Over the years, I received many letters from Stain. At first there was one every week- telling me about the adventures of capturing new Pokemon, and earning new badges. After a while, the arrival of this news became less frequent, until he quit writing altogether. After about a year of no news, I began to get worried. Had his fate ended up the same as our cousin Lynette?

Our mother seemed even more stressed than I. She spent a lot of time on the computer, looking for entrances in Pokemon leagues, and the trainers who have earned certain badges. The only real comfort she received was that after about 5 months without contact, Stain Steele (he'd taken our mother's maiden name for his trainer ID, thinking it was a coller name) was listed as a new holder of the Volcano badge, the gym led by Blaine on Cinnabar Island, where it all began. About 3 months after that, he apparently had earned the Earth badge.

"Don't worry dear," my father told my mother the morning of these reccolectoins. "Trainers oftentimes have periods of intense training where everything else is blocked from their minds. He's obviously still earning badges."

"But it's been so long-"
"Yes it has, but he's also 19 now. He's an adult. He'll come back, don't worry about it."

"I just worry so much..."

"Of course you do, but Pokemon aren't all that scary, look at the Blastoise I had when we first met. You were so scared at first, until you realized how well behaved it was. You even cried a bit when she passed away..." That memory seemed to be very painful for my father, as he immediately went back to shifting through the papers he had laid in front of him.

I, however, had changed quite a bit in my 5 years since you last heard of me. School had taken a permanent backseat to my social life- and I regretted not following my brother's footsteps into the realm of training Pokemon. I'd spoken to my father about it a few weeks before, his advice was to follow my heart, and of course to make my heart love Pokemon. ... in hindsight, I probably should've asked someone who wasn't biased.

I'd spent a lot of time hanging around old man Oak's Pokemon lab, studying them for various projects in school, and sometimes just playing around with them. Later that day, in fact, I took a trip down to see him. My world was changed forever that day. I met his grandson, ex-trainer and famous breeder (and renown researcher himself) Gary Oak. Gary was just entering his 30s, and already had a reputation as one of the most respected authorities on Pokemon, due to his vast range of studies. His grandfather and a select few others were still considered the top authorities, but only because they were more than double his age. And of course, there was another event that changed my life that day...

I was helping Professor Oak organize different trainers Pokemon when he told me his grandson was expected to visit later that day.

"If you'd like to meet him, feel free to stick around." He'd told me. "In the mean time, I have something I'd like to show you..." He took me to a room he hadn't shown me before, and turned a light on. "This room contains the Pokeballs of trainers who are still at-large, and capturing more Pokemon almost daily."

"Hey! I recognize a lot of these names. Are all of these trainers from Pallet town?"

"Oh no. Why, your family isn't even from here..." He seemed to grin a little at this. It was true, my family was from a tiny village called Packingtown, barely a mile south of Pallet, right by the oceanfront. There was a population of about 50.

"Did my father store his Pokemon with you?"

"Oh, no. I do believe Phillip chose to keep his at a Pokemon center in Cerulean city. However..." we rounded a corner, and there was a vast wall of Pokeballs.

"Whoa..." It was by far the largest collection I'd seen thus far in the lab. At the very top was a nameplate. "... Stain Steele. These are my brother's?!"

"Why of course! Hasn't he told you of his exploits?"

"Not lately. He had told me he captured a few..." But this was amazing! Why hadn't he told me about them? "Would it be okay if I saw a few?"

"I don't see why not. They are your brother's after all." I grabbed 6 of them and we went outside. "Now be careful," the professor warned me. "Some of your brother's Pokemon are quite powerful." I threw the first one and a large dog erupted out of it, looking like it contained the very essance of fire.

"Whoa... my brother told me he caught a Growlithe!"

"Actually, he's evolved it since then. This is Arcanine. It was the first time your brother used a stone to evolve a Pokemon. It was a main member of his team for many years, but only recently he's sent it back to me. A shame, really. This Pokemon is strong, and quite rare." I called it back, already impressed with my brother's exploits. I threw the second one, knowing it would be hard to top the Arcanine.

"Ah, now this one was rather special to Stain. It was the first Pokemon he ever caught." The owl was hovering over us, hooting shrilly, and playfully dove down at us once or twice. :This is a Noctowl, Cameron, it's quite a bit older, and larger than when it was your brother's Hoothoot. It's been a good friend of mine for about 4 and a half years now. Your brother sent it here right after it evolved." I called it back yet again.

The next four Pokeballs contained a Pikachu, a Sableye, a Starly, and finally a Yanma. "My brother certainly has caught quite a few Pokemon, hasn't he?"

"Yes indeed. In fact he's captured the second most of all trainers that I've ever given a Pokedex."

"Behind Ash?" I asked, remembering the Pokemon master from Pallet.

"No actually," the Professor added with a smile. "Behind-"

"Gary Oak, here for business." I looked up and finally saw Professor Oak's legendary grandson. He looked much more proffessional than he had in his competing days, with brown dress pants, and a shirt and tie. "How ya doin' Gramps?"

"Gary, my boy! I was just telling this young man here about you. Gary, this is Cameron. Cameron, this is my grandson Gary."

"Nice to meet you kid, you a trainer too?" He asked.

"Actually no, I guess I got interested a bit late."

They each looked a little confused. The professor spoke first. "Cameron, you never mentioned wanting to become a trainer yourself. I thought you came here to study Pokemon like I do."

"Oh no Professor, I didn't mean I wanted to go and be a trainer-"

"Gramps, you should've given the kid a starter last week."

"I'm not even sure I'd even enjoy that-"
"You must have some dreams of becoming a trainer?"

"Well I-"

"Leave my little brother alone Oak." A voice, a voice that had to be my brothers called. He was joking, of course, and he jogged up the driveway to catch up with us.

"Stain! Why haven't you been writing?" My brother looked a little uncomfortable.

"Just the rigors of training and all that, I called Mom and Dad, they're on their way over here, I hope that's okay Professor..."
"Why of course! I'd love to host a little family reunion."

"Well it's a little more than that... I'd heard Gary would be here." He inclined his head in greeting to the breeder.

"Nice to see you again, Stain. Looks like you've grown up in the last year since I've seen you."

"Thanks, Gary. Cam, I was a bit disappointed when Mom said you weren't home, I didn't know if you'd left to be a trainer yourself! But I'm glad you're here, I've been waiting to see you guys, and to make a little announcement."

My brother seemed excited, but there was something in his features that was different, Obviously, he was 19 now, but he seemed a little darker, a little tougher than the Stain I'd known. His confidence seemed higher as well. He seemed so much more... powerful since he'd left, not just because of his Pokemon, but in himself.

We went inside, and Stain spent some time with the Pokemon he hadn't seen for years. I talked with both him and Gary about many things until my parents arrived.

"Stain darling! It's been so long!" My mother shrieked as she threw her arms around him. After the pleasantries were done... 30 minutes later, Stain asked to make an announcement.

"Guys, Mom, Dad, I just wanted to come and let you know that I intend on challenging the Pokemon league next week!" There was a bit of silence at this, and I knew everyone was thinking of Lynette, and the danger of the competition.

"Stain..." my mother began.

"I know what you're going to say, and I came up with a way to prove that I'm ready. You've never seen me in battle, none of you. So I decided to show what I've learned by defeating the most powerful trainer I could find."

We all looked over at Gary, who jokingly said "But the Professor hasn't battled in decades." That elicited a chuckle from everyone, who now knew why Stain had waited until Gary visited to make an appearance himself.

"So Gary, will you accept my challenge?"

"Of course, kid. But don't expect me to go easy on you, just because your family is here. I've come to like your little brother, and wouldn't mind showing off a bit myself."

"Allright everyone," the Professor said. "Let's go into the grounds for this. I've become quite fond of my trinkets and machinery over the years." He led us outside. I was quite excited, I'd only seen Pokemon battles on TV, and now I was about to see my brother take on one of the most powerful trainers to ever come out of Johto.

"Mom, Dad, I know you would worry about me... mostly Mom... but I think it's fair to say that if Gary and I are evenly matched, I could take on most trainers in the League." They didn't respond, but nodded. My father seemed more excited than I was.

"Okay Gary," Stain called when they were about 100 yards apart, us safely on the sides, away from where the action would take place. "You pick the rules."

Gary chuckled. "Well, when I was in the League, they had 3-on-3 battles. That's what we'll do."

"No time limit?"

"You got it."

Old Oak had taken the role of referee. "Okay trainers, battle!"

Stain acted quickly, wanting his Pokemon to have the immediate advantage by being ready first. "Go Pokeball!" He threw the ball in front of him, and out of it materialzed a huge shape, resembling a green dinosaur. A BIG green dinosaur.

"Heh. A Tyranitar? Nice training you must've done, those are rather rare. However, you're about to learn the importance of waiting to see what your opponent sends out first." He casually tossed out his own Pokeball, and out of it emerged a small, cat-looking creature with leaves growing out of it's tail and ears.

"What's that?" I heard myself ask before I could stop. Stain looked confused too.

"While in Sinnoh, I found out that there are actually 7 different evolutionary stages for Eevee. Of course, it was thought to be 3 originally, then 5, so there are probably more than what even we have recorded now. This is Leafeon."

Stain snorted. "You really think your little runt can take down my Tyranitar?"

"Never underestimate a Pokemon, especially not one I train."
"Tyranitar! Use Rock Tomb!" Stain's Pokemon obeyed without thought, and it used it's powerful, but short, arms to pound the ground in front of it. It seemed pointless for a tiny moment, until the earth around Gary's Leafeon erupted around it, and buried it out of sight.

"Yeah Stain!" I yelled, but my father seemed to know better.

"Leafeon is a grass-type. Rock attacks won't do much to it, and when Gary attacks, it'll do more damage because of the weakness."

"Okay Leafeon, let's go." Gary seemed confident, and composed. His voice was calm and quiet, and his Pokemon was well-trained. From the pile of rock, a beam of light emerged, and it exploded around the leaf Pokemon. "Razor Leaf!" The Leafeon flicked it's tail quickly, over and over, and sharp leaves like shuriken sped towards Tyranitar.

"Dodge it!" Came Stain's call, the Tyranitar covered it's face, but the attack sunk in deeply in it's arms and side. The Tyranitar seemed surprised at the little Pokemon sitting before it, but immediately regarded it as a real threat.

"How did you get so powerful not even realizing strengths and weaknesses of Pokemon?" Gary chided. "You have a lot to learn. Leafeon, finish this joker with Solar Beam!" His Pokemon leapt into the air, and absorbed sunlight, it's body glowed with energy.

"Now, Tyranitar, Brick Break!" Like lightning, the dinosaur karate chopped the Leafeon out of the air, it's body slamming to the ground.

"No matter, it absorbed plenty. Fire!" The Leafeon arched it's back and opened it's mouth, sending a beam of energy at my brother's Pokemon.

"Mirror coat." The Tyranitar seemed to cower in fear, but right before the beam hit him, it's body turned shiny, reflective.

"Dodge Leafeon!" But it was too late, the beam bounced off of Tyranitar and hit Leafeon directly in the face, knocking it backwards.

"You say not to underestimate you, but you seem to be doing the same to me. I knew you'd send out either a water or grass Pokemon when you saw my Tyranitar, so I prepared myself to defend against such an attack."

Gary seemed a little shocked. "Very good, now shake it off Leafeon, we've got a real battle now." Leafeon seemed weak, taking two attacks already, but Solar Beam was a grass attack, so it didn't do as much damage as it could have. Both trainers seemed to stare the other down, waiting for the other to make the next move.

This time it was Stain who chuckled. "Heh, fine. I'll do it. Tyranitar, Iron Defense!" The Pokemon once again seemed to cower, but when it stopped, it's scales were coated with a thin layer of steel, and seemed thicker.

"A defensive maneuver, smart, considering what I'm about to do. Leafon! Double Team and use Quick Attack!" The Leafeon started moving so fast that it appeared to have multiple copies surrounding Tyranitar, every once in a while, one would come in lighting fast and tackle the unsuspecting dinosaur. Stain didn't seem perturbed.

"Good try, but you should know the best trainers have surprises up their sleeves. Tyranitar, Overheat!"

"What?!" Came the shocked cry from Gary Oak. The Tyranitar thew it's head back and a ring of fire escaped from it's mouth, shrouding the Pokemon in flame, until it quickly spread out to the ring of supposed Leafeon, all but one disappeared, and it was thrown backwards, straight at Gary's feet.

"Leafeon is unable to battle, Stain's Tyranitar is the winner!" Came the Professor's shocked announcement.

"... looks like I have underestimated you, but no more." Gary threw his next ball after he recalled Leafeon. "This is one of my most trusted Pokemon, get ready Nidoking." The beast Gary controlled looked like a purple, very large, very mutated rabbit. With a huge drill between it's eyes, and spikes leading down to a tail not unlike you would find on Tyranitar.

"Tyranitar, use Hyper Beam."

"Catch." Gary's response seemed rather odd to me, and as Stain's Pokemon used the most powerful attack in any arenal, calling all of it's energy to emit a beam of pure power from it's mouth straight at Gary's pokemon. It grew until it couldn't be contained, and was sped towards Nidoking. At the last moment, the Nidoking raised it's handed and stopped the speeding energy.

"What?!" came Stain's cry. The Nidoking then lowered it's head and drilled it's horn into the ball of light, immediately it was absorbed and the horn began glowing and occasionally sparking.

"That, Stain, is a trick I invented myself. My Nidoking has becoming so powerful that it can sometimes block powerful attacks, if it's opponent is weaker. I assumed your Tyranitar had not been trained to the extremes my own Nidoking has. Now, Thunder."

The sky darked as black clouds gathered above Gary's Pokemon and a lightning bolt hit it directly on the horn, instead of shocking it, however, it lowered it's head and aimed the horn at Tyranitar, who then was hit with the combined power of it's own Hyper Beam, and the Thunder attack.

"Wha-... no matter, Thunder doesn't do damage to Tyranitar, it's a rock type."

"But the Hyper Beam I absorbed does, and the Thunder wasn't just for looks. Look again." Gary chided. As Stain looked down, his face turned to stone. His Pokemon wasn't moving, and static appeared over it's body.

"Stain's Tyranitar has been paralyzed, and is too weak to continue. Gary and Nidoking win." Now that they seemed evenly matched, I wondered if Stain could possibly have a Pokemon equal to Gary's Nidoking.

"Your turn, Rhyperior." Out of the Pokeball emerged a monster 8 feet tall. It had the same rugged look as Nidoking, but was black and red, and stood on two legs.

Gary frowned. "I've heard of those, did the former owner put a protector on it before it was traded?" Stain didn't respond verbally, he just nodded.

The Professor turned to me. "Those are extremely rare. It's the previously uknown evolutionary stage of Rhydon, a powerful Pokemon in it's own right."

"Nidoking, Earthquake!"

"No, Gary, while my Pokemon is rock type, it's also ground, that'll be nothing but a nice little tingle. Rhyperior, use Poison Jab!" While Gary's Pokemon was causing rumblings that would've sent a weaker Pokemon flying, Stain's Pokemon used surprising speed to punch Nidoking in the gut. Right before contact, it's fist turned a neon type of purple, and Nidoking immediately stopped the earthquake attack.

"Not bad, poisoning my Pokemon, however, that will be that rare Pokemon's last trick- Nideoking Hydro Pump!"

"Oh sh-"

"It knows Hydro Pump?" My father asked in amazement. "I guess Stain isn't the only one with a few tricks up his sleeve." A powerful jet of water erupted from the Nidoking's mouth, and threw Rhyperior straight at Stain, who barely dodged it.

"You shouldn't have told me of your Rhyperior's two types, which are both susceptible to water attacks. We know, Grandpa, Rhyperior is unable to attack, and my Nidoking and I win yet again." His grandfather nodded, seemingly impressed with Gary's battling style.

"Don't panic guys, I have just the thing.to wrap this up. Go!" He tossed his Pokeball, which returned to him directly after letting it's contents out. It was as tall as the Rhyperior, but it was easy to tell where it came from.

"Is that your Totodile?" I asked, shocked.

"Well yes, but it's evolved, twice actually, into this Feraligatr." The alligator was large, with bulging biceps and eyes that showed no mercy. Stain, as well, seemed to change as he watched his original Pokemon prepare to battle. "We said we'd be the best, and we are. Gary, I'm sorry to do this to you."

"Return Nidoking." Stain looked a little surprised at Gary's move. "It's poisoned, I have to treat it before more battles, it wouldn't be right to make it battle more. But I have an answer to your Feraligatr, and I won't even go for a type advantage.

"Go Blastoise." Out of it erupted a purple turtle with a green shell, with cannons erupted out of it's shell by it's head. "Of course, this isn't my first Blastoise, and this one is rather rare. The coloring is that way because it's 'shiny.' It has no extra powers, but is a one-of-a-kind. Let's see who really has a mastery of water Pokemon."

There's no way Gary could know that Stain was now fighting in his own name, his father's, and his grandmother's, but the determination they each had to win the final battle couldn't have been clearer.

"I warn you Gary, this Feraligatr may be the most powerful Pokemon you'll ever battle."

"Warn me? Don't bother, I've fought more battles than you've dreamed of. Make your move."

Stain remained silent, and Feraligatr lowed it's head, as if disinterested. Stain looked away, looking distracted by the clouds.

"No way I'll let that slide, Blastoise, use Submission!" The Blastoise ran at Stain's alligator, looking to tackle it, but when he was close enough, Feraligatr exploded into it, using it's head as a battering ram. Blastoise looked stunned at the surprise move, and it's trainer wore the same expression.

"You see Gary," Stain mockinly called. "We use that move to get a powerful hit on unsuspecting trainers... it's a Skull Bash. I don't even need to tell Feraligatr when to use it. It knows. No Feraligatr, let's end this.Blizzard."

Immediately the air turned frigid, and it began to snow. The snow around Feraligatr turned into speeding hail balls, and shot after shot hit Blastoise directly in the chest. It went on for about a minute, the battlefield being blocked by the winter storm generated by Stain's simple command. When it cleared, Blastoise couldn't move, it's body covered in a thin layer of ice.

"Concede defeat, or feel the true power of my Feraligatr." Stain called, sounding a bit darker than his usual self, a gleam of power behind his blue eyes. The wind from the storm hadn't disapated yet, and the look was rather impressive.

"I concede. You're a lot better than I thought." Gary called Blastoise back to it's Pokeball and shook Stain's hand. "You definitely have a future." He looked at our parents. "You have nothing to worry about, he'll be champ in no time."

My parents looked shocked at the skill in which Stain had battled, and I shared it. It was amazing! It was powerful! ... it was inspiring. I knew that I wanted to do exactly what Stain was doing. I decided to tell the Professor later.

"Son, that was the finest bit of battling I've ever seen." My father said, sounding chocked up. "I'm prouder of you than I've ever been."

"Mom?"

"You can go. You obviously know what you're doing. At least I've still got Cameron around..."

Maybe this whole 'adventure' thing was going to be harder than I'd thought.