You stand there, wondering one thing.
How? How did you surpass me?
Her rival for so many days, months, years. You were always one step ahead of her, or so you thought. Looking back, you see all she's done for the world. She's stopped teams, caught legendary Pokemon, and become the Champion.
When you battled with her, nothing ever changed. Your Pokemon battled valiantly, but you were always handed the loss. Training, collecting, and raising Pokemon. All that time, wasted.
You see her on top of the world, her name known across the globe. Even though you know that your name has been embedded in her mind, you'll never be as good as her.
Your first Pokemon stands by your side, knowing how you feel. It had grew up alongside her first, as equals. It nudges you, trying to snap you out of your self-induced trance. You return it to its Pokeball and continue to wallow in self-pity.
Thinking back at the times you two shared, you come to terms with one thing you denied all that time.
You're in love with her.
Resisting is no use now. She'll never look at you. You wish you had realized it sooner, you wish you could have told her how you felt. Now she's gone, probably off on some adventure. It's like the old saying 'You never know what you have until it's gone.'
Staring at the sunset, you see that it reminds you of your relationship with her. When you two started your journeys, you were bitter rivals. As you both grew stronger, so did your friendship. When she passed you by and conquered the Pokemon League, a feat you could never accomplish, your friendship began to fade. Eventually, it takes the shape of what it is now.
Turning around, you begin to trudge back to your hometown, ready to throw in the towel. You notice a familiar set of shoes in front of you. You don't even need to look up to know that the Champion has graced you with her presence. Without saying a word, you walk past her, deciding not to tell her what's on your mind. It's just too painful.
Before you have a chance to take another step, her arms wrap around your waist, restricting your movement. You look back, waiting for anything she's going to say. She lets go and smiles that warm smile that made you fall for her in the first place as she struggles to compose a sentence. Her face reddens, and you know it's not because of the heat, like you thought all that time. Finally, she says those three words that you refused to say.
"I love you."
Tension fills the air as the words spring out of her mouth. Her eyes meet yours, and your instincts take over. You kiss her full on the lips, hoping that your actions will tell her what you want to say. When you part, she holds you close as four words leave your mouth.
"I love you too."