Pokemon Fan-Fic

Title: Challenges of a trainer.

Part 4: Cold as Steel.

The woods, how beautiful they were. Shan was sitting on a rock near a stream, behind her was the old monk. She was laughing at the Magikarp that were eating the food that she had thrown down. She looked over her shoulder at him, but he was gone. She felt a wave of sadness flush over her. Shan was alone again.

She woke up crying for no real reason. Another Dream, this time a sad one. Wiping her eyes she looked over to her sleeping Pokemon. Eevee had laid her head on Rattata who was lying on his stomach. Charmander was laying near Shans right side and Metapod was sitting on the desk. It was still dark out; she laid back and fell to sleep again, but not for long.

As soon as she fell back to sleep another dream came to her. This time she was running, again something was pulling her by her hand, urging her to run faster. There were people following them. Shan could sense them. They came to a clearing, the thing that had pulled her all the way was blurry and she couldn't see what it was. She watched as it flew off into the woods. Shan didn't want it to go and cried out for it. It looked back but then flew off. Shan sat down on the ground to wait for it. Then someone grabbed her from behind.

"NO. LET ME GO" Shan screamed and jumped up in the bed. Her Pokemon went flying in all directions.

"Charrr," Charmander said as she hit the floor.

"Sorry guys," the Pokemon all seemed to grumble in unison.

"Are you ok?" Said Susie running threw the door. Shan looked over at her.

"Yes, I'm sorry I had a nightmare." Shan got out of bed and put on her slippers.

"You scared us half to death." Susie said laughing. "I was just on my way hear to get you up for breakfast."

"Thanks Mrs.. . " Susie cut her off.

"Call me Susie. Well why don't you get ready and come on downstairs for Breakfast." Shan smiled and watched Susie leave.

"Rattata," Rattata said hitting Shan with his tale.

"I said I was sorry," Shan got dressed and went down stairs followed by her Pokemon, well all except for Metapod which she had put back in its ball.

"Good morning," Shan said walking into the kitchen.

"Good morning," Said Brocks' two younger siblings. Shan sat down at the table. When the two kids saw Eevee following Shan they looked at Susie.

"Why is Eevee following her?" Asked the girl. Susie looked at her.

"Janet, your brother gave Eevee to Shan because Eevee needs to be trained by some one who has the time to do it."

"But we can train her." Said the boy.

"Ray, you and Janet are going to have your hands full. You are responsible for taking care of the cubs. You wouldn't be able to give her the care she needed and besides your to young to start training."

Ray and Janet looked down at the floor. "You two need realize that Eevee is with a good trainer." Said Brock stepping into the kitchen. "In a few years you can take those cubs and use them as your starters. Right now you only have bug trainer licensees."

"Bug trainer licensees?" Shan asked picking up Rattata.

"Yes. When kids get to be 6 they can train bug type Pokemon. It's good practice for when they finally head out at 14." Brock said setting down.

"I wish I knew that when I was 6." Shan said.

"Well, it's a new thing." He poured a glass of milk. "After breakfast Susie and I will take you to see the Pokemon we have. And then to the museum." She looked at Brock.

"Thanks, but I was hoping to go to the gym right away." Brock frowned.

"So you still want to try."

"Of course I do." Shan said taking a bite of her cereal. "I need that badge to get into the Pokemon league."

"Well, ok." Brock said standing up. "After we eat I'll take you there." He looked over at her Pokemon. "I hope you know their attacks." Susie sat down next to Brock and pinched his arm. "Ow, well she has to know."

"Of course I do. Charmander knows growl, scratch, and Ember. Rattata knows hyper fang, tackle, and tale whip. Metapod knows harden." Her Pokemon looked up at the mention of their names. Smiling Brock looked over at Susie.

"Well you know their attacks. Oh do you know Eevees' attacks."

"Sand attack and Tackle," She said folding her arms in front of her.

"And," rock said doing the same.

"Uh, Quick attack." Brock nodded.

"Well you might have a chance since your Charmander knows Ember. But then again Steel. . ."

"Oh Brock," Susie said looking at him. "She'll do fine, go on and take her over." Shan stood up.

"Yea, I'm ready and so are my Pokemon. Right Guys." Shans Pokemon all chirped and barked out in agreement. Brock stood up.

"Ok, but remember I warned you." Shan recalled her Pokemon and left with Brock. On the way to the Pewter Gym Brock was silent. Shan just walked on with Charmander who had refused to return to the ball. When they reached the gym Shan gasped. There in front of the gym was Seth, he was sitting on a bench holding a pokeball and his right eye.

"Seth," she said running up to him. "Did you go in, how was it." Seth took his hand away to reveal a black eye.

"What do you think?"

"What in the world happened to you?"

"Steel happened to him," Brock said. Shan looked from Brock to Seth.

"Really, Seth is that true. What happened." She put her hand on his shoulder but he shook it away angrily.

"Well, I did get the badge." Brock frowned.

"You bought it didn't you."

"What was I supposed to do. I didn't win the first round with My Pokemon and the second thing almost killed me." Seth was glaring at Brock.

"You could have challenged him again. That badge may be a badge but it might as well be trash. It's worthless."

"Oh yea well it will count in the league. Why am I even talking to you two." He stood up and fastened his pokeball to his belt. "I'm off to Cerulean." They watched him walk off .

"Well I'm up." Shan said turning to Brock. He frowned.

"I guess," the wind picked up a bit. "Look kid, the second battle is were it counts." Shan looked puzzled.

"The hand book never said any thing about Steel being the trainer or any second battle."

"You must have an old copy. After this come back to the house and I'll give you a new one."

"Aren't you going in." Shan said turning to Brock.

"No, Steel and I. we don't get a long. You see about 15 years ago I sent out on a journey with some friends. When I left my father who had been gone for most of my life returned to take care of the kids while I went to become a breeder." Sighing he looked up at the gym. "A few years later he got married again, and had two kids, then he died of a heart attack. I was still away. The kids' mom ran off, Steel was the only one left to take care of them. He's twenty now and still hates me for not returning to help him out."

Shan looked at the door. "I'm going in. Maybe I can help you two get back together."

"Good luck. The only badges you get in this gym are the ones you buy. If you win you have to fight Steel, but not with Pokemon, one on one."

"Ha, you must think I don't know how to fight. Well when it comes to that I have an edge." Shan said and ran into the gym. Brock watched her as she went, he wondered what she meant.

"So much like him." He said to himself smiling and turned and walked home.

The gym was huge and dark. Charmanders' tale lit up the area around her allowing Shan to see some. Then the lights switched on revealing a large ring with rocks lying around in sand. Shan stepped forward and took a breath.

"I am Shan form the village of Hidden. I have come to challenge the leader of this gym." Laughter filled the area.

"Ha ha ha. You can go now and spare yourself any humiliation." Said a deep voice.

"Look, do you want to gab or battle." Shan said loudly. A rumbling came from underneath her. A huge door swung open and a young man with brown hair and slanting eyes walked out. It was Steel, Shan could see that he shared a resemblance to Brock but his hair was longer.

"This should be interesting." Steel cuckold and stepped forward. "We'll use two Pokemon each. And there won't be a time limit."

"Fine by me." Shan said and waited. Steel took out a pokeball and tossed it into the ring.

"GO Geodude." A huge rock like Pokemon jumped out of the ball.

"GO CHARMANDER!" Shan shouted. Charmander leapt in front of Shan and growled.

"You must be joking right," he looked down and laughed.

"Put up or shut up Steel."

"Fine Geodude rock throw." The Geodude picked up some Rocks and threw them at Charmander but Charmander jumped out of the way.

"Charmander EMBER and scratch at the same time." Charmander nodded and spun around shooting flames in all directions. When the flames landed on Geodude it began to roll around in pain in the sand. Charmander then jumped on Geoduded and slashed away, Geodude tried to get Charmander off its back but failed.

"Geodude return," it disappeared into the ball.

"Now for the hard part kido. GO ONIX." A huge Rock like snake came out of the ground in front of Charmander.

"Return Charmander," she didn't have to tell her twice. Charmadner leapt into the beam.

"GO Metapod." Shan shouted and sent out her Metapod.

"Oh you are to much, I never would think that I would laughed so hard in one match." Shan smiled. "Onyx bind it." The rock snake began to curl around Metapod.

"METAPOD HARDEN AND KEEP DOING IT." Shan shouted. Metapod glowed as Onyx squeezed it. No mater how mush Onyx tried it could not seem to hurt Metapod. Shan knew that Metapod was weakening and that the Onyx was getting tired. It all was a mater of waiting. After a while Onyx became tired and stopped.

"NO!" Steel screamed and jumped down from the plat form he had been on. "You were lucky toots. But now you have to fight me one on one."

"Toots, excuse me did you just call me Toots."

"Yea, what are you going to do about it." Shan took off her vest and hair clips.

"I'm going to put you in your place. How about a small wager. If I win you go have dinner with your brother and work out your differences." Steel smiled.

"What ever, ok. If I win you give me half of your money."

"Agreed," Shan slid her foot forward. Steel did the same. She stood there watching him, she knew he would move first, and he did. Steel screamed and ran forward at Shan. Shan jumped high in the air over Steel and landed behind him. She looked over her shoulder, Steel had turned around and was running back at her, she jumped again and he ran under her.

"Come on fight," Steel said yelling at her.

"Ok," Shan said. Shan ran forward and punched Steel in the stomach causing him to lean forward. She was faster than he was, he now knew what he was up against and this caused him to even more angry. He slowly stood back up. Shan was standing in front of him with her hands on her hips.

"Ok," he said. "This warm up is over. Time to, TURN IT UP A NOCH" Steel screamed and ran forward Shan punching at Shan. Shan dodged as best she could but found it hard to anticipate his moves. Shan jumped back out of his way.

"Steel Gaze." Steel shouted. Shan felt a force fly at her and hit her, she realized that she couldn't move.

"What in the world?" Steel laughed.

"My gaze froze you. That should stop all of that jumping around. Toots your done for, why not just give up?" Steel said. Shan felt power run through her arms and legs.

"Don't Call me TOOTS." Shan shouted. A blue light surrounded Shan and her eyes began to glow. "POWER UP." Shan shouted, and ran forward and hit Steel hard. As much as he tried he couldn't dodge her punches and kicks. Steel fell to the ground and then looked up at Shan.

"You, " he coughed. "Win." Shan walked over to him and helped him up.

Shans eyes returned to normal and she sighed. "Yep, and you did to." Her head was hurting but it wasn't hurting to badly.

"What?"

"Now you and your brother can talk," Steel smiled and rubbed his stomach.

"I guess your right." Steel groaned and feel forward. Shan helped him up and helped him over to his Brocks house.

That evening Steel ate dinner with his Brother and they talked about old times. Shan had beaten him and had received a special bolder badge that showed she beat him in both battles. Susie and Shan were in the living room while Brock talked to Steel.

"So how did you do it." Susie asked.

"I used a dubbed attack on his Geodude and then I used Metapod. Metapod kept hardening and eventually Onyx got tired and gave up."

"And the fight." Shan smiled.

" I know how to fight, that's all I relay what to say."

That night Shan stayed with them one more time. Steel and Brock had gotten over their dispute and were playing with their younger brother and sister outside. That night Shan went to sleep holding the bolder badge. She was truly on her way.