Climbing Mt Silver had to have been the worst idea Kotone had. Now Kotone was forced to endure a mind-numbing cold and a raging wind that threatened to rip her off the mountain face. Great, she thought, a cold hand reaching for her oversized hat, Just what was I thinking? She sighed - she knew perfectly well why she was climbing the stupid thing. After becoming the Johto Champion she had journeyed through the Kanto region, winning badge after badge, and now all that was left was the Kanto Champion. Red, she faintly recalled. She was here to challenge him.
Climbing must have been quicker than she'd thought, or maybe it was just her being lost in her thoughts. In no time, she was up the perilous mountain, and panting heavily at the top. She collapsed onto the snow, never mind the cold, she was tired.
"Who's out there?"
A face appeared, looking over her. She jumped up, embarrassed.
"I-I'm Kotone and I'm here to challenge you!"
Her voice sounded weak, even to her own ears. She blushed, until she heard a sigh of relief from Red.
"Do you know how long I've been waiting?"
Red was pale, thin and weak. How long had he been up there?
"Please, I'm begging you..."
His voice was no more than a breath.
"Defeat me. I want to go home."
Kotone then remembered that sad lady at Pallet Town, the one who had been mourning for her son, doomed to never come back until he was defeated.
She looked at Red sadly, wondering how the Pokemon Association could have been so cruel, condemning him to stay in these harsh conditions. She nodded.
They released their pokemon, a Typhlosion versus a Venusaur. Just as the battle begun, it ended.
Red had collapsed into the snow. Having been here for so long, his body had slowly deteriorated. He had died, never to get off Mt Silver.
And Kotone could only stand in shock, wondering if being a Champion was worth it.