Mere hours have passed since Gold passed out at Clair's gym and he had found himself awoken in a Pokecenter bed.

" Oh, you're finally awake?" Crystal coincidentally had come through the door as Gold awoke.

" Kris, where am I, what happened?" Gold asked.

" You were exhausted so I carried you to the Pokecenter so you and your Pokemon can rest." Crystal answered.

" Thanks Kris, but why was I exhausted for?" Gold asked.

" Hmm, maybe because you need more training on the Resonation technique." Crystal replied which confuses Gold.

" The Reso-what?!" Gold wondered.

" Oh you hadn't heard of it, yet? Well I guess it's to be expected since Clair and I just found out about it ourselves." Crystal said.

" Huh, oh yeah Clair, where is she?!" Gold rose up from bed.

" I'm guessing by now, she's at the Dragon Den waiting for us." Crystal said.

" Well, I'm ready when you are, let's pay the village Elder a visit!" Gold get up out of bed and made it as a courtesy.

" Sure, your Pokemon should be well rested by now anyway." Crystal said.

Gold left the room and went to Nurse Joy who had a tray of his Pokeballs.

" There, your Typhlosion and Ampharos in particular took a little while longer to rest up but now they're all good to go!" Nurse Joy joyfully hands Gold back his Pokemon.

" Thanks a bunch Nurse Joy and for letting me rest here too!" Gold thanked.

" Not a problem, just come back anytime if you'll need my services!" Nurse Joy smiled.

" Thanks, ready?" Gold asked Crystal.

" When you are." Crystal said.

" Oh wait, I'm going to change out Pokemon at the P.C, give me a sec!" Gold heads to P.C laptop.

After switching out select Pokemon, Gold surfs across behind the gym and enters the cave that led into Dragon's Den.

Gold and Crystal easily defeated the small fry trainers that were in the way now the only obstacle was the whirlpool.

" Man, now how are we going to pass?" Gold wondered. " Hmm let's see, oh I know, how about that HM that nice old man gave us?" Crystal suggested.

" Not that old pervert!" Gold said.

" For taking the time to retrieve my HM for me says you two should own it." The shady old man handed Gold and Crystal the Hms back in the Ice Path.

" Thanks mister, come on Gold let's go!" Crystal accepted and leads the way.

" By the way, sonny, if you happen to be behind pretty girl in use of this HM, be sure to gaze upon her panties when she wears a skirt heh heh heh.." The old man laughs pervy while Gold blushes in embarrassment.

" You should stay in this cave and not in the outside world, old man!" Gold said.

" Well should we give it a try?" Crystal asked.

" Oh um, sure!" Gold agreed and checked his Pokeballs.

" I'll teach it to Gyarados!" Gold sends out Gyarados.

" Hey buddy, want to learn a new water type move?" Gold asked to which Gyarados bellowed as it's answer.

" Great, watch this." Gold inserts the HM disc into a player that had taught Gyarados how to use whirlpool.

" Alright, think you got it?" Gold asked to once again Gyarados answers with a bellow.

" I'll teach my Pokemon later and ride with you if that's okay?" Crystal asked.

" Um, sure." Gold got on top of Gyarados' head and helped Crystal over.

Crystal wrapped her arms around Gold's waist from behind and comfortably laid her head behind his shoulder that makes Gold blush.

" Comfortable?" Gold wondered.

" Very." Crystal blushed.

" Oh um, well let's ride, Gyarados!" Gold said.

Gyarados easily crosses Gold and Crystal over the whirlpool and drops them off at a port of the housing in which Clair's grandfather, the village elder stays.

" This must be where the village elder stays, I must prove my worth." Gold enters the housing.

Inside the housing, Gold and Crystal noticed many pictures of Clair and Lance in their youth.

" Welcome, visitors, how might this old man assist you?" The village elder asked.

" Good afternoon sir, I was sent here by Clair after defeating her in a gym battle to participate in a test." Gold said.

" You are Ethan, are you not?" The village Elder asked.

" Yes, sir." Gold replied.

" That grand-daughter of mine, she seems to be a handful to trainers that beat her but even more so with you, my boy." The village elder revealed himself to Gold as her grandfather.

" So you are Lance and Clair's grandfather, nice to meet you, sir." Gold bowed his head.

" And I am Kris, nice to meet you too." Crystal also bowed her head.

" A pleasure to meet you both." The village elder said.

" My boy something is familiar about you, who was your father?" The village elder asked.

" Yamato Hibiki, sir." Gold answered.

" Oh the former champion and Lance's teacher, I see!" The village elder now holding Gold in high esteem.

" You know my father?" Gold asked.

" Yes, my boy, that man is a hero to the Johto region, I can his fierce determination in your eyes, there's no mistaking about it!" The village elder said.

" Thank you, sir!" Gold bowed his head.

" Now then, shall we proceed with the test?" The village elder said.

" Yes, sir!" Gold said.

" Very well, it will be a series of questions that determine your worth as a champion candidate so lets start with this one, what are Pokemon to you?" The village elder asked.

" They are all invaluable pals to me who helped me this far." Gold answered after thinking fondly of his Pokemon.

" Hmm, I see well nest question, what helps you win your battles?" The village elder asked.

" With raising my pals with care, we established a bond that we fight together that has overcame all battles." Gold answered.

" Is that so, what trainers do you wish to face?" The village elder asked.

" We don't walk away from any challenge, we face anybody who wants to prove themselves!" Gold answered.

" And what is most important in raising a Pokemon?" The village elder asked.

" With understanding of each Pokemon with love as the heart of the bond!" Gold answered.

" Final question my boy, strong Pokemon or weak Pokemon, which is more important?" The village elder asked sternly.

" In my eyes, both are just as important, they both will fight their heart out for any trainer that has the love connection to them as I do." Gold replied.

" Ethan.." Crystal thought while smiling at his sincerity.

" Well son, I must say that you are...very remarkable, you are indeed worthy to possess the heart of a champion, friend of all Pokemon." The village elder at first was serious but ends up singing praises for Gold in his honor.

Clair then walked in the dragon shrine to hear the results from her grandfather.

" So how did he do, I guess there's no point in asking, he failed, right?" Clair guessed rudely.

" Clair!, This young man is indeed impeccable and is every bit capable of facing Lance, he passes the test!" The village elder scolded.

" No way, but even I couldn't have passed...?" Clair in disbelief.

" That's because I told you time and time again..!" The village elder spoke but all in the sudden, a lightning storm rage outside the dragon shrine.

Everyone left the dragon shrine to see the outside and saw several lightning strikes to the foundations of the Dragon's Den.

" What's happening?!" Clair demanded.

One lightning strike in particular struck in front of everyone and had formed Raikou that eyed Gold.

" Raikou..!" The village elder said.

" One of the three legendary beasts of Johto!" Crystal said.

" But what is it doing here?" Clair said.

" Son, I think the legendary Pokemon wishes to do battle with you, will you accept?" The village elder said.

" Is that true, Raikou?" Gold asked to which Raikou roars.

" Alright, then let's dance!" Gold spun his Pokeball and shoots it with his billard.

" Let's go, Pupitar!" Gold sends out Pupitar.

" Since when did..?" Clair wondered.

" Larvitar evolved back in Ice Path." Crystal answered.

" It's coming for a thunder fang, harden, Pupitar!" Gold said.

Raikou's thunder fang did low damage to the defensive Pupitar.

" Okay Pupitar, payback!" Gold said.

Pupitar doubled the damage it took and attacked Raikou with dark energy.

Raikou used extrasensory against Pupitar and dealt damage to it.

" Okay, take a quick breather and let Typhlosion jump in!" Gold withdrew Pupitar and substituted Typhlosion.

" It's coming with a quick attack so fight back with flame wheel!" Gold warned.

Typhlosion flame tackled Raikou but was at the same time, tackled by Raikou's quick attack.

Raikou roared as the thunder intensified and attacked Typhlosion with thunder attack.

" Typhlosion, show it the power of your fire blast!" Gold shot back.

Typhlosion now angry from his last hit, fired a fire blast to heavily damage Raikou that left a burn.

" Good work, now rest and let Pupitar finish!" Gold returned Typhlosion and sent Pupitar back out.

" Let's test something!" Gold threw a pokeball at Raikou.

The pokeball shook a little and was destroyed after Raikou broke free.

" Tch, not yet, you're one tough Pokemon!" Gold complimented.

Raikou attacked Pupitar with a shadow ball attack.

" Rock slide!" Gold thought fast.

Pupitar after being airborne from shadow ball, flipped over and crashed against the stone walls and attacked Raikou with rock slide.

" Now, let's try it again!" Gold shot another pokeball with his billard.

" Boy has talent to use a billard on a pokeball." The village elder commented.

The pokeball again caught Raikou inside but only shook a little more than last time before Raikou could break free again.

Raikou dashed over with lightning striking the ground with each step it makes and crunched Pupitar.

" Dark pulse!" Gold said.

Pupitar's dark energy attacked Raikou sending it crashing to the ground but still wasn't enough to keep it from fighting back.

" As expected from one of legendary Pokemon!" Crystal said.

" It has such resilience almost reminds me of.." Clair said.

Raikou then roared being struck with lightning, leaving an open spot for a counter-attack.

" Pupitar now, attack with earthquake!" Gold said.

Pupitar's earth-shaking earthquake dealt super-effective against Raikou that crashed it to it's knees!

" Now, you're mine!" Gold shot a pokeball towards Raikou.

Raikou was almost captured and once again showed it's defiance breaking free.

" It refuses to give up just like..him.." Clair said looking at Gold.

Raikou was then burned from Typhlosion's earlier fire blast attack.

" Raikou, you challenged and lost to me, it's time you accept my friendship to you that I promise!" Gold once more shoots the pokeball at Raikou.

The pokeball shook and shook until it ceased signifying it's partnership with Gold who was happy and celebrating with Raikou.

" Yes, yes a new Pokemon, the one and only Raikou!" Gold cheered.

" Wow, just wow!" Crystal clapped.

" You see now, Clair, how remarkable this young man truly is, even one of the legendary beasts was drawn to him and I'm sure you now realize why, don't you?" The village elder asked.

" Yes, grandfather..." Clair silently replied.

" Ethan, can you meet with me at the entrance of Dragon's Den?" Clair asked.

" Sure." Gold replied.

" I'll wait right here." Crystal said and gave Clair a told-you-so look which annoyed Clair.

" That little..!" Clair thought looking at Crystal's mocking expression.

Gold had followed Clair through Dragon's Den until they alone were at the entrance.

" Ethan, let me first say to you that I apologize for the way I was hard on you and secondly for doubting your true power, even though I was your best friend who should've believed in you in the first place..." Clair began to sob.

" Clair.." Gold said.

" I didn't have faith in your true abilities and for that alone, makes me unqualified to be your best friend." Clair wept.

" Hey, come here.." Gold hugged Clair who had a surprised expression.

" There isn't anything you could do or say that would take back my feelings towards you, my best friend." Gold said.

" Ethan..." Clair blushed and held Gold back.

" I told you I would prove myself to you and I think I did, haven't I?" Gold asked.

Clair thought back to when she was confronted by Crystal after Gold collapsed.

" Hey hold it, Clair!" Crystal stopped.

" What do you want, Kris?" Clair retorted.

" What's with you, aren't you supposed to be his best friend, why are you putting him down for?!" Crystal demanded.

" Because I'm doing this for his own good, I don't want him to know what it's like to fail his dream of being champion, he isn't ready to take on my brother or even the Elite Four with his slacker attitude!" Clair explained her actions.

" He hasn't even begun his battle with them and already your judging and questioning his abilities when you should be supporting him like I am?!" Crystal argued.

" You don't know my brother's strength, Ethan had a hard time against me and came out as a victor only by luck, how am I suppose to be the one to tell him that he's ready that he can accomplish his dream?!" Clair argued back.

" It wasn't by luck, surely you have noticed his determination to prove you wrong with the resonation technique showing itself!" Crystal said to Clair's realization.

" That was also a fluke and to prove it, my grandfather will test his worth and so many trainer even myself had failed!" Clair said.

" If Ethan succeeds, you better apologize!" Crystal ends the conversation and flashback.

" That girl really knows how to piss me off when she's right." Clair thought as he tears drop on Gold's shoulder.

Gold and Clair let go of each other and Clair reaches for her pocket to retrieve Gold's rightful badge.

" You have earned this truly, Ethan, take it." Clair extends her badge in hand towards Gold.

Gold reaches and takes the badge but Clair cups his hand with her other hand and pulls Gold in to kiss his cheek to his greatest surprise.

Okay everyone choose a side, Team Clair or Team Crystal?