Chapter 9: For Want of a Rival
Sato and April have reached the outskirts of Cerulean city. Not wanting to draw attention, they haven't spoken about anything related to the United Pokemon Society or their journeys. Despite this, however, they are being watched. Gary has been using one of his Pokemon that is capable of flight to patrol all the routes that can be taken from Mt. Moon, and has found his target. He has found a secluded spot in the path to Cerulean and is hiding by lying down in the tall grass. He does not have to worry about wild Pokemon, all wild Pokemon habitats in Kanto have learned to fear him.
The sun is setting as Sato and April reach the area where Gary lies in wait. Sato knows before seeing anything that something is wrong, a chill goes down his spine like jarring music in a relaxing soundtrack.
"It's been a while, hasn't it?"
It takes Sato a few moments, but he recognizes his designated rival. All his life, Gary (or the nameless boy who lived next door, as the also nameless Sato had known him) had always tried to outdo him in everything relating to Pokemon. Never particularly liking and later hating Pokemon, the rivalry had been one sided, but Gary had never seemed to notice.
"What do you want from me? I don't have any Pokemon and I don't want to battle, I never did."
But April also seems to recognize Gary, which Sato finds odd.
"Sato, he's the Pokemon league champion. He defeated the Elite 4 over seven years ago."
"And it was a shallow, unsatifying victory!" Gary shouts, seething with bitterness "I never had a rival, I never had someone to test my skill against. Do you know how many battles I had to fight when I challenged the Elite 4? FOUR!"
"No one ever fights just the Elite 4, there's always another champion, and in Kanto it's usually a duel between the two children who recently got their Pokemon" April explains before Sato can question the illogical statement.
"I battled and battled and battled. I collected every Pokemon I could, I held the legends, I even got to go to Johto, but nothing could make up for it. The cornerstone of my career as a trainer was never there, and it's all your fault!"
"Get over it. I've been through things you couldn't imagine, I'm not going to feel sorry for you because I wasn't a good playmate when we were ten"
"I KNOW WHAT YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH! After years of empty battling, I found my only path to fulfillment."
Gary pulls out a badge, similar to a Gym Leader's badge.
"United Pokemon Society: Leader of Kanto Division. I know about your eight years of hiding, and your defeat of that weakling Jameson. Now we'll finally have our battle, and I'll get to capture the legendary criminal as a bonus. DIE!"
Gary unleashes a Pokemon, the gigantic dinosaur plant Venosaur.
"Razor Leaf! Now!"
Without hesitation, the Pokemon sends a swarm of razor sharp leaves at Sato. Sato draws his energy sword, but April stops him.
"You're out of your league. Fighting rigorously trained Pokemon isn't the same as fighting wild ones."
Remembering what happened the last time he attacked a Pokemon impulsively, Sato doesn't argue. April takes out her shield device.
"Dual type element: type one fire, type two flying." April commands the device. An almost transparent shield encases her. She takes out another weapon, a blue and white gun shaped machine "Fire element."
Another swarm of leaves hit April, but they seem to have very little effect. April fires her weapon at the Venusaur, a red energy blast shoots out. The Pokemon cries in pain, and faints. Before the weapon can finish it, Gary returns the Pokemon to his pokeball.
"You're as good as they say. But that was to take care of Sato, I borrowed something special to take you down."
Gary takes out a different Pokeball. There's something very different about it, and Sato recognizes it. It's one of the most valuable Pokemon devices in existence, the Master Ball. A well funded corporation using the most advanced known technology has to work constantly for nearly two years to make a single Master Ball.
"Articuno, I choose you!" Gary shouts.
Sato gasps, April's face loses all confidence. A large blue and white bird surrounded by icy mist has appeared. Articuno is the legendary bird of ice, one of the five rarest Pokemon in Kanto.
April runs up to Sato and presses the shield device against him. "Type 1: Fire. Type 2: Steel!" she shouts. Sato and April are both encased by the energy shield. "We don't have a chance against this, charge at him, try to knock him down, and run. If we can make it to the city he should at least call off the legendary." April whispers to Sato.
Sato listens, and they charge. Even with the shield that quarters the damage done by ice, the ice beam the Articuno shoots is unbelievably cold and painful. Sato manages to keep moving, however. They reach Gary, and Sato punches him as hard as he can in the face. Gary falls over, and April kicks him in the head, knocking him out.
"He's unconscious, RUN! We're going south until we reach Vermillion coast, we'll hide at the Mew lab until we can think of something."
Running that far is daunting, but Sato can't think of any other choice. Despite this, once near the southern edge of Cerulean, it's clear that running the rest of the way without stopping isn't practical.
"I don't like having to do this, but our lives are on the line." April says. She leads Sato to a large store "There are bikes in there, we're going to have to steal some."
Sato knows they don't have a choice. They break the window, each grab a bike, and start pedaling south while the alarm blares. Deep into the night, a few hours before dawn, they finally reach Vermillion harbor. Sato takes out his raft, and they reach the truck. On the verge of passing out, they enter, climb down the secret entrance to the lab, and collapse.
