"Red" - Person Talking
"Red" - Person Thinking
"Red" – Pokemon Talking
"Red" - Pokemon Thinking
And here is a sudden new chapter. Let's a go.
Requisition - Chapter 3
The days had passed like a blur, the grounds south of Driftveil City bustling as a multitude of various vendors, stall operators, entertainment companies and officials from the Pokemon League rushing about as they tried to get the last minute accommodations situated before the start of the tournament in the coming days. With only four days left before the public was allowed to wander the grounds, every detail needed to be perfect. While the main event was no doubt the tournament that involved battling, there were two other events that were going to take place after the Pokemon World Tournament, the Pokemon Showcase World Finale and Pokemon Contest World Festival.
The two events would follow the Pokémon World Tournament, which served two very important purposes. One was its main purpose, to allow the best of the best to compete for the respective titles of World Diva and World Coordinator. The second was to allow the tournament staff to ensure that everyone who participated, watched and enjoyed the intense battling of the tournament before would have a chance to relax and enjoy the more spectacular and showy side of Pokemon as opposed to the intense battling of the days prior.
Unlike the World Finale and World Festival, which only had the best of the best who had qualified through their respective regions by making Master Class or entering the Grand Festival, the World Tournament was open for trainers who made it to their respective leagues or had a sponsor along with a Professor's recommendation. With the number of battlers nearly tripling the number of performers and coordinators, it was almost necessary for the first few days to help direct the flow of trainers before the tournament could begin, hence the scrambling of the event staff and director recommendations for trainers to register early.
While it was a requirement for Gym Leaders, Elite Four members, special facility trainers and Champions to register before the tournament began due to the possibility of clogging the grounds with their fans, other trainers had until the day of the tournament if they were qualified to enter, though it was discouraged due to possible complications of the seeding and bracketing. But for those high profile trainers, they could all be seen wandering the bustling grounds, filtering in and out of shops and were energetically up and about, chatting with their fellow Gym Leaders, Elite Four members, Frontier Brains and Champions as they caught up with one another.
"Oh my gosh, Erika! How are you!" The ever cheerful voice of Gardenia shouted as she raced to hug the kimono-clad young lady, Erika offering her a light laugh as she returned the greeting.
"I see that you're energetic as ever, Gardenia. I'm doing fine, thank you for asking." Erika replied as Gardenia grinned, the two falling into a bit of light conversation as they caught up with the other.
"Brock, Roark, Byron; it's good to see you two again. Any news about new fossil Pokemon?" The curious voice of Grant asked as he met up with the rock and steel Gym Leaders, the four quickly falling into a round of gossip as they laughed and pointed towards the form of Steven Stone.
"Winona! It's really great to see you!" The bright voice of Skyla chirped as the ever graceful smile of Winona crossed her face, moving the hold the hands of her fellow flying type specialist as they chatted about their new companions.
"You could go and try talking with them. I hear they're still single." Morty quipped with a mirthful tone, Falkner feeling his cheeks heat as he scoffed and stomped away.
"He seriously needs a chill pill, he's always so uptight." Brawly added as Chuck chuckled beside him, shaking his head as he slung his arm around the younger man's shoulders.
"It'll take more then that, Brawly. Trust me, don't find a woman like my wife just anywhere you know." Chuck threw in as Brawly laughed wryly, Bruno and Marshall deciding to throw in their two cents as the poor Hoenn Gym Leader became the subject of teasing.
"Liza, Tate; I see that the two of you are shining as brightly as ever." Olympia said with a gentle smile on her face, the twins grinning as they eagerly relayed the fruits of their training to the older woman.
"Clair, Lance; why you two just keep growing up don't you! Have you two been eating enough? Haa... Knowing my brother and sister, they most likely haven't been feeding you two enough, you poor things!." Drasna lamented as she hugged her niece and nephew, the two feeling their cheeks darken when the woman doted on them.
"A-Aunt Drasna, please! We're both adults now!" Clair chided her in a respectful but embarrassed manner, Lance laughing wryly as he knew how much of a worrywart their aunt was.
"Howdy Miss Bertha, I hope the flight wasn't too tough on ya." Clay asked as he greeted the Elite Four member, getting a chuckle from the woman as she shook her head.
"Not at all, Clay. Old as I am, a little bit of flying isn't going to pull down this old girl." She said as the Gym Leader shared in her laughter, the two heading towards the hotel as he offered to carry her bags.
Seeing their region's respective Gym Leaders and Elite Four members getting along, the Champions had smiles on their faces as they watched the grounds. Lance of Kanto was preoccupied with keeping Drasna from sharing the multitude of embarrassing stories that she had on Clair and himself. Lyra and Ethan, considered the 'Twin Champions' of Johto due to the back and forth battles for the title they shared with the other, were trying to find their way to their hotel, arguing over the directions their Pokegear were giving them.
Steven of Hoenn was dragged into the conversation of Brock, Grant, Roark and Byron as they grilled him for any new discoveries in the field of fossil and rock Pokemon. Cynthia of Sinnoh and Diantha of Kalos had left the Pokémon World Tournament grounds to find an ice cream shop, joined by Whitney, Flannery, Candice, Lucy, Dahlia, Phoebe, Caitlin, Shauntal, Korrina and Valerie. Hilbert of Unova was conversing with Cheren and Bianca, a grin on his face as he caught up with his old friends.
"Ash, hurry up! We're going on ahead to register!" The voice of May called out towards the young man staring with shining eyes at the various familiar and famous faces of the Pokémon World Tournament grounds, Ash shouting back at her in the affirmative as he ran to catch up.
"Sorry May, but you have to admit that it's pretty awesome! I'm seeing so many Gym Leaders again that I can't help but say hi! Isn't that right, buddy?" Ash added as two sighs and a giggle returned to him and Pikachu, Dawn and May shaking their heads while Serena smiled at the pair.
"Well we need to hurry! I wanna check out the contest hall! I hear that Lisia and Wallace are going to participate in the World Festival!" Dawn gushed in an eager tone, May sharing her sentiments as Serena grew a anxious to reach registration for her own Pokemon Showcase competition.
"I heard that Diantha might be considering entering the Showcase, just imagining it makes me nervous!" Serena groaned as the memory of the beautiful Champion still stuck to her mind, her companions laughing wryly as they quickened their pace.
Quickly the four teens and Pokemon rushed to the booths, greeting the familiar faces that they passed and spotted. Making it without issue, spotting the rather large line of the World Tournament's registration booth, they offered Ash and Pikachu a wry smile as they moved to their own respective lines. As he stood in his line with his partner, a number of voices drew Ash's attention before his eyes widened upon spotting his childhood rival, Gary, along with a taller doppelgänger and a vaguely familiar brunette.
"Gary! Over here!" The raven haired teen called out, Pikachu waving his arms as the researcher blinked in surprise.
"Ashy Boy and Pikachu! It's been a while, how are you two!" Gary greeted the pair with a smile on his face, the two sharing a handshake as they caught up.
"Course! You think I'd miss this? The best of the best will be here! The fact my cousin and his childhood friend are even entering means something big is gonna happen!" Gary reported as he thumbed to the lookalike behind him, getting a raised brow from him before he shook his head.
"Still a kid no matter what, Gary. Don't know how auntie and uncle deal with you." Blue muttered in a tired tone, Gary feeling his brow twitch as glared at the taller man.
"Come'on Blue, we're here for one reason. Once we find him, I clock him, you bag him and we run." Leaf muttered in a dangerous tone, Blue shivering slightly as he uttered a silent prayer to his rival before a flash of realization crossed his face.
"Oh right, name's Blue, this guy's older cousin by four years. This here is Leaf, an old friend of mine." Blue said as he held out a hand towards Ash, the young man returning the handshake as Leaf beamed a smile at him that vastly contrasted her darker statement from earlier.
"So are you three here for the tournament?" Ash asked as he tried to guage his possible rivals, Pikachu sharing that sentiment as Blue and Leaf stared at them like they had seen the sight before.
"Mhmm, I'm no trainer anymore but I got more then enough credentials to enter! My Pokemon haven't been doing nothing these past few years you know!" Gary answered with a cocky grin on his face, Ash returning it as a familiar flame sparked between them.
"Yeah, lets let these kids enjoy their little rivalry." Blue sighed as Gary and Ash shot him a glare, Ash soon blinking as he tried to recall the man.
"Say, Blue, you're the Gym Leader of Viridian City, right?" The raven haired youth asked as Blue nodded in confirmation, a bit confused at the expression on the young man's face.
"Why weren't you the one I battled when I challenged the gym?" Ash asked in a curious tone, Blue mulling over the thought as Gary snapped his fingers in realization.
"That's right! The year we were heading out on our journey, weren't you trying to challenge Lance or something?" Gary asked as Ash's eyes widened when the realization he was talking with a Champion ranked trainer hit him, Blue snorting as he shook his head in the negative.
"Nah, there was an issue in Johto Leaf and I had to take care of on behalf of Gramps. There was a replacement from the league that specialized in ground types that covered me for the couple of months I left, so they're the one you two probably battled." He explained as the two nodded their heads, the three falling into light conversation as Leaf fiddled with her PokeNav in an anxious manner.
(Time Skip - Half an Hour Later)
"So, any issues while you guys were registering?" Ash asked as May, Dawn and Serena joined Pikachu and himself at a small cafe, getting shakes of the heads as they lightly and excitedly chatted about the coming events.
"I just can't wait to watch you battle Ash! I heard something super exciting while Dawn and I were in line!" May said in an excited tone, drawing the attention of everyone as she laughed before pointing towards the facility.
"There's a rumor floating around of a "phantom trainer" who's going to be attending the World Tournament!" Dawn added as the energy the four were feeling began to rise in anticipation, the young teens falling into theories of who it could be.
"Oh yeah, where's Max, May? And have you heard from Bonnie or Clemont, Serena?" Ash asked with a curious tone, having not heard from the three in a little over a year.
"Oh, Max is going to be here when my mom and dad get here! He was really bummed out he didn't get a official qualification like we did, but he's taking part in the tournament with Professor Birch and our dad as a sponsor." May explained as Ash grinned at the thought of finally battling the youth, Pikachu sharing his sentiments as he cried out in delight.
"I think Bonnie is coming here with Clemont, though they may be a day or two away since she was coming back from Ambrette Town. I heard that she's become quite the trainer, Clemont and Professor Sycamore are sponsoring her entry into the tournament!" Serena reported as Ash blinked a bit dumbly at the revelation, though that was met with excitement once more as the memory of the energetic blonde returned.
Seeing him so full of energy and excitement drew slight laughs from the three young ladies, finding it a bit infectious as they joined in. Chatting about the possible encounters they could face, the four were soon talking strategies only for May and Dawn to pause and glance at each other. A bit of lightning dancing between them, their lips twitched before a fit of giggles broke out between the two. Watching with mirthful eyes, Ash, Pikachu and Serena humored and egged on the two, to their chagrin, an amiable and enjoyable mood taking hold.
(Scene Change - Driftveil City: Vanilluxe Grand Hotel)
"Sheesh, the first we talk in almost fifteen years and you blackmail me? You haven't changed a bit, Scarlet." A silver haired woman muttered in a tired tone, the raven haired beauty sitting across from her giggling as she sipped on her tea.
"Well you did say that you'd 'owe me one' if I helped you get the flame back before your father found out. Don't make promises that you can't keep, Nicole. But honestly, thank you for helping me, I really appreciate it." Scarlet said with a teasing tone before it turned a tad somber, drawing a surprised look from her old friend before a smile marred her own face.
"Don't worry about it, Scarlet. It's what friends are for, remember? Though, if you could tell me, why enter the tournament? We retired a long time ago, haha." The silver haired woman asked as the crimson eyed woman before her grinned in response, staring out the window of her hotel suite as a loving smile crossed her face.
"There's someone in the tournament I have to battle, no matter what." She whispered as Nicole blinked as she tried to figure out who it was, Scarlet merely giggling as she offered more tea to her long time friend.
"Hmm... if it's not me and your husband is still overseas, then I have no idea..." Nicole mulled in a confused tone, Scarlet happily sipping on her tea as a mischievous glint shone in her eyes as she stared over the city.
"Now. Let's see just how much stronger you've gotten, Red. Ufufu, I just cant wait my little Charmander!"
(Scene Change - Driftveil City: Vanillite Ice Cream Shop)
"Haa, is this heaven?" Whitney asked no one in particular as she swallowed another mouthful of vanilla ice cream, her companions sharing her sentiments as they sampled the many bowls of the frozen dairy treats the lined their table.
Cynthia, Diantha, Whitney, Flannery, Candice, Lucy, Dahlia, Phoebe, Caitlin, Shauntal, Korrina and Valerie were sitting at a large table happily tasting the many different flavors that the shop had to offer. With so many famous, not to mention beautiful, faces sitting at one place, it wasn't a surprise that a few of the more braver or foolish ventured to join them in their little slice of paradise. But cold eyes and sharp words were all that they were met with as many left with slumped shoulders and broken spirits. This scene repeated as the fourteenth young man tried to sneak in to sit with the group of ladies, being met with rejection once more. Soon enough, with the crowd parted and exited when a particularly cutting quip from Caitlin and Lucy left the parlor empty with the exception of the twelve ladies.
"Couldn't you two have put that a tad more politely?" Valerie asked in a rhetorical manner, getting sickly sweet smiles from the pair as the others giggled and laughed in turn.
"Sometimes it really doesn't pay to be famous. Though I can only imagine how it must feel being Cynthia or Diantha." Phoebe mulled as all eyes fell on the two, getting two raised brows at their attention.
"Oh? And what do you mean by that?"
"I'm also curious about that statement."
Cynthia and Diantha asked in curiosity as the ten other ladies just laughed at the pair, the two growing more confused as they poured slightly at the unfair treatment they were being faced with. Managing to catch her breath, Dahlia grinned as she pointed between the pair, the two blinking as they looked between each other.
"It's because your both single, young, Champions and hot! Cynthia is practically the idol that all aspiring female trainers look up to while Diantha is a movie star that almost everyone knows about! You two are in a totally different league then us regular girls!" She stated as the others nodded sagely at her words, the pouts on the faces of the two deepening at their assessment.
"Ah, Come'on ladies, we're practically on vacation here. Titles, status, all that junk we can get back to when we go back home. So let's just enjoy things for what they are now!" Flannery threw in as Korrina, Candice and Shauntal gave a cheer of agreement, the others reluctantly sighing before smiling as they felt the tension and expectations on them fade for the time being, being able to simply enjoy being regular trainers once more.
That peaceful atmosphere was soon broken when the door to the shop that had remained closed for the past ten minutes finally opened once more. Sighing, they turned and saw a capped young man heading towards them, growing a bit irritated that they would have to spend the energy to tell him off when he spoke to them. Taking a breath to ready themselves, they were about to reject his advances and rebuttal his comments when he simply walked past them without sparing a glance.
The act causing them blink, they turned and followed him as he headed to the counter. The storekeeper offering him a bright smile, they conversed out of earshot as he pointed to a tub, the employee nodding her head as she quickly scooped a large spoonful of 'Cookies and Cream' flavored ice cream, placing it into a colorful and cute cup before handing it to the man. Getting a soft smile that caused her face to explode in red, he offered her an equally soft 'thank you' while handing her a few Pokedollars.
Smiling brightly, she was about to hand him his change when he shook his head, pointing to the 'Tips' jar as she blinked before smiling softer and offering him a few words of gratitude. Taking a packaged spoon and napkin, he turned to leave the establishment only to pause when he passed by the table occupied by the women who had watched the entire exchange. Turning his head slightly, they froze and felt their breaths hitch when a heavy pressure found itself on their souls as his crimson eyes settled on them.
The feeling they were experiencing brought them back to their youths as fledgling trainers, the long forgotten sensation of an overwhelming opponent the likes of which they couldn't possibly overcome. The feeling was only felt more intensely by Diantha and Cynthia, the two having reigned as Champions for far longer then their predecessors. They watched silently as he scanned each of them, his crimson eyes seeming as though they weren't looking at them but through them, like he was assessing whether or not they were worth his attention. As he shifted to Cynthia and Diantha, his gaze lingered a tad longer before he turned to continue out of the ice cream shop. As soon as he turned, the heavy pressure that they felt vanished, the mysterious youth along with it.
The door closing with a soft jingle, the ladies let the breaths that they were holding loose, a few beads of sweat marring their faces at the rather tense and unnerving exchange they were a part of. Shakily, Whitney turned to her companions with slightly teary eyes as the man's gaze seemed to affect her much more then the others, barring Flannery as the the Hoenn Gym Leader shared the pink haired young lady's sentiments to a lesser extent.
"Who was that..?" Caitlin asked no one in particular, wiping away the beads of sweat on her face while she tried to ease her frazzled nerves.
"I don't know, but I kinda wanna find out." Candice said in a dreamy manner, a tinge of pink on her cheeks as the others looked at her with wide eyes.
"You're telling he's your type?" Whitney asked in an incredulous tone, Candice's cheeks darkening as she looked away.
"He did have a mysterious and cool aura to him now that I think about it." Shauntal added as her own cheeks gained a pink hue, Phoebe sharing it as the ghost experts quickly gushed with Candice about the man.
"Did you feel it, Cynthia?" Diantha whispered to her fellow Champion in a breathless tone, the blonde nodding her head as the two felt a fire light in their hearts that they had long forgotten.
"I did... And I'm not giving it up." She replied with a sharp tone, her fellow Champion having a challenging glint shine in her eyes as they continued with their conversation.
With Red, the young man didn't mean to be so rude to the ladies in the ice cream shop; but hearing that they were rather rude to the people gathered outside gave them an unfavorable light to the man. But when he saw them in person, he could see that they weren't rude per say, more frustrated then anything despite their scalding stares. Behind those stares, however, he could see their prowess as trainers. All of them had a powerful air to them, more so the two women who weren't as engaged in the groups conversation and more into their ice cream.
"Looks like things will be fun." Red whispered softly with a gentle smile crossing his face, heading back to the forest on the outskirts of Driftvieil City.
Ten minutes quickly passed as Red saw the familiar scene of his campsite, a simple setup with a small fire pit, a log serving as a chair and sleeping bag denoting that the small clearing was occupied. Scanning the grounds, he saw nothing out of the ordinary as he moved to sit down and enjoy his ice cream. Taking a spoonful of the frozen dairy treat, he had a soft smile grace his face as the delightful sweet and savory dessert melted on his tongue. Growing comfortable, Red debated releasing his Pokemon when a sudden small cry sounded from the woods.
Snapping his head towards the direction of the cry, he narrowed his eyes before placing his dessert on the log. Moving quickly to the last known direction of the sound, he sharpened his senses, honed on the hellish summit of Mt. Silver. Slowly slightly, he paused when a number of shuffling sounds caught his attention, the crimson eyed youth heading towards a particularly dead section of forest as the sight of a number of bug Pokemon caught his eyes.
Huddled around something most likely hiding in a tree an Ariados and Scolipede were leading a small group of their pre-evolved forms, chittering in a mischievous and vile manner as they assaulted the tree with a number of blows. When they did, a pained and frightened cry left the hollow tree as the bug Pokemon seemed to revel in the sound. The sight drawing a look of anger on the normally gentle and passive face of the young man, Red moved into towards the group as they turned to look at him.
Upon seeing him, the bug Pokemon theses before relaxing when they saw him standing alone before them. Growing a bit curious, they were silent as they observed him, Red merely pointing to the tree as they alternated to look between the two points of interest. A sudden look of realization passing through the leaders of the group, they turned to glare at the human before it as Red returned it without hesitation. With the same lack of hesitation he was showing them, they fired off a warning shot of Sludge Bomb as the trainer merely looked at them with unconcealed contempt.
Wordlessly, he released his team as an ear-splitting series of roars forced the minds of the bug types to stall. Fear instantly filling their bodies, they tried to escape only for their bodies to be bound to their places with an overwhelming amount of psychic power. Their eyes filled with a barely restrained amount of rage, Espeon and Mewtwo were forcibly holding themselves back from shattering the minds and bodies of the trash that dared strike their beloved trainer.
The sentiment was shared by their fellow teammates, Charizard having a visible shroud of heat emanating from his body while Pikachu was electrifying the very ground with the amount of hateful electricity he was unconsciously letting loose. Venusaur has already gathered a large amount of solar energy and had fixed it upon the frozen bug types, Blastoise and Genesect training their cannons on their still forms as a visible hum of power sounded from within them. Snorlax had a hateful expression on his normally content face, anger radiating off his body Iike a haze. Tyranitar and Hydreigon were barring their teeth as a pair of hateful snarls left their mouth, their bodies glowing as they readied energy for the impending destruction of the trash before their eyes.
Without a word, Red walked towards the tree where soft whimpering could be heard emanating from. The bodies of Ariados and Scolipede preventing him from passing, his psychic types remedied the issue when they slammed their bodies to the side of the tree, pained cries leaving them as they struggled to resist the otherworldly force being applied to their bodies. With them out of the way, Red felt his anger slowly grow when he saw the telltale signs of a Toxic and Poison Sting assault on the occupant of the hollowed out tree. When he finally was able to peek inside of the tree, he blinked and activated his Pokédex as he carefully moved to extract the trembling Pokemon within.
It was a small white Pokémon with purple on its bottom half while its upper half was white. It has white arms and long, notched ears, and a blue tail. It had a rounded red "crown" on its head, its eyes that were snapped closed in fright opening in horror to reveal the deep blue of their color. As if it were a lifeline, the tiny Pokemon was holding onto a slightly wilting and discolored white, borderline gray flower, seemingly shielding it from any further damage, the flower having six petals as opposed to the usual five that the photo in Red's Pokedex displayed. Though, the flower the tiny Pokemon was holding seemed completely foreign to the young man. Of the six petals of the flower there were three that were large and triangular and three that were smaller and seemed like regular petals. The stem was equally sickly gray and leafless, and the stigma pale and conical.
"Flabébé, are you ok?" Red asked in a soft and worried tone, the trembling Pokemon shakily raising its head to glance up at the crimson eyed man.
At the sight of his eyes, their color instantly set of alarm bells as the small Pokemon shrieked in fear. Snapping its eyes shut, it gathered what little energy it had left before a sparkly pink mist started to shroud it. A desperate cry leaving its mouth, the small fairy type let loose an extremely underpowered Fairy Wind that rustled the hair of the crimson eyed man. Red blinking in confusion at what had just transpired, though he soon had a small smile cross his face as he gently cupped the trembling Pokemon in his hands.
"Don't worry, you're safe now." He told the shaking fairy in an equally gentle tone, Flabébé hesitantly looking back at the man as he headed back towards his team.
The sight of such titans slowly growing closer and larger, the tiny Pokemon felt its heart nearly stop when it took in their ferocious expressions. Gulping as it found no alternative but to trust that the human handling it would pull through on his flowery words, Flabébé remained silent and as still as possible as they stopped in front of the still snarling titans. The sight of their trainer returning unharmed quelling a small portion of their anger, Red shook his head as they reluctantly released the trash that disrespected him. The formerly frozen Pokemon being out of the firing line, they scampered away to safety as Red returned to his camp with his team in tow.
Arriving shortly, Red set down the still frozen Flabébé onto the log that functioned as his chair, moving aside his now melted ice cream, while motioning for his team to give the petrified Pokemon a bit more space. Seeing him able to control such titans and watching them follow his commands with such respect, the tiny Pokemon looked up at the man before it with curious but cautious eyes as he smirked slightly at the sight.
"Having survived in a foreign region all by yourself, you're a strong one, aren't you?" Red asked as the fairy seemed to flush a bit at the statement, though it soon shook its head as it hugged the wilting flower it was holding tighter.
"I see. It does say that you chose a flower to live In and care for the day you're born, I can only imagine how it must feel to see the flower you choose in such poor condition." He continued in a soft tone, Flabébé nodding its head with tears in its eyes, Red smiling softly at the tiny Pokémon's sense of responsibility and pride.
"Venusaur, could you help out Flabébé?" He turned to ask the grass titan beside him, a rumble of confidence leaving the behemoth's mouth as he sauntered over.
"Don't worry, if anyone can help, it's my good friend Venusaur." He explained to the shaken Pokemon when it saw the titan approach, turning to look at Red before softly shaking its head as it choose to trust his words once more.
As Venusaur stopped before the trembling Pokemon, Flabébé hesitantly held out its flower towards the grass behemoth. The sight of it showing such care and concern for the flower being offered towards it brought a warmth and respect for the tiny fairy, Venusaur gently taking the flower while gently reassuring Flabébé. Feeling the life of the flower beat so dimly was a stark contrast to the overwhelming desire to live that the wilted plant exuded, Venusaur having a smile grace his features as he called upon the life of nature that rested within his body. A gentle green glow shrouding his body, the petals of his flower started to gather the energy of the sun as he poured the generated energy into the flower.
Watching with wide and shining eyes, Flabébé was staring in awe at the seemingly impossible act that Venusaur was performing, breathing life back into the wilting flower it had so desperately tried to keep alive for the weeks it was brought to this foreign land. The behemoth was rejuvenating and restoring the life of the flower as easily as it drew breath, Flabébé slowly likening the grass type as a literal incarnation of nature as the once sickly gray flower shone with a pure radiance that would make the whitest of marble pale in comparison. The act of restoring the flower done, Venusaur gently handed the flower back like the gentleman he was, Flabébé breathlessly taking it back as a rush of energy surged trough its tiny body.
A soft gasp leaving its mouth, it was replaced with a cheerful and energetic cry as the tiny Pokemon flew and danced around with a seemingly infinite amount of energy. The sight drawing a smile from everyone, Venusaur was patted on his body by Charizard, Pikachu, Snorlax and Blastoise; the behemoth snorting as Flabébé stopped in front of his face. A hue of pink coloring its face, the fairy bowed its head towards him in gratitude as Venusaur rumbled a soft sound of acceptance. Turning to Red, it moved to repeat the action as Red smiled in a small but radiant manner, drawing a deeper flush as it returned the smile.
"You know, would you like to come with us? I can't imagine it's fun or safe being alone somewhere you aren't familiar with. If not, we'll take you somewhere you can be safe, I heard that there's a meadow where flowers bloom year round we can take you to." Red asked as the tiny Pokemon snapped to stare at him with wide eyes, looking around before hesitantly pointing towards itself.
"Yeah, you. I think we could all benefit from having someone as strong as you on our team." Red said as he gestured to his teammates, getting cries of agreement as Venusaur nodded his head with a toothy grin on his face.
Growing pink with both embarrassment and humility, the fairy quickly ducked its head before it rose it to lock gazes with Red. A slovenly and teary smile crossing its face, Flabébé nodded its head as the crimson eyed man smiled gently at its expression. Taking an empty Pokeball, he held it out towards the tiny Pokemon as it softly tapped on the center button. A flash of light and red energy soon enveloped the fairy type before shaking briefly, a soft click sounding as the capture was finished without fail. Quickly releasing his new teammate, he ran through introductions as Flabébé's new family welcomed her with open arms.
(Time Skip - Four Days Later)
As the message played over the numerous loudspeakers littered across the grounds, the excitement that was already present over the area only grew as people excitedly moved to the locations of their loved ones and friends. The bustle of vendors offering their wares, children laughing and playing and Pokemon crying and cheering; the Pokémon World Tournament was in full swing as trainers moved to their assigned stadiums.
Standing in the lobby of 'Stadium A', Red was standing in line for the counter as he looked at the display showing the images of the trainers of his block. Inwardly, he had a wry smile as Professor Oak failed to upload or attach a photo to the 'Writ of Challenge' he had given to the crimson eyed man. As he was called up to the counter, he handed the rolled piece of paper to the staff member tending to it as they unrolled and scanned its contents. Slowly, their eyes widened as they saw the unmistakable and unique seal the Professor of Kanto granted to only the most important of documents.
Snapping her head to stare at the man before her, she swallowed a bit when she realized that the Professor, unlike those of the other regions, hadn't sponsored anyone but this one trainer. Quickly adding their name to the seeding bracket, Red was placed rather low despite the writ and recommendation, though he found no problem with it. Once finished, she beamed a slightly anxious smile at him that he returned with a soft one of his one, causing the poor staff member to flush a storm at the contrast between his rather intimidating appearance and gentle expression. Despite not having a photo to use, Red was given a placeholder image, which was simply his name on a plain background.
Excusing himself after thanking the staff member, he took a seat and activated his Pokédex. Scanning the faces that passed on the display, he was glad that he was able to catch a bit of insight into their history and abilities. While most of them were accomplished trainers, there were a few that had a bit more unique qualities to them, namely things unrelated to Pokemon such as family ties and hobbies. As he continued to read on the trivia regarding his fellow trainers, he soon turned to the multi-display screen as the first set of battles finally began.
(Scene Change - Pokémon World Tournament: Stadium H)
"Ash is battling guys, hurry up!" The excited voice of Max called out as he rushed to get a front row seat, thanking the fact it wasn't a high profile match for his luck in finding one.
"Easy Max, we've got time! No need to rush when they haven't even entered the field yet!" May countered as Dawn, Serena, Clemont, Bonnie and herself followed behind him, the brunette flushing a bit at the snickers and giggled being sent the young trainer's way.
"Ah, Dawn! Are you here for Ash's battle?" A voice called out to the bluenette, her eyes widening as a smile crossed her face at the voice.
"Iris! It's so good to see you again!" The blue haired girl gushed as they shared a hug, the scene drawing a few curious stares from the others as they turned to face them.
"Ah! Guys, this is Iris! She travelled with Ash along with a guy named Cilan when he was in Unova! Speaking of that, where is Cilan?" Dawn explained as they group smiled at her, Iris returning it as she pointed towards a large looking hotel in the city.
"He's helping out at that hotel, something about owing them a thing or two. He'll be here for Ash's next battle!" Iris reported as Dawn nodded, motioning for her to sit as they shared introductions.
Soon, the group and the crowd grew quiet when the gates on the opposite sides of the stadium ground opened. Cheers soon followed when the forms of two trainers could be seen making their way to their respective spots, Ash's friends cheering loudly as he bashfully waved at them along with Pikachu. He soon flushed deeper when The ever cheerful and loving voice of his mother and Gary's teasing tone called out to him, the capped youth soon standing across from his opponent as the referee nodded in confirmation.
"Good luck Ash, may the better trainer win!" Dazon said with a smile on his face, Ash returning it as he fixed his cap.
"You too, Dazon! Let's have a great match!" Ash returned as the crowd cheered at their sportsmanship, the referee sharing it as he smiled at the pair.
"This will be a three on three battle, between Ash of Pallet Town and Dazon of Mauville City, substitutions are allowed and the match will be concluded when all of one's Pokemon are unable to battle. The pairing system has declared that the red trainer release their Pokemon first, but with that the red trainer may choose the battlefield for this match." He stated as Dazon nodded his head, pulling out a Pokeball before mulling over the choice of terrain.
["And here it is folks! While releasing their Pokemon first is usually a disadvantage for any trainer, being able to choose where they battle is usually enough to make up for the loss of surprise! Let's see what Dazon has to say for the battlefield!"]
"This is new, you get to choose the field you battle on?" May asked with a surprised tone, voicing Serena and Dawn's question to the others.
"Yes and no, May. Only for the preliminary rounds will they allow for a choice before it turns random for the intermediate and final rounds. It's to allow the League Officals to guage how trainers use it to their advantage when they're forced to select a Pokemon first. It's more of a trail thing then anything, really." Iris explained as the others nodded, though Max and Bonnie were shaking with excitement at the oncoming battle.
"Say, what's special about Ash's opponent?" The young blonde asked as Max grinned, pulling out a thick notebook as he flipped through its pages.
"Dazon, it says here that he's an Elite Four challenger that was knocked out by the second Elite Four member, Phoebe, during his first run! Since then he's been training for a rematch, a lot of people saying that he'll be a top contender for champion if he keeps on training!" Max concluded as the others laughed a bit wryly at his enthusiasm, turning back to the field when he nodded in confirmation.
"A rock field!" Dazon called out as the referee nodded, imputing a few keys into the device on his wrist as the plain field before them shifted to a rock filled one.
"Now, Rhydon, let's go!" Dazon said as he released the rock type, Rhydon letting a heavy roar resound as Ash went for his own Pokeball.
"Torterra, I choose you!" The capped young man shouted as Torterra let out a roar of its own, the two Pokemon staring each other down.
["Dazon has chosen Rhydon while ash chooses Torterra! Let's see how these trainer fare now folks!"]
"Quick, Rhydon use Flamethrower!" Dazon ordered as Rhydon let loose a stream of flames, Ash's eyes widening as he called out to Torterra.
"Use Stone Edge to block it!" He shouted as Torterra let out a cry of confirmation, it's eyes glowing blue as it build up energy.
Raising its right leg, the Continent Pokemon brought it down as a slight tremor rocked the area. Soon a spire of stone surged from the ground in front of the grass-ground type, Rhydon's Flamethrower clashing against the newly formed rock formation as Dazon ordered it to cease the stream and get close to use Hammer Arm. Ash seeing that ordered Torterra to counter with Wood Hammer. Rhydon's arm glowing white it stopped short of Torterra, who's tree was glowing green, as the two collided with one another. A heavy impact resounding with a cloud of dust covering their forms, the audience waited with baited breath as it settled, seeing Rhydon on its back, unconscious.
"Rhydon is unable to continue, Torterra is the winner." The referee called as Dazon recalled his Pokemon, thanking it as he readied another Pokeball.
["Amazing folks! In a titanic clash, Torterra managed to take out Rhydon with a single attack! What else does Ash have in store for us? Can Dazon recover from this setback?"]
"Whoa, Ash's Torterra has gotten a lot stronger since I've seen it!" Dawn commented as the grass-ground type roared in victory, the others choosing to believe her words as they stared at the Pokemon.
"Well Rhydon is part rock and part ground type, that Wood Hammer was super effective against both of its typings. Combine that with Torterra's power and you got yourself a clean KO!" Bonnie explained as Dawn, Serena and May smiled at the explanation though Max looked a bit miffed at having the explaination stolen, Clemont and Iris staring at Torterra with a slight grimace on their faces.
"Here it comes..." Iris muttered as she drew their attention, following her gaze as Torterra soon let out a cry as the recoil from its attack finally struck it.
"Wood Hammer is a strong attack, but it's just as damaging to the user as it is to the opponent. If it was strong enough to knock out Rhydon, it's gotta be hurting Torterra just as much." Clemont whispered with a wince, the others mimicking the act as green static danced on its body.
"You're pretty good Ash! That Torterra of yours is tough!" Dazon called out with a grin on his face, Ash returning it as he turned to his friend.
"Torterra, can you still battle?" Ash asked in a concerned manner, Torterra shaking its head before letting a cry of confirmation out.
"Let's go, Mamoswine!" Dazon shouted as he released his next battler, a powerful cry leaving the mouth of the ice-ground type as Ash and his supporters winced.
"Torterra, Energy Ball!" Ash ordered as Torterra began gathering energy in its mouth, Dazon smirking as he saw the speed of the Pokemon.
"Mamoswine, Ice Shard and make it hurt!" He ordered as Mamoswine roared in turn, quickly building up energy between its tusks.
Before Torterra could build up the required energy for its own attack, Mamoswine was already unleashing a number of pale blue shards of ice. The shards flying fast, they struck the motionless Pokemon in the face as it lost focus and in turn the built up energy in its mouth. Unrelenting was Mamoswine as Torterra was pelted by the ice shards, soon taking no more as it collapsed. Recalling his friend, Ash thanked it before mulling over his next choice.
["And Torterra is down after a powerful Ice Shard attack, looks like it wasn't able to gather enough energy for its Energy Ball! The scores two to two now folks, it could be either of these trainers who moves on!]
"Poor Torterra, wonder why Ash didn't switch it out." Dawn said in a saddened tone, a few nods of agreement at the type disadvantage it had against Mamoswine.
"I think Ash was hoping that Torterra could take advantage of Mamoswine's grass weakness before it went down. It would've payed off if Torterra wasn't as injuried from using Wood Hammer, if I could hazard a guess." Clemont added as the others found it a reasonable answer, though it proved to be a risk that went unrewarded.
"Palpitoad, I choose you!" Ash shouted as he released his next battler, the eager cry of the Vibration sounding as it faced Mamoswine.
"Palpitoad, quick use Hydro Pump!" Ash ordered as Palpitoad took a moment to breathe before unleashing a heavy torrent of water, Mamoswine grunting as the attack connected.
"Mamoswine, stop that Hydro Pump with Ice Beam!" Dazon shouted as his Pokemon grunted in turn, a sphere of blue forming between its tusks before firing a frigid beam of energy.
The beam of ice collided with and clashed against the jet of water, a stalemate forming between the two Pokemon before Dazon decided to break it. Mamoswine following the call to use Bulldoze as it lifted a leg to set off a miniature quake. The shockwave causing Palpitoad to flinch and struggle to regain its footing, it was enough for Mamoswine to get in close for an Ice Fang, it's tusks being shrouded in a thick layer of ice. Bringing its head up, it was about to swing downwards when Ash reacted.
"Scald!" Ash shouted as Palpitoad managed to right itself, working quickly to expel a boiling steam of water towards the ice encased tusks.
The Scald working as Ash had hoped, Mamoswine cried in pain as the ice covering its tusks melted, the behemoth being forced to backpedal as the boiling hot water continued to burn and drench it. Seeing his chance, Palpitoad followed up with a Hydro Pump at Ash's command, the attack landing without obstacle as Mamoswine hit the ground, carried by the powerful torrent of water. Mamoswine fainting, Dazon recalled it as he winced at the turn of events. Sighing, he mustered up a smile as he moved to secure his final battler.
["And Mamoswine is down after a fierce exchange with Palpitoad! Dazon is on his last Pokemon, can he turn this around!"]
"Wow! Palpitoad seems to be in tip top shape!" Iris said with a smile on her face, the others sharing it as they watched Ash praise his friend.
"Haha, well this has been fun, Ash! But I can't go down without a fight! You're my last hope, let's go Camerupt!" Dazon said as he released his final battler, a huff of confidence leaving the Eruption Pokemon as it stared down Palpitoad.
"Sunny Day!" Dazon ordered as Camerupt cried out in confirmation, it's hump glowing before an artificial sun was fired from them.
The orb sailing into the sky, it soon intensified the ambient sunlight as many winced and shielded their eyes from the intense glare. Smiling at the sight, Dazon was about to order his Camerupt to use Solar Beam when Ash beat him to it with a command of his own.
"Supersonic!" Ash ordered as Palpitoad took a lungful of air before unleashing a horrid ultrasonic stream of sound at the fire-ground type, Camerupt soon blinking before thrashing around while Dazon tried to reign it back in.
"Let's finish this, Palpitoad! Use Hydro Pump, full power!" Ash shouted as Palpitoad closed the distance between itself and Camerupt, taking another lungful of air before unleashing a heavy torrent of water.
Though the sun's rays would have weakened the effects of water type moves, being so close to the Pokemon responsible for the weather effect lessened the weakening effect of its attack. The Hydro Pump connecting cleanly, it sent Camerupt to the boundaries of the field, impacting with an outcrop of rock before sliding down, unconscious.
["And there you have it folks! Camerupt is unable to continue! That means that the victor of this match is Ash from Pallet Town!"]
A sigh leaving his mouth, Dazon recalled his companion before flashing Ash a grin, the capped youth returning it after embracing Palpitoad. The field returning to a standard ground field, the two trainers left to their respective sides, one with a skip to his step and the other with slightly slumped shoulders. Arriving in the waiting room, Ash was met with his friends and family as they congratulated him for his first victory. Smiles and laughs sounding in the room, they soon quieted and turned to the display showcasing the other battles when a number of trainer shouted and pointed towards it. Curiosity peaking, they followed the trainer's and scanned the current matches for any anomalies, the group soon growing quiet and wide eyed when they saw a particular battle.
It had been only moments after Red had seen his name appear to head onto the battlefield, the crimson eyed young man drawing curious looks as he silently made his way to his side of the field. Watching him head towards his side were the wide eyed faces of the young ladies who had encountered him earlier in the ice cream shop. The past few days, Candice has been on a witch hunt of sorts trying to find her so called 'prince' with the assistance of a few of her friends, Whitney surprisingly joining as the mysterious allure of the man finally caught up with her. The search turned fruitless however as they failed to find a trace of him, the group heading to their seats in a sullen manner.
Their disappointment was shared, albeit not openly, by Cynthia and Diantha, the two growing a tad anxious that he wasn't here for the tournament after all. The thought nearly drove a stake into their hearts as the thought of not having a chance to battle with him scared them more then they would have liked to admit. But seeing him approach the field instantly alleviated the worries of not just the two of them, but of the ladies who had grown interested of him as well. The same wide eyed expressions could be seen on the faces of a select few, namely those associated with the Kanto Region and the 'Twin Champions' as they gapped at the sight before them. How long has it been since they saw the young man in front of them?
Surge had a wild grin on his face as his Raichu seemed unable to restrain itself from charging the field for a rematch with the rodent who humiliated it all those years ago. Misty, Erika and Sabrina had pink color their cheeks as they remembered those soulful and beautiful ruby colored eyes; the passion and gentleness of them having stolen their hearts when they first battled. Lance was shaking with a barely controlled grin on his face, the aching heart he had for a rematch thought to have been lost resurfacing as Clair and Drasna shot him a curious look. Lyra and Ethan were shouting about a 'phantom trainer' to the utter confusion of those around them. But there were two individuals in particular who looked like they wanted to do nothing more then run down to the field and strangle the man. Blue and Leaf were openly shaking with anger, relief and in Lear's case, love, as they watched him causally make his way down.
"Red you dick! I'm kicking your ass when I get my hands on you!"
"You're in for it, Red! Do you hear me, you're going to wish you never left wherever the hell you were the past ten years when I'm done with you!"
The sight of Leaf and Blue shouting at the display startling the others in the waiting room of Stadium E, the pair were given a wide berth as their fellow trainers inched away from them, the dark aura shrouding them killing any and all desire to ask about their situation. But looking closely, Blue and Leaf could be seen with shaky grins on their faces, eyes teary as they wiped the unshed tears away before they could fall. Turning towards each other, they simply stared before grinning and running towards Stadium A, intent on following through with Leaf's plan.
"You clock him and I bag him, right? Can I clock him too?"
"Please, be my guest!"
With those scary words spoken in such a sickly sweet tone, the pair sprinted towards Stadium A, their poorly hidden smiles spreading as a youthful energy they had thought they lost came rushing back. Soon they found themselves laughing in a nostalgic manner, a fond memory of a similar event with a much shorter duration of separation coming to the forefront of their minds.
With Red, the raven haired youth stood stoically on his side of the battling field. Glancing towards his opponent, he mentally sighed when he saw the unremarkable and basic feats that he had garnered throughout his carrer as a trainer. Though, the sigh slowly melted to annoyance when he saw the arrogance and hubris that was plastered onto his opponent's face. Already knowing what kind of trainer he was about to face, he merely readied himself for the jeers that would do doubt follow.
["Ladies and Gentlemen, let's get on with our next battle! We've got Red from Pallet Town and Clyde of Black City!"]
"Who the heck is Red?"
"We love you Clyde!"
"He's named after a color!"
"Show em what Black City is all about!"
"Don't lose to a nobody like that, Clyde!"
"Wow, the crowd seems kinda on that Clyde guy's side, more so then that Red guy." Dawn said with slight distaste in her tone, obviously not too fond of the jeers sent the trainer's way.
"Do you have anything on either of them, Max?" Serena asked the glasses wearing youth, Max flipping trough his book before nodding.
"I don't have anything on that Red guy, looks unremarkable from what I'm currently hearing though. But that Clyde guy is a real powerhouse, he's another top contender for Champion, it says here that he's one of the top battlers from Black City." Max reported as the others nodded in turn, the group growing a tad curious about the raven haired youth.
Hearing the various cheers and jeers from the crowd, Red felt a good portion of his enegy leave from simply hearing them. Those who knew who he was were grinning with wide smile on their faces as they awaited the inevitable outcome of the match, eagerly awaiting the faces of those who were jeering at him. With just as much trepidation, they leaned forward to see what kind of Pokemon and training he had accumulated over the past decade of his absence.
"This will be a three on three battle between Red of Pallet Town and Clyde of Black City, substitutions are allowed and the match will be decided once all of one's side's Pokemon are unable to continue. With Clyde of the green side being the first to release their Pokémon, please decide on a field!" The referee announced as Clyde grinned, dramatically posing before snapping his fingers.
"An ice and rock field, Ref!" He declared as the referee nodded, inputting a few keys into the device on his wrist before the field opened up and changed.
"Now, Weavile, get ready to win!" Clyde shouted as a small, bipedal Pokemon appeared in a flash of light, crying with confidence as it stared down the opposing trainer.
Wordlessly Red took a Pokeball and released his counter for the opposing Weavile as the crowd grew quiet. With a tiny cry, the diminutive form of Flabébé appeared as it stared around the stadium. Its eyes growing wide, it retreated back into Red's chest as the crowd roared with laughter, gushed with squeals and came to life with the absurd sight before them. Red already knowing that the reaction would be rather unwelcoming, he pushed the noise around him to the back of his mind to comfort the trembling Pokemon.
"I know that it's scary, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't scared either. But I want to see what you can do on your own. You're strong, Flabébé, you've been alone all this time and managed to keep both yourself and your flower alive. I know it's selfish, but can you show me that same power today, ok?" Red asked the fairy who was now staring at him with wide eyes in a soft tone, slowly nodding as pink colored her face at his praise and the sincerity in his words.
Gaining a determined but still anxious face, Flabébé floated back to the battlefield as she tried to ease her frazzled nerves. The sounds around her being nearly deafening for such a shy Pokemon, she shook her head as turned back to look at her trainer, seeing none of the malice, arrogance or dismissal that she was seeing on the faces of a majority of the stadium. Taking a shaky breath, she fixed her eyes on the Weavile before it, trembling slightly when she saw the amused look on its face.
["And we have our first picks for both sides folks! Flabébé for Red and Weavile for Clyde! Based on type advantage, Red's Flabébé has Weavile beat but from what we can see Red's Flabébé is a bit shy!"]
"Really? Alright then, Weavile crush that Flabébé! Ice Beam!" Clyde sneered as he directed his Weavile, the dark-ice type grinning as it formed a blue sphere between its hands.
Once the optimal amount of energy was reached, it thrust its hands out as an icy beam of energy raced towards Flabébé. Quickly growing panicked, it desperately wanted to rush back to the safety and comfort of Red's arms, though it forced itself to reject the tempting thought in favor of proving itself to its trainer. A jerk of its body sent it out of the Ice Beam's path, Weavile frowning as the tiny fairy dodged its attack. It's form being so small, it was a rather tricky target, even for a Pokemon as quick as Weavile.
"Tch. Shadow Claw, and don't give it a chance to dodge!" Clyde ordered with clear irritation in his tone, Weavile crossing its arms before slashing to the side as dark purple energy coated its claws.
A cry of affirmation leaving its mouth, it rushed down the stunned fairy before unleashing a brutal and unrelenting assault against it. Weavile's speed was clearly top notch for its species, Red's eyes staring at the dark-ice type with critical eyes while it tried to strike Flabébé. For the fairy, panic and terror were an understatement for what she was feeling. Never had she faced such a ruthless assault from such a vulnerable position, her tiny size being her only saving grace as she racked her mind for what to do.
With a cry, she had a small pink mist start to form around her before unleashing a Fairy Wind at the attacking Pokemon. Weavile squinting as the sparkly wind brushed across its face, it had to admit it felt its face itch and tingle from the fairy energy that the mist contained. But it had felt stronger attacks from a freshly hatched Caterpie then what the tiny fairy displayed. A growl leaving its throat, it heard its trainer call out for a particular attack as it suddenly grinned, a rich purple coloring its claw as it took a breath.
Releasing a wide ranged Icy Wind, Clyde smirked when he saw the tiny Pokemon start trembling from the frigid winds. If his guess was correct, it would defend that flower with its life, and what kills flowers, the cold. His reasoning was proven to be true when Flabébé hugged her flower tighter to pour more energy into it to avoid having it freeze from the sudden cold. That momentary lapse in focus was exploited when Weavile struck with a devastating Poison Jab, the tiny fairy crying out in agony as Weavile continued to strike it before once final jab sent it flying back.
Pain unlike anything she had felt coursing through her body, Flabébé felt her hands lose their grip on her flower as she hit the ground and rolled a fair distance from it. A weak cry leaving her mouth, humiliation and shame soon flooded her mind as she realized what had just happened. Those feeling were only accompanied by guilt and tears when Weavile stepped on the stem of the flower, sneering as it as it rubbed it into the dirt, bounding back to Clyde in a satisfied manner as he openly mocked the downed fairy.
"That's it!? Haha, I thought this was a tournament for the best of the best, not some place a no name newbie could just walk into! Just give it up man, leave before you embarrass yourself even more, and take that weak thing back with you." Clyde sneered with utter distain in his voice, part the crowd jeering Red while the other looked on with a uncomfortable expression.
["Err, w-well there you have it folks, Flabébé and Red's inexperience seems to have cost them the first battle! Perhaps Red was nervous in his first tournament match to give orders to his Pokemon! Hopefully the newcomer will find his stride!"]
"Ha... Maybe we were expecting too much? The kid I knew wouldn't give a two bit shit like that a single win." Surge asked in a strangely melancholy tone, his eyes hard as he stared at the young man who gave him the battle of his life.
"T-There must be a reason for Red to have lost to such a vulgar opponent! The Red we all know wouldn't have lost a single round to such a person!" Erika adamantly stated, the sentiment shared between the Kanto Gym Leaders as they sat together in their private booth.
"Erika is correct Surge, it seems that Red was merely seeing the abilities of that Pokemon. I have no doubts about his win." Sabrina added in a sure tone, drawing a smirk from Surge as he stared back at the capped youth.
"How dare he... A Flabébé's flower is just as important as its life. To disrespect and trample on it like it were garbage, what a despicable man!" Valerie spat out in a hateful tone that greatly contrasted her benign appearance, her friends looking at her with slightly scared expressions at such a terrifying face on the fairy type expert.
Wordlessly, ignoring the words being thrown at him, Red walked into the battlefield as he gently picked up Flabébé and her flower. Cleaning both of them of the dirt that clung to them, he looked down at the tiny fairy as she hid her face in shame, Red walking back as he merely stoked her head in a gentle and soft manner. Slowly, she turned her head up and felt the dam of tears breaking when she saw the proud and fond smile on the face of her trainer. Who was she, a complete weakling even by standards of her own kind, to be shown such warmth and love?
"You did well." Red whispered to her in a tone that held no room for arguement, Flabébé feeling even worse as she finally let a few tears fall from her eyes.
The sight drawing Red's attention, he smiled softly when he saw her taking the loss as hard as any one of his team. The bitter taste of defeat was essential to becoming stronger. Red surmised that had Pikachu not lost all those years ago to Ethan's Mega Ampharos they would have stagnated to the point it would be laughable. Placing Flabébé into his left hand after handing her back her flower, Red took another Pokeball before releasing the Pokémon who she had taken a shine to the most over the past few days. A flash of light fading from the monstrous of Venusaur as an earth shaking roar rocked the entire stadium.
Silence was what followed as the entirety of the jeers, cheers and chatter ceased upon the sight of the green behemoth. Mouths dropped, eyes widened and sweat dripped when they felt the power and presence that the Pokemon exuded. But it wasn't just Venusaur as Red adjusted his hat, his crimson eyes finally coming into view as a heavy presence fell onto all who stared into their rich pools. It was a harsh contrast, the quiet and meek looking trainer who had just lost a battle without so much as putting up a fight to the frigid and seemingly omnipotent trainer casting a gaze that felt as though he found you unworthy of even being looked at. The first to break from the trance was the announcer, managing to find his voice as he gushed at the scene.
["A-And here we go folks! Red's next Pokemon is a monstrous Venusaur! I didn't think they could even get this big! Let's see if its enough with its type disadvantage against Weavile!"]
"W-Whatever! Ice Beam!" Clyde ordered as Weavile swallowed the lump in its throat as it fired the beam of icy energy at the titan before it, Venusaur merely standing there and tanking the hit with a bored expression on its face.
"My word... I didn't think there was a specimen like that around." The awed tone of Ramos said as he stared at Venusaur, his sentiments shared with his fellow grass experts as Gardenia could be seen barely being held back from jumping over the ledge.
"Let me go! I need to see it up close! I can smell it's aroma from here, just imagine how lovely it smells up close!" She snapped at Candice and Whitney, the two paling at the near superhuman strength she was exhibiting.
"T-That's a Venusaur?" May whispered in a disbelieving tone, her eyes slowly dropping to the Pokeball that contained her own Venusaur.
As the Ice Beam continued to pelt its hide, Venusaur yawned a bit as it turned to look at Red. Almost instantly it's nonchalant expression vanished when it saw the battered form of Flabébé, it's eyes widening as the tiny fairy offered it an equally tiny but shamed smile. But just as soon as it's eyes widened, they narrowed as it turned towards Weavile. Its gaze freezing the dark-ice type, it quickly ceases its attack and bounded back to create distance as Clyde grinned at the reminder of his Pokémon's advantage.
"Ha! What's that thing gonna do if it can't touch Weavile!" He sneered as Weavile blinked before joining in, having forgotten its innate advantage in speed and agility during the beast's entrance.
Red smirked slightly as he could feel Venusaur start to bristle at the blatant insults, even more so when Weavile started joining in as it turned and shook its tail at the titan. Speed wasn't something Venusaur were known for, after all, Red's Venusaur was considerably slower then others of the same species due to his lack of moving on Mt. Silver. But there was more to speed then just moving the body, as Weavile found out when it was suddenly snatched from its supposedly safe spot by Venusaur's vines faster then it or anyone else could comprehend.
The sentiment that was currently shared in the stadium was a resounding 'what' as they tried to grasp what had just happened. Speed and agility was something that Venusaur innately lacked, Red could attest to that as his Venusaur was even less agile then his Snorlax. On Mt. Silver where harassment by Sneasel and Weavile were a constant and a norm, he had to find a way for his team to combat them even when solo.
While everyone could deal with them to some degree, only Venusaur found trouble as he lacked the mobility of the others, coupled with his crippling weakness to ice, it was a match made in hell. But that's when the idea struck him, if his body was slow because of how large he was, when what about Pikachu or Espeon? With their smaller bodies, speed came as easy as breathing to the two.
A small body, a speedier body, a smaller part of itself to match the speed of Pokemon normally able to run circles around it with ease. That's when the idea of using his vines came to fruition. With his vines, matching Pikachu when he wasn't trying was a feat that wasn't impossible but definitely difficult. But in comparison to Pikachu moving at a nice and comfortable pace, the Weavile moving at its max speed before it may as well have been standing still.
"W-What the!?" Clyde shouted Weavile struggled to free itself, Venusaur merely bringing it up before slamming it into the ground without hesitation.
Dust obscured the form of Weavile as everyone gapped at the scene, the debris soon clearing as Weavile's prone form was seen. Recalling his fallen Pokemon, Clyde began sweating as he tried to ease his nerves. Never had he felt something like this before, it was supposed to be an easy win against a no name trainer. Swallowing he called out his next Pokemon as a flash of light soon appeared.
["Weavile is down! That Venusaur looks tough folks, taking an Ice Beam without even flinching! Let's see how Clyde counters!"]
"Excadrill, Dig!" Clyde called out in a nervous tone, the mole-like Pokémon letting a sound of affirmation as it burrowed into the ground.
Red raised a brow as did Venusaur while the green titan merely rose a leg and triggered a devastating Earthquake when he brought it back down. The ice and stone on the field shattered and rumbled as Clyde winced knowing the effect the attack had on Pokemon underground. That sentiment proved to be true when Excadrill managed to surface and promptly passed out when it did.
["Excadrill is down after a heavy duty Earthquake! It seems like Venusaur is unstoppable, ladies and gentlemen! Can Clyde come back from this!"]
The sight drew a strained look from Clyde as he recalled the downed Pokemon. As he gripped his last Pokeball, he loosened his grip before shaking his head. His pride was damaged and he instinctively knew that even with a full team of six, he wouldn't be able to deal with the behemoth in front of him. Lifting his head, he felt his heart freeze when the soul chilling gaze of Red caught his eyes, the young man feeling as though he were lower then dirt in the eyes of the opposing trainer. Shakily, he swallowed the lump in his throat and felt his shoulders slump at the humiliating and wretched thought. Turning around, he silently left the field as the crowd quieted. The sight of such a prominent battler simply giving up wasn't what was expected at such a high level tournament, it wasn't until the announcer spoke that the silence was broken once again.
["I-It would appear that Clyde has forfeited! That means that the victor is Red of Pallet Town!"]
Unlike the other matches, there weren't cheers that followed the announcement of Red's victory. Shock and confusion were all that could be felt from the crowd as they stared with eyes filled with the same emotions at the sight of the mysterious trainer. The initial reaction was that he was a rookie who managed to enter by some miracle, the Flabébé he had utilized being an absolute joke in such a high level tournament. But as soon as it had fainted, his demeanor and air changed.
Gone was a passive and greenhorn trainer and in his place, something that couldn't be described by anyone watching. The air of a Champion, no, it was something much greater that shrouded the man then the simple air of a Champion. The air of a Champion drew anxiety but also intrigue and excitement, the air around Red drew only caution and vigilance, something to stay away from, not strive to become. So, like the silence that followed his victory, as Red thanked and recalled his companions, silence also followed him as he left the battlefield.
Without sparing the crowd a glance, more so for the fact he was terribly bad with crowds, Red entered the waiting room of the lobby without issue. Getting slightly anxious stares by his fellow trainers, he ignored them in favor of getting to the nearest healing station for Flabébé. As he rounded the corner, a nostalgic instinct long forgotten in him rose to the surface. A tingle running down his spine, he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand as he snapped around. His eyes darting back and forth, he failed to catch a glimpse of the two usually responsible for bringing such foreboding feelings to the forefront of his mind. A sigh leaving his mouth at his paranoia, he froze when he felt a pair of cold hands on his shoulders.
"Red! Long time no see ol' pal of mine! We have a lot of catching up to do, now don't we!"
"Oh Red! Where have you been all these years! Oh, we were oh so worried!"
Hearing the sickly sweet and sarcastic voices of his old friends brought a somber smile to the face of the raven haired youth despite knowing how upset they were at him, Red turning around to face the two who had their eyes snapped shut with strained grins on their faces. But seeing his face, the warmth and nostalgia in his eyes and his fond smile, the plan they had concocted fell apart as soon as they were about to execute it. Blue's eyes softening, they misted a bit as he brought the man into a manly half-hug, Red returning it as Blue chuckled. Releasing the brunette, Red turned to the other as Leaf was openly crying with a melting smile on her face, rushing to embrace him as she snuggled deeply into him, taking a deep inhale of its scent as she squeezed him tightly.
"I'm back you guys." Red said in a soft and gentle tone, Blue laughing while Leaf giggled with tears falling from their eyes.
"Took you long enough you god damn idiot!"
"I'm so glad you're back, Red!"
Lost in their own world the trio from Pallet, the prodigies of their generation, shared laughs and tears as they finally were reunited once again, only a decade late. Leaf wrapping her arms around Red's while Blue slung his arm around his shoulders, they headed towards the healing station, sharing stories and tales of the past ten years, intent on catching up as much as possible with one another.
And that's a wrap. Thanks for reading, stay awesome.