Contest Entry - Shadow-Of-Warfare

"What's her problem?" A Pokemon asks a second one.

Five different Pokemon sit in a dimly lit room, all with their own food bowls in front of them. They sit around, eating and chatting amongst themselves in their own language. Most of the chatter is about a Pikachu, eating quietly in a dark corner.

"I don't know, but have you ever seen markings like that on a Pikachu's back?" the second one asks.

"Never. It's weird."

"It means she's different." A third one says. "Special even." The other two scoff.

"You can't be serious Kasai."

"Have I been wrong before?"

Silence falls. "Kasai" gets up and walks over to the lone Pikachu with his bowl in hand. He drops it down near the electric Pokemon and sits down, crossing his legs.

"You know, our master hasn't caught a new Pokemon since joining this organization." The Pikachu says nothing, continuing to eat her food. "He must like you though, considering he's already given you something."

Kasai opens a paw, a flame lighting up the small area. This light reveals the identity of the male, being a Monferno. Red eyes glare up at the monkey.

"So?" she asks.

"Well, I'd like to know your name for starters," he continues.

"Thunder," she replies tersely.

"Good, good. So what brings a lovely Pikachu like yourself into such a dark organization such as Team Rocket?" the fire type moves a finger from his other hand up the Pikachu's chin. She growls under her breath.

"Vengeance."

Kasai's eyes light up with interest as he takes a piece of his food and munches on it.. "Ohhh, tell me more." Thunder looks down again and stops eating.

---

"It wasn't that long ago. I lived with my clan in a secluded part of a forest, or so I thought. It was my day to help collect food for all of us."

In the deep depths of a forest, a big clan of fifty lived. The spaces for the Pikachus to live in weren't the greatest to be made, mud and clay used to make small coves for two or three to live in at a time. Wherever one would look though, there was at least one form of the Pikachu evolution family there. A few of these electric Pokemon set out from the community to gather food for the clan, including Thunder.

"It was just a routine thing, or so I thought. I left for about an hour; maybe more, maybe less. When I got back though, everything... everyone was gone."

Thunder returned after some time with her arms and tail filled with apples. There was no one around, however, that would eat them. The small coves that were filled with life not so long ago were now charred from fire, dead and dying Pokemon lied all around the area, and the intoxicating smoke made it difficult to breathe. Thunder dropped the apples she gathered in shock.

"I didn't know what to do. Everything I once loved had been burnt to the ground in a matter of minutes. I wandered the forest for a day or so until I came across some trainers."

Two men in black uniforms stared at the Pikachu before them, a bit surprised at the lack of fighting spirit it had.

"You want it?" the first one asked.

"Nah, I'm a fire type specialist, remember? You can have it."

"Alright then. Sneasal, front and center!"

The second man sent out his Pokemon, but Thunder didn't react much; she only turned her head away. The two individuals looked more baffled then before.

"Maybe just try to catch it?" the first man suggested. "That way you can save the trouble of healing it and the process will move faster."

---

"I let him capture me. I had nothing else."

Kasai has now almost completed his meal, more interested than ever. "Quite the story, I must say. Too bad your family and friends had to die in such a dishonorable manner." Thunder doesn't budge. "But I should welcome you! Being the newest addition to our squad, you'll have a lot to learn. Like strategic thinking, quick reflexes, and building up your power."

Kasai quickly snatches up some food from Thunder's bowl and shoves it in his mouth. Thunder growls again and lunges forward to punch the monkey Pokemon. He doesn't react much besides moving an arm to block the attack. Surprised at his quick move, she tries with the other paw, but to no avail. The flame snaps out.

"You still have a lot to learn kid," Kasai says as he makes a quick move to pin Thunder to the floor. "Taking on the big kids this soon isn't a good idea."


Thunder snarls angrily, but surrenders to the overpowering Monferno. He lets his weight off of her.

"You may have been through the process, but there's still a lot more to it than flaunting your power around. You have to control it and think with it. Don't worry though; you'll learn in time."

Kasai stands up.

"Just consider me your future mentor."

Thunder snorts angrily and resumes eating, quicker than before. The fire type returns to the other two he talked with previously.

"Do you think she's got it in her?" one of them asks. Kasai looks back at her and smiles coldly.

"No, I know she does. She needs time though. Time to learn and to think."

"Does she know it was us?" the other asks quieter.

"Does she need to?"