which made the Vaporeon take a step back in a futile attempt to try to keep up with Zangoose's speed.

"Hydro Pump!" She shouted. The Vaporeon then braced itself then fired off a hard, massive, stream of water.

"Up!" I shouted. With its nimble cat like reflexes, Zangoose jumped up above the Hydro Pump attack and started to come down upon the Vaporeon.

"Crush Claw!"

With both claws forward, Zangoose came down upon the Vaporeon, and dealt a harsh blow upon it. As hard of a hit that was, this fight was not over yet. Regardless, the crowd was eating this excitement all up.

"Well well, Blizzard seems to have gotten more moves." Dahlia said to me.

"I've been having a bit of a battling renaissance. Still going, I should say." I said to her.

"Oh really? Then lets see you cope with this! Vaporeon!" The Vaporeon was tense on its feet. It was ready to hurt something badly. "Go get it! Use Trump Card!"

Something tripped. This...oh hell no. I know where this was leading.

The Vaporeon fired off a small energy like projectile. Wasn't bad. In fact, Zangoose took it like it was next to nothing. "Zangoose." He said, unamused.

"Zangoose! Get after it! Slash attack!" I shouted. Zangoose rushed for the Vaporeon, claws out.

"Double Team!" She then shouted. As Zangoose came down with its claws, the Vaporeon started to surround the Zangoose with many illusionary copies, he obviously going after one of the after images.

"Blast it..."

"Trump Card!" She shouted again. Once again, another energy projectile fired, only stronger this time, which quickly pelted Zangoose, causing a bit of damage this time.

"She's deliberately trying to get that thing powered up..." I said. Problem was, Zangoose didn't have anything that could attack in a proximity at the time. I did have one other trick up the sleeve though. "Taunt!" I shouted. Like hell if she was going to work this one up.

Zangoose started to then taunt the Vaporeon, laying it on thick. The Vaporeon got angry, and the illusions disappeared. "Gotcha."

"Do you?" She asked. "Vaporeon! Trump Card!"

Even stronger the attack came this time: Bigger, harder, faster.

"Zangoose, look out!" I shouted. "Detect!" I shouted.

Zangoose stepped back, seeing the attack come, and Zangoose managed to veer off to the side from it, managing to avoid the attack by only a hair's length.

"Quick attack!" she then shouted.

With Zangoose coming out of its defense, the Vaporeon quickly capitalized, smashing right into Zangoose and knocking him over.

"Zangoose!" I shouted.

"Trump Card!" She then shouted, once more. The attack came even at a greater strength and speed. The attack came down, crashing hard upon Zangoose, a blast to follow. This was looking bad.

"Zangoose!" I shouted to him.

When the dust cleared, Zangoose was seen still standing, but he was in poor shape right now, while the Vaporeoon was still looking pretty good. This was a problem...