My mind and body were feeling all sorts of weird lately. All I could think about was the decay and destruction of the Kanto region I witnessed from Gastly's curse. It certainly was a negative feeling. It just wouldn't go away. As we rolled our bike down through the rough turnpike. The pivot of the trail lead straight ahead towards a smaller peak which was only several miles range from my guesstimate.

Though it was no surprise that we had almost died from getting pulled in from that massive sinkhole created by the Sandshrew. We had traveled very far from where we were on the starting line. The terrain was rugged and my body ached from having to maneuver these jagged turns and massive uphills afterwards.

Luckily, we were approaching the small peak in which Lorelei informed me that there was a supposed shortcut to catch up to the rest of the crew that had gained a few more miles up the trail.

Fresh meat! I grinned.

There was this sudden appetite to try and swerve many of these trainers off the trails if we were to approach them. I couldn't help but feel this abrupt urge to defeat them all. It was like I was born for this moment. To be the competitive one on the track and defeat them at all costs.

"Lucy, you see any trainer in front of me, you take them out." I instructed to my Pokémon above my helmet.

"Fweeeruu?" She called out with confusion.

"We are almost toward the top of the peak. Once we arrive, I'll be able to swing us under a cave. Inside, there is another diverted path. The drones won't be able to see us once we go in through." Assured Lorelei.

"Good! Now take me to Jack you imbecile. I am going to teach him a lesson!" I grinned with cunning emotion.

"Excuse me?" Raised Lorelei with irked confusion in her eyes.

She certainly did take my insult to heart.

Maybe I was just being a little too harsh?

"Uh-uh-I mean, we need to catch up with them soon." I said with correction.

What is wrong with me?

Something didn't feel right, a lingering smell of petroleum certainly didn't help. My arms and legs were tired and somehow I had this weird feeling of wanting to defeat everyone within my wake.

This is not me? What is going on?

I thought long and hard during this whole trip that there was something wrong. My behavior, however was showing that I was not feeling like myself at all. That didn't stop my curiosity of wanting to take this shortcut with Lorelei, anyway. She was too kind to help a lowly competitor like me to try and complete the Pokémon Bike Race.

Unaware that I was about to approach the peak before me. I noticed a strange shadow overtake the main entrance of the cave. This person looked like Jack. Smiling back at me with those dark eyes of his and riding a top his trike. The kid motioned for me to approach the entrance and had disappeared within view.

"W-wait! Lorelei did you see that?" I gestured next to her towards the entrance of the cave.

"See what?" She queried with an investigative look towards it.

"All I see is the cave, is everything alright?"

"No-no it was Jack I saw him!"

"Who's Jack?" Examined Lorelei with confusion.

She didn't know who he was, who could blame her? If I were to describe a random contestant who was constantly getting involved and never showing his face. Lorelei wouldn't believe me either way. If I were to try and carefully explain to her who he was, even she wouldn't understand who I was talking about.

"Listen, there are people who apparently don't like me. I am not in the mood to try and explain who this person is. If you can't help me then get behind me." I shouted toward her in disgust.

"Oh-uh, okay?" She said with a raised brow from my rather ill mannered attitude.

Even I was surprised by my own behavior. There was no excuse for me to be speaking down to her in this way.

Something must be seriously wrong.

I was seeing visions of Jack, I was moody, helpless. I just wanted people to be cooperative. After all, she was the one that volunteered to help me. It wasn't her fault that I was somehow acting like this.

This race must be getting to me or something.

"Are you sure you are alright?" She quirked with further interrogation as she inched her bike closer towards me.

"I am fine, let's keep moving." I motioned as I pushed the pedals forward. Launching my bikes tires off the ground just to get ahead of her annoying probe.

"Show me where the path leads." I insisted while getting ahead of her bike in the dark cave in advance.

"Uh-okay, well anyway. The path is to your left; you don't want to stick on the main path that will only lead you out of the cave toward a larger trail which will take you miles toward the final peak of Rock Tunnel. The only way through this small cave is between a smaller path and its a little more claustrophobic going through it."

"I am not claustrophobic, I am Ornithophobic." I assured to her concern.

"Ornitho-This is new coming from you. You are afraid of birds, I see?" She read with astuteness.

"It's a long story." I said pedaling further in the cave, it became easier to see in the dark once my eyes were able to adjust to it. Though Lucy was great help since she was the one leading my bike and navigating the tunnel alongside me and Lorelei.

"Rock Tunnel is a much more intricate tunnel then this one right?"

"Only through this canyon it is much more simple." Assured Lorelei

"Rock Tunnel has many different areas of its cave that are very difficult to navigate by bike alone. Which is why the path ends at the end of Route nine."

That makes sense.

This one is smaller so it's a piece of cake for those who go through it, but if the shortcut is through the tunnel like she claimed. There was another way for me to cut across.

How is this going to be accomplished?

"When we go through the narrow shortcut where does it lead?"

"It leads to the underground. The drones pick up on heat signatures as they survey the land beneath the rock, but the deeper the trail drops. The faster your bike will go, once that happens. Your bike will be able to pick up speed and gain traction ahead of the others. Thus, freeing your ride straight-shot toward the final mountain range. Referee drones will not pick up on where you are once this happens. They only have a ten foot range of seeing heat signatures deep beneath the Earth. Since a wild Onix created this tunnel; we'll be even further down the ten foot clearance range that they pick up on."

That was why she was able to win the race! I thought with wide determined eyes.

If she can get me to win this race it was assured. We had to make it through the shortcut tunnel in order to make it toward the final peak.

"Lucy use your senses to try and pick up any opening. Once you see it lead us there." I encouraged to her navigation.

Butterfree have a particular way of being able to navigate certain areas without incident. This was why I chose Lucy in particular; she could use her antennae to sense when danger is near or if there were areas beyond my senses that I could not see. A bug Pokémon came in handy when these situations got dire.

With only eleven contestants left, including me, Jack, the Gym leaders and my friends, including Lorelei. We were the last vestige of the race. Once we make it through the second peak on the trail, our final stretch is going to be our most grotesque obstacle yet.

But I don't care, I want to see the look on Jack's face when I wipe the floor with him!

"Fweeee!" Shouted Lucy as her antennae pointed at the new entrance toward her left.

"Put it into first gear Leaf and coast your way down the path." Echoed Lorelei.

I nodded after her instruction while operating the clutch. I pushed down the lever and shifted my chain to gear one. The bike was able to connect the chain to my gear and my bike started coasting down the small narrow tunnel.

"Keep your bike straight and don't push down on the brakes! We'll be out of this cave before—

"Don't tell me what to do anymore, Lorelei!" I protested to her with a wide grin.

"Leaf?" She quirked with serious concern.

There was no reason for me to be acting like this. Yet, I was still not myself. I was losing control of my body. I couldn't move but just stare straight ahead as the bike started coasting down the dark path in front of me.

"Once I get there, I will defeat you, I'll defeat my friends, but most of all. Jack won't know that I am coming."

"Leaf what's with you, you've been acting strange for the past seven miles we've trekked from out of the canyon?"

"Lorelei, if only you knew. Hehehehehehehahahahahahaha!" I laughed with a wicked retort.

There was nothing she could do; I was right in front her and yet I was somehow gaining more distance ahead.

"Wait! Leaf! You're going too fast! Hit the brakes-hit the brakes!"

I pushed down on the pedals but somehow they kept on moving on their own. I barely could move my wrist and my fingers tried grappling the front wheel brake. Unfortunately, I could not move my appendages. It was like I was riding my bike hostage down into an everlasting pit of hell and there was no stopping this breakneck locomotive from coming to a stop.

There was a sudden aura about me that Lorelei tried to make out in the middle of all this chaos. She knew almost immediately that something was wrong with me. This darkness that surrounded me made me a different person. Made me a different Trainer altogether as the purple gas surrounded my aura. My complexion started to change.

"Lucy, Poisonpowder attack." I gestured with horrifying wickedness.

The Pokémon was hesitant at first due to my initial acquaintance, but she did not disobey. She maneuvered behind my bike and sprayed her oozing powder from her glands straight towards Lorelei.

"Water Gun, Seel!" Lorelei commanded to her Pokémon in flight to defend her from the oncoming particulates.

Is this what treachery feels like?

It certainly felt that way; I had no control over what was happening and like a marionette. I had no idea why and it was making me more anxious that I couldn't even speak independently on my own accord. Couldn't say a word to my friend or even move my body, nonetheless, it somehow felt grand.

Amazing in fact, I didn't want it to end; I somehow wanted it to last for as long as I could. I knew it, and I knew that Ensign would be pleased to note that I had brought out the potential of my Pokémon and the Pokémon that Lorelei owned.

It was time for Kanto to burn.

"Leaf, I know we just met, but now that I have lead you on this path. You leave me know choice. You are going down and I am taking you down with me."

This was so amusing, watching her try to tell me she could take me down. Astounding, I have two Gym badges and some really strong Pokémon up my arsenal and she has a Seel. Does she really think she's going to stop me from wanting the chaos that I desired within my heart?

No, If she can't prevent Jack, then I can.

I've already warned you Jack. I am an Apostle of Team Love and you are about to witness the power of the mysterious harbinger of the night.

The Black Clover.

"Hahahahaha!"