Chapter One: The Beginning of The End.

I stagger to the ground, shattered. Dear God, it's been a hell of a battle.

With emphasise on the word hell.

It takes all of my strength but I manage to crane my neck to look up at Blue. A strand of his long, spiky hair hangs carelessly down over one eye. With his razor sharp cheekbones and steel-coloured eyes, he looks devilishly handsome.

Handsome- but exhausted. Exhausted and, therefore, vulnerable.

I can still do this.

Then I look beyond Blue, to the Pokemon. The battle rages on, as Charizard and Blastoise- Pokemon powerhouses, primed for this moment since the day they were born- struggle on, mercilessly duelling it out to the bitter end.

And it will be bitter.

Then, I look past them, to what lies beyond our battleground. And, despite everything, my heart rate quickens. Because there lies the gates to the Hall of Fame.

Inside the Hall of Fame awaits eternal glory. Your name, and that of your Pokemon, will be forever etched in the annals of history, as Pokemon League Champion. Remain outside, however, and there's only disappointment, humiliation, and a hasty trip back to the nearest Poke Centre.

As I gaze from the Hall of Fame to Blue, and back again, the two become blurred. And then, due to sheer exhaustion, my head flops pathetically back down to ground.

As I lay there, shame and guilt filling up every part of my very being, I can't help but wonder:

How has it come to this?

I cast my mind back to the events of a few hours ago- although it feels like an eternity.

That bolt from the blue- after beating Lance, thinking I'd done it, thinking I'd got over the line, taken down the entire Elite Four single-handedly, only to hear from the Professor those terrible words as I tried to enter the Hall of Fame:

'Red, I'm sorry! But Blue made it to the top before you. He is the Pokemon League Champion!'

Blue appearing from the shadows, grinning, but it was a smile without warmth. His words, reverberating around my head, over and over again.

'I'm the most powerful trainer in the world!'

And, then, the two words that I had uttered in response. I had managed to hide the fact that my voice was trembling with shock, somehow sounding composed, even confident.

'No more'.

The sheer intensity of our battle has been breathtaking. The world's two greatest Pokemon trainers, fighting it out to find out which one will go down in the history books, and- heaven forbid- which one will be the perennial loser.

It's been like a dance. A perfectly choreographed, exotic- yet brutal and unforgiving- dance.

Psychic!

Thunderbolt!

Mega Kick!

Double-Edge!

Sky attack!

HYPERBEAM!

Now, though, I have little left to offer. The core of my team- Pikachu, Gengar, Scyther and Jolteon, four Pokemon I utterly adore- have given their all throughout my struggle against the Elite Four. But they're too weak to battle anymore.

They did, however, manage to severely weaken Blue's squad. His Pidgeot, Alakazam, Rhydon, Exeggutor and, most impressively on my team's part, his mighty Arcanine- are all too war-weary to fight on.

I have Charizard and Gyarados- my wildcard, rogue of a Pokemon- still in my armoury, whilst Blue has just his titanic Blastoise left.

Yep, we've come a long way since those childish squabbles over whose Squirtle or Charmander was 'better'.

Oh, and for the record? It was Charmander. All day long, buddy.

A terrible, almighty howl brings my attention back into the moment, back to the Pokemon. It is a scream of pure agony, the kind of scream where the only humane thing to do is to put the poor beast of its misery. And, as I survey the scene, I make an awful discovery.

The scream came from Charizard.

Charizard is a phenomenally strong Pokemon- he took down Lance's reportedly 'invincible' Dragonite single-handedly. But versus Blastoise, where Charizard's very biology is firmly stacked against him, he needed me. Without my guidance, Charizard has lost his way.

Water jets are erupting from Blastoise's cannons, pummelling Charizard. Charizard, his energy sapped, takes hit after hit.

It's a terrible sight.

I feel sick.

Charizard can fight no more. It's painfully obvious. Yet still Blastoise continues to strike Charizard.

Over and over again.

'Blue!' I scream. 'Make him stop!'

Nothing.

'I concede!' I cry, almost hysterical now. 'You win! Just make him stop!'

Then, the gruesome reality hits me. Blue isn't going to stop. Charizard's life is in terrible, terrible danger.

Adrenaline refuels my depleted energy levels, as I stand up and sprint over to Blue.

I'm in his face now, screaming at him, begging him to stop.

But, when I look into his eyes, I see no hint of the cocksure kid I grew up with. He was arrogant, sure, annoying, oh, more than you could even imagine, but it was all just part of his humour. Despite all the playful trash talk, we were friends.

Best friends.

Now I see only a coldblooded killer.

Suddenly, we're fighting.

'I hate you!' he screams. I know he doesn't mean it, but it still hurts, God it hurts, like a dagger through the heart.

'I'm sorry', I gasp, as he punches me, although, what I'm sorry for exactly, I do not know.

We grapple and wrestle, punch and kick, snarl and bite.

He's screaming now, so loudly and hoarsely I can barely make out what he's saying.

'YOU JUST COULDN'T LET ME HAVE IT, COULD YOU?'

I've never see him so mad before. I feel scared.

'I BEAT LANCE, I WAS AT THE GATES TO THE HALL OF FAME, AT THE FUCKING GATES!'

Then, just like that, he stops shouting. And everything goes quiet.

And, as I look into Blue's eyes, I see beyond the coldness and the loathing- and see his pain within.

He can never say it- he's far too proud for that- but I feel that in this moment I understand Blue Oak far more than I ever have before. And I realise that it's about something far greater than this battle, greater than the Pokemon, greater even than the Pokemon League itself.

Why he's hurting so much, I can't say for certain.

It may be the fact he's an orphan, whilst I still have my mother.

It could be about the love of his grandfather. A grandfather who is the first to encourage and praise me. To give me my first choice of Pokemon, to offer guidance and support whenever I need it and- yet- the first to scold Blue, to tell him to stop being silly, to stop 'acting up'. Rather than ever simply saying 'I'm proud of you'.

It could even be about me. All Blue wanted was to make his grandfather proud, to fill the gaping void of his dead parents by achieving his lifetime dream of becoming the Pokemon League champion. Yet, because of me, it was for but a painfully brief instant.

I can't read Blue's mind. Like I say, I don't know why he looks so broken. All I can see is that a young man is suffering.

I don't fight back anymore. I don't have it in me.

How can I lay a finger on my best friend?

Blue continues to batter me, punching blow after blow into my chest.

Finally, when it becomes clear that I have nothing left, Blue stops.

And speaks, quietly:

'I live to end you. To put an end to all you have and all you'll ever be. That's all I have.'

As tears fall down his cheeks, guilt swallows me whole.

In desperation, I try something else.

'But what about the night, that night, when we-'

'It meant nothing to me, Red. Less than nothing'.

He turns his back on me, and starts walking off.

My world spins and revolves around now, faster and faster, until I can't stand up anymore, and I'm on my knees, mere feet away from Charizard.

I beg Blue to stop Blastoise, to spare Charizard. And- eventually- Blastoise does stop.

Charizard's eyes remain closed. But, as I listen closely, I can hear Charizard breathing- thank God, thank God! Faintly, only just- but he's breathing.

Yet Charizard needs help, urgently. In my state, though, I'm in no condition to help anybody.

'Blue', I say, softly. 'Please'.

Blue stops walking, turning back to face me. His eyes soften as he looks me up and down. There's a sad, almost wistful look in his eyes. It lasts for only a split second.

Then, his eyes go cold.

'Blasotise. Hydro Pump.'

He walks away, his posture straight, tall and proud. An Oak indeed.

'On both of them.'

To be continued.

My first story on here! Next chapter coming soon!

I really appreciate any feedback, even if it's only a line. Thanks guys! harvi.