Kuraisora

Red ran a gloved finger along the grooves carved into the solid stone door. It felt it could be a foot thick. The astonishing thing about the stone cover was the pulsing blue aura that filled in the intricate line. Stepping back one could see the markings formed a poorly depicted two dimensional Zapdos.

-"Can't I just try again to melt down the door?"- Charizard remarked, standing directly behind Red. He felt better than before thanks to Ember's potions but even then, no medicine was made to bring instant relief. The pain has mostly disappeared but soreness and weariness still gnawed at his muscles. –"Those first few Flamethrowers were warm ups. I could even try to Blast Burn."- His triumphant victory over the Charizard that has plagued his thoughts has left him in quite ecstatic.

He said that no Pokemon could break through this barrier unless they contained power greater than all three Legendary Pokemon together, Red recalled Ember's answer to his question on how to open the locked door.

The door remained unharmed even after a fire assault from Charizard. The aura protected the door, Red determined. He felt the life force move through the door as well as around the entire room Red thought it was protecting. He thought the aura was reminiscent of an aura he has felt before but couldn't figure whose it could be.

It's aura so I have to counterattack with my own aura, Red reminded himself having spent some time concentrating his power into the door. The power he was up against was immense but planned to win through strategy and not by power alone.

Red opened his eyes looking quite haughty. "I found the mechanism keeping this door shut," Red announced his findings acting quite please. A single focal point of aura gathered mysteriously. Red applied his healing aura through the wall. In the healing process, my aura needs to match the target's aura wavelength or else the body will reject his aid.

Red managed to bypass the aura giving security around the door by slipping by as part of its energy. He channeled his aura towards the focal point that drew his attention. He set off the aura that could not only be used for healing but for disoriented aura similar to Lucario's Force Palm.

In silence the security system shut down. The stone vault lost its vivid, ghostly lighting effects, reducing it to a boring old artifact.

"Now, Charizard, crack open this with-"

Rumbling resonated from the same stone blockage. Stone groaning, the ancient door began to slide down, disappearing into the designated space designed for it to retreat to. Dust poured from the top of the cracked doorway as the passage fully opened. The room took a breath of fresh air after being locked for so long.

Red took the first few steps cautiously into the lit passageway. He dusted off the dirt raining on his cap before continuing. Charizard's flame wasn't necessary for the runes and random lines scrupulously carved into the side the wall illuminated with the eerie pulsing blue light.

The end was not to far as yellow light brightened up a room up ahead. Red paid close to attention to where he stepped. His paranoid of ancient booby traps set by an old civilization was well justified for the hallway resembled to the temples depicted in movies.

To his relief, Red made it safely across with no incident. He turn back to see Charizard was close behind him. The battle outside could still be heard with the Pokemon cries and roars bouncing off the side of the hall.

Red grabbed the side of the door and gawked in shock. This room was filled with electricity spluttering everywhere. Illuminating the medium sized room was the Legendary Pokemon Zapdos. Red was prepared to see Zapdos but the rarely seen still Pokemon managed to surprise him.

A sharp click of his beak produced a pained cry. The same blue aura running across the cracks in the walls created a swirling vortex of energy, creating an elaborate bird cage. Zapdos life was sucked out of his body every time the aura force field struck him with a flash of lightning, booming with a loud crackle.

Repeatedly blasted, Zapdos cringed and wailed, not even noticing Red was even there. All the life stolen from its victim, the cage transferred it to the deep sea green jewel the size of a basketball lodged into the ground, directly under Zapdos.

"Charizard, try to Flamethrower the crystal orb under the cage." Red pointed out what he thought to be the source of the torture device created for Zapdos.

-"Not going to end well and you know it,"- Charizard muttered, belching up a crisp Flamethrower. The flames flowed towards the crystal orb and harmlessly passed over it.

The core of the aura prison blinked brighter as it absorbed Charizard's Flamethrower. Charizard aimed his Flamethrower at the cage itself but couldn't pierce the barrier. A flash of lightning from the cage flashed and aura shocked Charizard, draining out his life.

-"Gah. Feels like needles are digging into my nerves,"- Charizard gasped.

Red sought to seek for a switch to turn it off then try and combat the barrier. He followed the glowing walls only to find a certain spot he found quite odd. A hand print design was etched onto the wall in the back of the around. Around to Red's shoulder, the design motioned Red to touched it.

Is this the switch?

Lacking any energy, the hand print lit up when Red touched it with aura flowing through his hand. A ringing sound rang softly but slowly grew louder.

Red stepped. Charizard took a long stride back to watch the magic unfold.

The slabs that made up the temple-like room began to slide open. The bricks receded into the sides to reveal a new opening. Cool air rushed into the room, pushing up the hot, humid air. Thunderous noise filled Red's ears and grew louder as he entered the new area. Zapdos's clamor diminished as he got further away.

A magnificent waterfall was the source of the deafening noise. Reaching the height of a five story building, the water rushed over the edge of cliff that curved around the pool it created. From where the water came from, Red could not tell but he was certain it came from the sea for the salt stung his nostrils with its pungent smell.

A patch of land remained dry in front of the tremendous waterfall. On the patch of ground a crowd of people faced off. The four gym leaders that formed the group closest to the cave opening were: Janine, Erika, Sabrina, and Lt. Surge. Opposing them where three Xclus Clan members along with a sole Kuraisora member.

The battle they all participated in seemed to be coming to a close as Lt. Surge recalled his Pokemon being his Raichu as Erika idled by. Janine's Ariados immobilized the Scyther of one of the trainers for Sabrina's Kadabra to knock it out with a psychic. The Pokemon that belonged to the last two Xclus Members being a Machoke and Weezing were shortly dealt with the Sabrina and Janine combo.

A staircase that led from Red's doorway climbed down the side of the mountain towards the middle. He realized he was high above but not high enough to look over the waterfall. Two other staircases that led to the middle had a blocked doorway on the end at same height as his opening.

The Kuraisora member hidden behind a jacket hood threw a Pokeball over their shoulder. Facing away from the Gym leaders, he gave his commands to the new Pokemon that resembled Kadabra but it stood much taller and now carried two spoons.

A Shadow Ball followed by a swift Psychic knocked out Ariados and Kadabra. Both Pokemon being their last, the Alakazam approached with blue glow around the eating utensils.

The trainers below have failed to detect Red. He hopped onto Charizard's back, determined to use the surprise factor to help the Gym Leaders.

"Flamethrower the tall Kadabra," Red ordered into his Charizard's ear.

The flash of bright orange caught Janine's eye. The rest of the Gym Leaders followed her gaze to see Red swoop down on his Charizard. The fire-type set fire to the Alakazam. He got closer to increase the heat and pushed back the psychic type.

Red hopped off in front of the vulnerable people. "Glad I got here in the nick of time," he grinned, feeling like the hero he thought he was.

The Xclus members ran out of the dragon's fire and dashed towards the doorway that the Gym Leaders entered through. Red ignored the defenseless grunts and pointed an accusing finger at the hooded figure.

Alakazam dropped to his knees, covered in soot over terrible burns. His trainer was motionless as a statue, staring off into the roaring waterfall. A few words came out of his mouth but were to soft be heard over the waterfall.

"What was that?" Red craned his ears to listened

"I thought I already took care of you Gym Leaders," Leer repeated, turning around finally facing them. He had his Pokeball in hand and raised it to his burned Pokemon. He recalled Alakazam before returning to the group.

"You're…the same guy from before," Red recalled he met him on a random island.

"I don't remember ever fighting a crooked man as yourself," Erika spoke up against the leader. "A vile trainer would have been reported directly to the Pokemon League."

"I wasn't talking about directly dealing with the matter," Leer disclosed. "Don't you have the flood of challengers at your Gym's doors to keep yourselves busy?"

"We ain't got time to fight challengers when we have villains like you running around," Lt. Surge stepped up as a confrontation.

Sabrina crossed her arms contemplatively. "You…you know what happened to the Indigo League Champion?" she carefully asked.

"What's this? Can't you just read this criminal's mind?" Janine abruptly asked perplexed.

"I cannot," she shamefully replied. "It seems as if something is guarding his mind. Some spiritual power is blocking me out of his inner thoughts."

"How it that you guys avoided the Pokemon League for so long?" Lt. Surge decided to ask the man himself.

"Aaron Stark did all in his power to keep our group a secret," Leer palpably said. Whether he was telling the truth one could not tell by his monotone voice.

"The Champion would not have done such things!" the veteran yelled outraged. "He is the honorable old man that would have shoved your ass into a jail cell!"

Leer disregarded the outburst. "Aaron stepped down from Champion to keep you Gym Leaders busy. Not having to face the Champion was one less step for Pokemon trainers. Many would try and challenge the gyms for this was a rare opportunity. I bet many people from around the world came to your gyms."

"So that was all your doing," Erika said pensively. "I did think it was unusual for Aaron to step down after such a long reign as champion. He was the type of man to retire after he has been defeated for the title, but I just thought old age got the man."

Red connected another dot to Kuraisora's scheme. "And did you participate in his death?" The group grew silent, stunned by the possibility they didn't consider.

"Yes." A bland yet powerful statement. Leer was capable of murdering people for his own intentions.

"Why you bastard!" Lt. Surge ripped his glasses off in rage. Erika rested her delicate hand onto the electric-type trainer's broad shoulder.

"It was in attempt to keep him silenced for he threatened to reveal our organization to the world. Even our threats to his family, which were the reasons he couldn't oppose us in the first place, didn't deter him after a few years," Leer dwelled deeper into the matter.

"Are you the leader then?" Red jumped to his question

Leer didn't answer immediately. "I am the founder of Kuraisora, Leer."

"Then if I defeat you, Leer, will I defeat Kuraisora," Red pressed on.

Leer again took his time to answer, agitating Red further.

"Kuraisora is not just an organization," he said with more emotion than Red has ever heard from him, but it still came out empty.

Come to think of it…Ember's aura seemed to be hiding his emotion but this guy…he has no traces of emotion in him, Red felt the emptiness that Leer held in his life force. A faceless aura that almost seemed alien.

"We are the embodiment of people's ideas and hope around the world," he replied.

"Like hell you are! I'm going to put an end to this!" Red proclaimed

Leer, with no words to induce the battle, sent out his Pokemon.

Red had his Pokedex ready in hand since he was going to scan Leer's earlier Pokemon.

"Metagross: the Iron Leg Pokemon. Metagross has four brains in total. Combined, the four brains can breeze through difficult calculations faster than a supercomputer. This Pokémon can float in the air by tucking in its four legs."

"Metagross, set up Stealth Rocks," Leer commanded with such authority in his voice, Red took it as an order to send out his Pokemon.

"I'll use you later, Charizard. Gabite, don't be afraid of this giant block of steel!" Red threw his Pokeball into the ground.

Gabite ducked as sharp rocks the size of his forearm flew right at him. The Stealth Rocks lodged themselves into the ground in front of Red, sending a cloud of debris at the boy.

"Burning Claw!" Red recalled the weakness of Steel types.

Gabite breathed out the flames directly at the 'x' he saw as the target. He matches his swipe to cross the metal bands with his ablaze Dragon Claw.

"Meteor Smash," Leer blandly said.

Metagross grunted with sounds similar to a busted computer. It lifted a massive leg to sock Gabite in his right side, knocking him down.

"Flamethrower and recover," Red issued his order almost immediately as he thought of it.

Gabite scorched the underside of Metagross. The strange yet oddly soothing beeping groans from Metagross as he sluggishly moved back gave Gabite the sign to roll onto his feet.

"Great! Now, Burning Claw again." Red demanded once more.

-"I have calculated your movements,"- Metagross said with telepathy followed by electronic sounds.

"Ice Punch." Leer finally decided to capitalize on the dragon's weakness.

Gabite came in close to with his Flamethrower to cover his movement. He pounced onto Metagross with an unnecessary cry of meaningless words. An ice coated punch struck him down roughly into the terrain he was growing to loathe.

-"Am I going to lose my teeth?"- Gabite snarky said, slightly amused by his unexpected wit.

"Sand Tomb him, Gabite." Red thought of way to gain more time.

Gabite weakly sent a Sand Tomb to encase Metagross. The intelligent being shrugged off the rushing sandstorm and continued to walk. Its joints began to clog up with sand, making it move in a robust fashion.

Gabite safely got back onto his feet, still in a daze. He fixed his natural stern glare to stare into Metagross's eerie crossed face (the 'x' across its face helped emphasize the look).

Leer uttered his next command with the minimal amount of worry.

"Bullet Punch."

"Gabite, Flamethrower," Red ordered, believing the sturdy, polished armor Metagross was made off shouldn't be protected from special attacks, also type advantage was the way to go.

Metagross lifted himself in the air, showing off his incredible telekinetic power, and shot across the room. A flash of light later and Metagross landed a single direct blow. Gabite was thrown back onto the ground he didn't wish to meet once more.

"He moved way faster than anticipated," Red remarked, believing the move had to do with its sudden increase in speed similar to Mach Punch.

"Ice Punch." Leer followed it up, cold dead eyes dazing off into the distant.

Gabite will go be knocked down if he gets hit with that! Red realized and ordered for his Pokemon to escape into the ground.

Gabite did so, with a disapproving grunt, before Metagross regained his robust movement and lifted a stiff claw. Pain rasped at Metagross's joints as the vicious dust devil picked up in speed.

Leer lifted his bare hand facing Red, who flinched in response. His sensing skills heightened able to pinpoint Gabite's location.

"Front right claw. Ice Punch."

Metagross lifted his foot to bring back down but Gabite never appeared.

"Read left claw!" Leer foretold Gabite's next exit entry point.

Gabite popped out of the ground before Metagross could begin to move. The massive supercomputer lost its footing, collapsing slowly to his side. The Sand Tomb died out after the loud impact.

"Flamethrower, Gabite!"

Gabite breathed in before using his Flamethrower. He struck right under Metagross's body to deal major damage.

-"Calculations…unbelievably failed,"- Metagross confusedly said before fainting.

Leer swiftly brought back Metagross to release a new creature.

The large pink head seemed disproportionate compared to its dull blue body. Cloth-like material looked to be wrapped around its two feet tall body and the extra linen flapped loosely around his neck like the ninja scarves Janine and her father wore.

Red wasn't allowed to check the Pokemon's data as Leer commenced the second match with such urgency.

"Accelgor set up the Spikes."

"Gabite, Dragon Claw that…ninja?"

Accelgor glared back as he threw brown thorn-like spikes with his nubs for arms. He threw three spikes at a time as if they were ninja stars. The spikes spread across Red's side of the field.

-"Why are you not aiming for me?"- Gabite genuinely asked. He approached with his arms outstretched for a hug. He swiped his Dragon Claw but Accelgor proved to be a difficult opponent to catch.

With unfathomable agility, Accelgor dashed out of Gabite's reach and did it so silently Red wouldn't have noticed it moved if he didn't pay close attention to it. The speedy Pokemon continued to fill Red's side with spikes.

-"Come back here!"- Gabite shouted, chasing after him.

Red switched up tactics after a second failed attempt. "Gabite, he's too fast for you. Try catching him with Dragon Rage."

-"But I was having some fun,"- Gabite whimpered. He obliged with a Dragon Rage.

Accelgor jumped out of the way, layering the ground with more tan colored Spikes.

"That will be the last layer," Leer said, finding that will be enough to do major damage. "Now, Final Gambit."

Accelgor allowed his body to be overtaken by a harsh red glow as fierce as his stare. He dashed towards the unsuspecting Gabite and tackled him with all his might. A large explosion ensued to engulf both of the Pokemon.

Red blinked in disbelief. Accelgor…fainted! Red felt the life leave Leer's Pokemon but transferred into enormous power that took down Gabite.

Leer retrieved Accelgor once the smoke cleared. He immediately sent out his next Pokemon, a laughing Gengar.

"How could you sacrifice your Pokemon so early?" Red asked out loud, brown eyes meeting dead emerald ones.

No reply. Just a blank stare.

Red sighed returning his Gabite. He figured Nidoking would be his next choice.

"Nidoking, standby for battle!"

Appearing on the field, Nidoking roared in a pain. The Spikes Leer had set up stuck into Nidoking heavy foot. His roar was momentarily shut when the giant rocks Metagross fired in the beginning magically floated above ground. The sharp rocks reared themselves into Nidoking's sides. The Stealth Rock dropped to the ground like the lifeless forms they were.

-"What the HELL!"- Nidoking shouted angrily.

Red was left speechless. He let Nidoking rant out his rage.

-"I just come out and there is spikes scattered around. How am I supposed to walk around, Red?"- he directed his anger to his trainer.

Gengar manically laughed. –"That was just so perfect! Your dumbfounded face was-haha!"- Gengar laughed a hearty laugh.

"Shadow Ball," Leer ordered smoothly. Everything was going according to his strategy and so smoothly as well.

Gengar wiped away his tears and formed the ball out of shadows. He launched it towards the angered poison type.

-"Gahh!"- Nidoking's angered blinded him from the incoming attack and took the Shadow Ball head on.

"Nidoking, calm down!" Red tried his best to placate Nidoking who just shot an Ice Beam.

The ice technique connected with Gengar and removed his toothy grin. That was enough to make Nidoking calm down a bit.

Feeling the intense anger slowly drop down, Red attempted to give an order. "Nidoking, your movement has been restricted but we can still deal with this. First, I need you to use Amnesia," Red approached carefully with his request.

Nidoking deviously grinned at Gengar's suffering. –"I'll follow along if it lets me continue to dominate that pest,"- Nidoking agreed, buffing his special defense.

"Taunt, Gengar."

The ghost floated with a rude tongue sticking out. –"How can you possibly defeat me? Your stupidity won't do you any good if you're just as pathetically weak."- Gengar scoffed, chuckling at the end.

Being thought of as an idiot was something that Nidoking was used to, but this one time, it got to him. He let his anger guide him and the fury told him to punch the jerk into the ground. He strutted forward with a Poison Jab. His sudden rage increased his speed along with his strength and some immunity to pain.

Gengar eyes bulged out of his face when the Poison Jab was drove into his body. He followed up with a Rock Slide, slamming his hands into the area free of Spikes. Gengar vanished under the barrage of rocks.

Leer showed no signs of anxiety or an emotion for that matter. A simple command from his lifeless lips was all the action his face took.

"Will-o-wisp."

Gengar's shadow slid out of the rocks and reformed into his visible formed. His hand cupped around a flickering blue flame jutting up and down like an ecstatic child who had too much sugar for lunch. Gengar lifted his arms allowing the tiny little flame to go on its way.

Nidoking couldn't dodge the wisp for its arbitrary movements made it impossible to predict. The new burns across his arms accompanied his recent burns he just recovered. The potions weren't good enough to completely remove the marks.

"Now, Hex."

Dark sinister energy steamed out of Gengar's body that rose above his head like when steam rises. The dark gas accumulated to form a purple oval pulsing with life. A singe red eye blinked to life. Nidoking's figure reflected in its black pupil.

"Nidoking, Ice Beam!"

Nidoking reared his head back to fire his Ice Beam but Gengar's menacing eye attacked first. It blinked before firing a dull, red beam. Nidoking muscles were strained under the attack. The burn marks felt like they were sizzling his arms off.

-"I can't take this pain anymore,"- Nidoking muttered. He collapsed finally succumbing to the punishment.

"What was that?" Red asked perplexed on what he just saw and felt.

The red eye vanished into thin air as the shadow material vaporized into nothing. Gengar let out a tired chuckle.

"That was Hex," Janine recognized the technique. "My father is trying to teach one of his Pokemon. It increases damage when the target is afflicted by any status effect including being burned."

"So, his strategy is not to directly attack but to wear me out," Red figured Leer's fighting style with Gengar. "Pikachu won't fall for such tricks!"

-"Yeah, I'm here-"- He was briefly interrupted by the Stealth Rocks jamming into him. He stumbled around in pain, pricking himself on the scattered Spikes. –"Ow! Why are we fighting in this condition!"

"Gengar, Shadow Ball."
Pikachu, smaller in stature, could move more freely than Red's other Pokemon on ground. He jumped to avoid the attack and punished Gengar with his flash of Thunder Bolt.

Fried to the core, Gengar dazedly giggled as he floated to the ground weightless as a feather. His large eyelids fell over his eyes ending the match.

Leer reached back for the next Pokeball as he recalled Gengar with the other. Switching both Pokeballs, Leer tossed the next Pokemon's ball into the air.

A large blue alligator-like Pokemon stood on two strong back legs. Its long snout lowered as to stare into Pikachu's eyes with back arched, prominently sticking the blunt red spikes on its back outwards. It's stiff tail restricted in its movement simply wagged back and forth. Arms bent towards its stomach, he looked ready to pounce.

"Feraligatr: the Big Jaw Pokemon. When it bites with its massive and powerful jaws, it shakes its head and savagely tears its victim up. In battle, it will kick the ground hard with its thick and powerful hind legs to charge at the foe at an incredible speed."

"A pure water type?"Red said, confused by Leer's choice. Did he not have anything better to deal with Pikachu? Red thought, believing it wasn't hard to counter Pikachu.

-"Hah, the field is set,"- Feraligatr remarked in a gruff voice, his jaw loosely hanging after his comment. He stood in delight as he admired the hazards layering the field. –"Another stupid trainer falling for our trap."-

-"So this is your doing!"- Pikachu accused. –"And here I thought we just happen to find ourselves in a cave full of shedding pine trees and magnetic rocks."-

Feraligatr was silenced. –"Yeah, I can see how you idiots couldn't see through our trap,"- he grumbled after a few moments of silence.

Leer acted first as he always did. "Feraligatr, Swords Dance."

"Oh no you're not! Thunder Bolt!" Red dynamically ordered.

Feraligatr raised his lanky arms; a purple tint covered his claws, and raised his attack. Pikachu released his most abused technique. The water-type responded with a water-type technique. He jumped around as a spiraling tornado of water flowed about his blue tail. The tornado extended a meter away from his body.

-"Take this Aqua Tail."- Feraligatr said, bring his tail down to the ground in front of it. He dragged the Aqua tail across the floor, send sprays of water in continuous line. The lightning struck the water, naturally absorbing the terrifying energy. The electric-weak Pokemon was smart enough to cut off the water supply once the Thunder Bolt connected.

"Roar." Leer commanded once Feraligatr succeeded in redirecting the electricity.

Feraligatr dropped onto his four limbs, creepily and slowly ambling towards Pikachu. He let out a fierce, earth-shattering roar. Pikachu yelped falling backwards. Pikachu clenched his ears and eyes right before he dematerialized into red light and shot right back into Red's Pokeball. A second beam of light came from Red's belt.

Pikachu appeared once again on the field. He cursed himself when he stepped onto the spikes. –"Not this again."- He weakly mumbled seeing the Stealth Rocks float up. He was silenced by the pointy rocks, ending his role in the battle.

Red flabbergasted by the sudden events couldn't make a move.

"Sent your next Pokemon," Leer coldly ordered.

Red fumbled for his Pokeball. "What the hell was that?" he asked, Pokeball nearly falling out of his hand.

Leer was silent but Erika answered. "Roar is a move that forces your Pokemon back into their respective Pokeballs," she kindly informed. "I believe he intends to wear down your Pokemon with the entry hazards."

Red composed himself. "I see…than Pidgeot will do just find. Avoid the danger bellow, Pidgeot!"

Pidgeot appeared with a majestic cry. The mystical rocks in front of Red shot towards the sky, catching the Pidgeot in an ugly surprise. The avian squabbled in agony dropping down like a malfunctioning airplane. He caught himself when his heart jumped at the amount of pointy objects covered the ground.

-"Is that why you warned me of the ground?"- Pidgeot figured, recovering from shock.

Leer studied his new challenger scrupulously. "Don't allow him to blow away the Spikes. Aqua Jet then Ice Fang." Leer finally completed one full sentences right after another for the battle.

-"Never seen such a bird with burned feathers? Is that…natural?'- Feraligatr mentioned his observation of the singed head feathers from his earlier battle. Thankfully the remark went unheard Pidgeot or else he would have spent the rest of the fight squabbling about his ruined feathers.

The large jaws of the alligator snapped closed. Water swirled around his body, completely encasing him. Pidgeot smirked believing he couldn't touch him from the ground.

"Deal some major damage with Brave Bird," Red ordered.

Pidgeot circled around trying to find the appropriate time to get in close. He didn't have to wait as Feraligatr came to him.

At speeds equivalent to a Quick Attack, the Big Jaw Pokemon propelled himself through the sky as the water stretched out into the sky, leaving behind streams of clear water. Looking like a real jet, Feraligatr swam along with the water. He could controlled to where the water careened and turned it towards Pidgeot.

-"What the?"- Pidgeot managed to squawk. –Is this what they mean when they say flying fish?- Pidgeot wondered in amazement. He flew lower but the attacker followed.

With brute force, Feraligatr tackled head on. Water exploding everywhere, both figures dropped onto spike free area. Pidgeot simply crashed while Feraligatr slowed down with a Water Gun straight down.

Pidgeot groaned on the ground. Already having over half of his health decimated by Stealth Rocks and an Aqua Jet, he felt he wasn't going to make through the battle. Exhausted as he was, Pidgeot received assistance to get back onto his feet.

-"Don't tell me this was all you could do,"- Feraligatr sad disappointed. He held Pidgeot by the throat, keeping him at arms distance.

-"Urgh…can I get a redo? I just had a battle and…" Pidgeot grimace, remembering the ruthless spirit Houndoom emitted. Feraligatr didn't act like the cold-blooded type but he sure looked like one mean customer.

-"I allowed you to stay conscious for long enough,"- he stoically said, lifting Pidgeot higher.

"Pidgeot, don't give up! Wing Attack!" Red brought sense back to Pidgeot.

Feraligatr widen his jaw, revealing an ice coating on his sharp, carnivore teeth, sending a shiver down Red's back. A slap across the face from a broad wing didn't lessen the hold. He snapped forward with the super effective ice attack. The teeth closed around the area where the neck met the wing.

Coldness spread across Pidgeot's left shoulder, climbing to the back of his head and down his back. The ice followed the freezing cold, giving Pidgeot half of a shoulder pad.

Pidgeot smacked the alligator with a stronger Wing Attack. Freed from the icy jaws, Pidgeot flapped to fly away but a strong Water Gun knocked him into the pit of spikes.

-"Too many strong opponents in one day,"- Pidgeot muttered. He fainted as the opponent hopped back to his place.

-"That's it Red. I got this joker,"- Charizard proclaimed. He charged head on, gliding over spikes and dangerous rocks with no repercussions. –"Take this!"-

"Surf."

The water behind Leer shot to the ceiling and created a giant tidal wave that arched over Leer. Charizard stared in awe as the wave came crashing down.

That Surf will drown us all, Red alarmingly thought.

"Make it all go away with Blast Burn!" Red shouted.

Charizard summoned his hottest flames and spread across the wide range the Surf covered. The fire didn't put out and changed the state of matter of all water that touched the Blast Burn. Steam rolled onto the ground, making impossible to see.

Charizard gasped for air, feeling fatigued plague his body. The energy he just spent was going to take some time to recover. Moving his body would be an intense chore which is why he chose to stand still.

-"In all my years of battling, I have never seen such flames that could easily boiled water into gas,"- Feraligatr's voice resonated close to Charizard. He appeared in front of him with a cocky smile. –"Would have liked to extend the match but I'm running low on juice. So, thanks for the relaxing steam."-

-"Fu-"- Charizard tried to curse but his lungs ached from breathing. An Aqua tail combo ended his short run for the battle.

"Dammit Charizard," Red said once he could see. You win one battle and know you think you could take on the whole world Red thought despite having done it as well.

"You're my last hope," Red raised his head. "Only three more Pokemon to go, Vaporeon!"

Water type met water type. Vaporeon hopped around getting pricked every time until she got slammed by the Stealth Rocks.

"Oh what is this?" Vaporeon groaned.

"We only have three Pokemon left to beat Vaporeon but don't worry since two of them are already weakened!" Red brought back his enthusiasm. "We got to win this! Wish up!"

-"I can do this, Red!"- She shouted, nearly buckling under weight. Her body still tingled from Rotom's overkill technique. She set up the Wish to heal her later.

"Don't use water moves," Leer prohibited. "Return."

"Return?" Erika brought a hand to her lips.

"Something to matter," the youngest girl asked the older woman.

"It's just that…doesn't Return required your Pokemon to be happy in order to use the attack to its full potential?"

"It does and it seems Feraligatr has a fully powered Return," Sabrina strangely spoke up.

Feraligatr remembered the reasons he fought for his trainer. How this entire plot hangs on this single event. He couldn't let him down. Not now.

The brightest of white lights took over Feraligatr's body. He roared to the absent sky, pounding the ground with his feet.

"He's going to charge," Red warned. He eyed Leer, contemplating. "Shadow Ball and try to slow down its movements."

Feraligatr plowed through the hazardous field, not slowing to the Shadow Balls being pelted at him. Vaporeon crouched ready to dodge.

"Feint Focus Punch!" Leer commanded.

Something clicked inside Red's head when he heard the command. It all came together when Feraligatr competed the action.

The white glow transferred to his right hand, the same side Vaporeon jumped towards, and jammed his fist right into her weak side in midair. He sent her sprawling across rugged terrain.

She couldn't make it. Vaporeon knew she couldn't for she met the limit. The attack was more than her tired body could handle. She tried to ignore her old injuries but they kept coming back. These new ones weren't helping any more.

-"But I got to try,"- she said, getting right back up.

The battle ended with Red's Vaporeon stumbling forward before collapsing. Silence fell on the group, waiting for a miracle to appear but none came.

"I lost," Red managed to say. "And I lost to the guy I have always wanted to surpass a long time ago."

"Wait! You know this nut job?" Janine exclaimed.

"You guys don't remember him?" he turned back to a head shake from the ninja and blank stare from Sabrina. Erika quietly shook her head while Lt. Surge grinded his teeth, seeming quite frustrated.

"He's Jared Owen," Red revealed.

Leer didn't rebut to try and disapprove the claim. He showed as much care as he did for the battle.

"Jared Owen…" the name stood on Erika's tongue as familiar.

"The youngest trainer who managed to beat the Elite Four in the Indigo League," Lt. Surge remembered. "But he failed to show up for the Champion battle. He disappeared after that and no one ever heard from him ever again."

"When was this?" Janine impatiently asked. "I don't seem to remember."

"Approximately six years ago," Erika answered, going to forward as to get a good look of the man. "He has changed over these years but he still holds a resemblance to his old self. A remarkable trainer who showed much potential, but now…you have radically altered yourself to the point it would be impossible to determine it was you, Jared."

Red returned his Pokemon, looking quite angered. Not because of his lost but the revelation of who the leader of Kuraisora actually was. "The person may have changed but the battling style hasn't changed. Those elaborate strategies, those power Pokemon, and those quick decisions were the characteristics I noted in the Jared Owen I watched at the Indigo League."

Leer stepped forward, making the opposing trainers flinch. He removed his white hood, letting chestnut brown hair breathe easier. His eyes focused on Red. A stern frown directed to the teenage boy.

"The world is not some heroic epic and you are the hero," Leer capitalized on Red, tone strictly harsh. "Don't believe you could even defeat me when you, yourself, could not comprehend the meaning of a Pokemon Battle.

"I once was so naïve like yourself boy. But I figured out what being a trainer meant. What an Aura Guardian means to be. I am the blood of Sir Maslow, Brian Maslow. I intend to finish what he couldn't."

Leer swiftly turned. Feraligatr softly growled to deter the intruders from stopping his master. Leer pulled out the silver feather he kept in his front pocket and held tightly in his hand.

"I summon you, Guardian of the Sea: Lugia!"