Extra! Extra! Read All About It!

The hallways resounded with the buzz and chatter of excited students as they all crowded around a bulletin board. The mid-monthly rankings were here, and posted for the world to see. It was now that the whole school could see how they placed, with only two weeks until the rankings were finalized. Rumor had it that the trainer in first place would get some sort of privilege or reward, but everybody seemed divided in their theories on what exactly the prize was.

Dakota pushed through the crowd, paying no mind to the poisonous glares or the cries of protest as she shouldered past. She wasn't about to wait all day for the wall of plodding cattle blocking her view. The girl had to know about the rankings as soon as possible, and she had to see them with her own eyes. Gossip and word of mouth were unreliable at the best of times, and little details often got lost or skewed with each new telling.

By Christ, I hate crowds. The noise was unbearable and the sooner she got out of the Halls, the better. She needed some place quiet to collect her thoughts and get away from the din. Most people had a lot to say, but nothing worth listening to. Stupid, foolish, clucking hens, the lot of them. Dakota made one last squeeze through the crowd before she made it to the front. At last. Her eyes gravitated to the top of the list...

1. Dakota Walker

Her feeling of triumph and smile were instantly crushed by the markings in red pen under her name in distinct, neat handwriting.

Grade A Trainer, Grade A Student, Grade A Cunt

Beside her name was her ID photo, defaced with horns.

There was a mixed rush of anger and embarrassment, but Dakota just closed her eyes and gave a composed, if exasperated, sigh before reading down the rest of the list. There was a three way tie for second place. Dakota studied the three names and their pictures. Two of them she didn't recognize, but the third she knew all too well.

2. Aria Duff - Becca Townes - Blaire Adenhart

She tried focusing on the rest of the list, but she kept finding herself looking up at her own picture. Dakota was becoming acutely aware of her reddening cheeks and her surroundings. People were staring at her, she realized. Some were laughing. This couldn't stand. Without thinking, she raised her hand to the ceiling and snapped her fingers once, loud and clear. "Dark Pulse."

A raucous squawk sounded from Dakota's feet, and a black wave spread throughout the hallway.

Another red head stood not too far away from the one that had jostled her way though the crowd. Though Dakota's way of getting through the crowd was effective, it didn't get you friends. And to Becca, worst of all, it wasn't polite. If Becca had made her way though the crowd like that, she'd be embarrass to the point of her skin matching her hair. The trainer wasn't scared, no. Not at all. However, Becca doesn't want to break the social contract by being rude. 

As soon as her red eyes landed on the scores, her facial features twisted up into a crafty smile. "I am not going to lose." She mummered quietly, glancing at the red head a few feet away from her. It would be best to beat her. So then there wouldn't be much of a competition.

Suddenly, the dark wave knocked into her, causing a huge head ache. Besides the one caused my the seer amount of chatter going on in the halls, but a head ache none of the less. 'What is it with people and using that stupid Dark Pulse? It HURTS!'

Aria stood at the base of the screen, her gaze fixed on the list. The fact that she was tied in second cause her to smile; but it was a small one. She had won against Brenden; that much was true but she hadn't seen him much since then...Had something happened? She had tried to find out where he had gone, but not even Sunny was sure, and that worried her. She bit her lip, before glancing at the two Pokemon at her side. Two Deino; a very confusing thing for those who weren't aware of her Pokemon lineup. Both looked like a normal Deino at a glance, but one of them was taller then the other and had its face looking straight at the screen.

Suddenly pain flashed in Aria's head as she heard the echo of a squawk, causing her to stumble backwards as she hands flew up to her head as she attempted to stay upright. She knew this pain; she had felt it twice before...During the battle in the Sparring Class. With the squawk being added; she knew exactly who had used the Dark Pulse but a confused look appeared on her face as she attempted to rub away the pain. It had to be that Dakota chick. Now, Aria didn't know much about her, but she had heard rumors that the girl was bad news. Her eyes flickered toward the picture at the top of the board...The picture of Dakota with the devil-horns drawn on it. It seems the rumors were starting to ring true.

Aria's two Pokemon also didn't react well to the Dark Pulse. The smaller Deino stumbled backwards with a cry, quickly shaking his head as he pressed himself against Aria's leg for safety, but it was clear he took the damage much better then Aria had. Bahamut was a Dark type after all. The second, taller Deino also let out a cry, but it wasn't one that belonged to a Deino. The form of the Deino shimmered before disappearing; leaving Lamya in its place. The Zoroark lifted her head and glared around the crowded room, looking for the Pokemon that had ruined her illusion and shown her true form, but her quick glance around the room turned up nothing. Lamya let out a snort, before turning her gaze to Aria, giving her trainer a worried look. It was clear that the damage caused by the Dark Pulse hadn't done much to Lamya, but seeing how she was also a Dark type, it was understandable.

That certainly shut them up.

"Return, Honchkrow." Dakota said, holding a Pokéball out and absorbing the raven in a red light. It felt strange not to have her Pokémon out of its ball and watching out for her, but she knew somebody would try to kick or step on the old bird if they had the chance. The trainer turned her head and made eye contact with another girl, who she recognized as Aria from the scoreboard. Without another word, she shoved past the girl hard.

Blaire, that Becca Townes, and this girl were all nipping at her heels for first place. Fine. Dakota would beat all three of them when she got the chance and secure her position by the end of November. Nobody would be laughing at her then, or dare touch her picture. She wouldn't let victory escape her.