Chapter Three: The end of the beginning.
I look down at Charizard, fiddling around in my backpack as I do so.
Time to bring this bad boy back in the game.
There's a Max Revive in here somewhere, I know there is.
Eventually I find it, pull it out of my bag, and spray it all over Charizard. I've been saving it for ages, and if I don't use it now, then when else?
As I continue to spray Charizard, all over his gigantic, powerful body, I start to get concerned. Because the item doesn't seem to be having any effect.
I feel a sense of rising panic as I put my head on his chest, to listen for his heartbeat.
Nothing.
But, then…
This doesn't…
How can it…
No.
I pull out another Revive, spray it on, then another, then a Hyper Potion, then more potions. I continue to try potion after potion, even Parlyz Heals and Antidotes, anything and everything to heal Charizard, to bring him back.
And then it hits me. Like a bludgeon to the head.
Charizard is dead.
My heart goes cold. Everything feels numb. And, for a split second, I lose myself completely.
'NOOOOOOOO!' I yell, and now tears and snot are streaming down my face, but I don't care, I couldn't give less of a fuck, I just want him back.
I just want my baby back.
I pull him close to me, and sit there as silent sobs wrack my entire body.
I've nurtured Charizard since he was a just a wee Charmander. I'd been looking forward to getting my first Pokemon for so long. But getting him was even better than I could have possibly imagined.
People always asked, 'Why d'ya chose Charmander, Red?' My response was always the same 'I didn't. Charmander chose me'. And it's absolutely true. With his flickering flame on his tail, not to mention his gorgeous, innocent eyes, he was a jaw-dropping sight. Yet there was always that deep power, that incredible potential, within him.
All of this runs through my mind as I cradle Charizard's corpse in my arms.
I don't know how long I sit there. I lose track of time, my sense of self, everything.
All I do is ask myself: why?
Until something snaps within me. And I somehow manage to pull myself together.
Charizard's gone- yes.
But the rest of my Pokemon have to go on, I have to go on. I've worked so hard for this. My whole life- everything I've achieved, everything Charizard helped me achieve, all of it hangs in the balance.
With my last remnant of energy, I hurl my final Poke Ball.
'Go, Gyarados!'
Gyarados explodes from the Poke Ball, and lets fly a terrifying howl.
Gyarados and I have had our differences in the past- he can be the most disobedient and difficult Pokemon in my team at times- but not today. He seems to instantly grasp the gravity of the situation.
Blue appears from the shadows. He's smiling, but it's lacking its usual confidence, its bravado. He never reckoned on me making it this far.
He begins to use a Hyper Potion on Blastoise- but he's not fast enough.
'Hyper Beam!' I yell.
Gyarados tenses his body, before unleashing the attack with astonishing power. The ground vibrates, like an earthquake. The noise makes my head spin.
This is something else entirely.
'Blastoise, use Hydro Pum-'
'Again!' I yell, and Gyarados delivers yet another ferocious strike. Cracks start to appear in the battleground, as Blastoise is hurled through the air, before smashing, mercilessly, to the floor.
'FINISH HIM!" I scream. There's an air of finality to the battle now.
But…
Nothing happens. And I realise that Gyarados is low on energy. Like Blastoise, and for that matter every other Pokemon, he cannot attack forever. As he recharges, I wait.
For the beginning of the end.
'Red!' says Blue, quietly. 'Stop. Please. He can't take much more.'
Like I care.
I'm a different person to the one I was before this battle. My eyes glint, and every pore of my body is filled with fire and venom. I tower over Blastoise. His body's quivering. I look into his eyes, and see fear, pure fear. I realise Blue's right. He really can't take much more.
And, Christ, I couldn't give less of a shit. Blue is nothing to me.
Blastoise- that murderer, that scum- means even less.
I continue to stare at Blastoise. I smile coldly. I'm gonna enjoy finishing you off, really bloody enjoy it.
And, yet, the more I stare, the less I can see the enormous beast that is Blastoise. I see what he was just not long ago- Wartortle. A bold, cocky, playful little Wartortle.
Now, as I continue to gaze upon Blastoise, I don't see even Wartortle anymore. I just see Squirtle.
Squirtle and Blue. Young and innocent and carefree. When the days were made of big dreams, and even bigger smiles.
Christ.
What am I doing?
The battle's over. And it was over a long time ago. This is just butchery now.
I walk over to Blue, whose crumpled into a heap on the floor. Gone is the arrogance, the charm. It's been replaced by a primal fear.
I bend down and offer him my hand. Haul him to his feet. We look into each other's eyes. And we embrace. I smile, a genuine smile, a proper smile. A- dare I say it- happy smile.
'You did, it, Red', says Blue, softly. 'You really did it. You're the Pokemon League champion.'
And he's right.
And now I'm crying, because Charizard's gone but I won, somehow, despite it all, I won, and now I'm so happy and so sad at the same time, and I'm proud, so bloody proud I could burst…
I did it, Dad. I really did.
I'm the Pokemon League CHAMPION!
To be continued- in the final chapter- tomorrow.
