A Journey's End

Red was surprised to find everyone he knew from Pallet Town and his friends greet him on his way back from the grand finals. The residents of Pallet Town were many but only a few managed to gain seats in this sold out event. The mob of neighbors and friends from his hometown loudly cheered for his appearance in the hallway.

At the front of the crowd were his closest friends and family. Leaf and Daisy clapped as Blue idled by next to them and his Grandfather. Red's mother ran up to him with a heartwarming hug with tears of joy running past her cheeks. Red, shocked at first by his mother's outburst, graciously accepted the embrace. She had to let go of him to give the rest a chance to congratulate him in person.

"As a mother, I would have been just as proud of you if lost," Delia tearfully said. "But I would be lying if didn't say that I would have been slightly disappointed if you did lose in the finals. Your father and brother both won their first time so it would have disheartened me to have one lost in the family streak."

Red coyly smiled. "Thanks mom…I think."

Blue was next in line since he was shoved by sister and cousin. He awkwardly lifted his hand as to embrace him but he quickly lowered it to offer his a handshake instead, which Red gladly shook. "I don't want you to take me as a sore loser. If I'm to lose, then I'm glad that it was to you, Red," Blue surprisingly sounded genuine.

"But why did you leave as soon as the match ended?" Red asked.

"I did get slightly salty for your Pokemon learning a new water attack right at the end," Blue admitted. "I left so before I get any more frustrated but I've accepted my loss now."

Red smirked. "That's awfully...mature of you."

"Yeah, don't mention it to anyone or the public once your champion," Blue said in a serious tone meaning it.

"Speaking of being champion," Emily cut into the conversation. "You're not out of the park yet. I'll be glad to help you train for the Elite Four."

"Train him," Blue snickered. "Why would he need someone who got last place to help him train? It's me who is going to give him the better training course."

Emily fumed. "I came in seventh place which is definitely not last compared to the hundreds of people who entered," she defended herself.

"Calm down, Emily," Leaf placated the hot-headed girl. "We need to cut this short since the award ceremony is about to start."

"It's been a pleasure to be here with all you guys," Daisy, Blue's older sister stepped forward. "Though it was fun seeing my little get beaten."

"Why does everyone want to see me lose?" Blue whined. "I've changed. I'm not that big of a jerk as I used to!"

"Yeah, but you still have your moments of being a total jerk," Emily remarked, steeping pass Blue. "Let's go then. We can't keep this tournament running any longer than it should."

Red agreed and followed her but not before thanking everyone for coming to the event. He dragged his rival with him to the arena.

The same stage used during the introduction of the tournament was rolled out into the arena. The flat, wooden stage was quite barren barring the single microphone stand and eight red circles in a line labeled first to eighth.

Red and Blue took the circle labeled first and third respectively. The other contestants stepped into their spots with Emily being on the far left due to coming in eighth. Red and Blue gave each other concerned looks since the ceremony was conspicuously missing someone.

Stepping up to the microphone was no other than Elite Four Lance. He plucked the wireless microphone from its stand and walked towards the center front of the stage, back against the winners. He motioned for the spotlight to focus on him. The stadium went dim as to put more emphasized on the stage where Lance stood.

He spoke once the cameras focused on him. "I would like to start by saying thank you for all of you people who turned up to this event. Also huge thanks to all the viewers tuning back at home. The influx of trainers this year and some minor mishaps had us running the tournament a few hours behind. Your continued support and passion throughout the tournament has been phenomenal. It has been my pleasure to be the tournament organizer and host this year." He made a short pause as the crammed stadium erupted in cheers.

He held the microphone closer, his voice booming throughout the venue. "And to the trainers who entered this year but didn't make this far, I encourage you to try again next season. All of you guys entering made this event possible. Please give a round of applause to everyone who fought in this tournament!"

Lance drop the mic to his, basking in the vigorous applauds. Red realized how much Lance enjoyed being in the spotlight. He hardly got chance when Aaron was champion, who was charismatic as Lance. It did feel as if Lance was the champion for this season.

Lance brought the microphone back to his lips as the cheers died down. "Now, let's move on to reward the talented Pokemon trainers who fought numerous opponents to get to this point," he began the award ceremony, walking towards the lower end of the spectrum. A crew of cameramen stormed up the stairs on the left side of the stadium.

The cameras switched between Lance and Emily. The screen displayed her shining smile and seductive wink that sent the crowd into cheers. Her pale face radiated in the spotlight but her vibrant hair burned fiercer.

Lance began the ceremony once the screen returned to him. "Coming in seventh place for this season's Indigo Plateau is no other than Emily Silph!" he fervently gestured to the beaming Emily. The audience applauded for her and a large Pokemon swooped down from the night sky.

Stopping moments before hitting the stage was Dragonite. Around his neck were eight medals clanking against his scaled chest. Only three medals were distinguishable among the array of medals. He gently landed next to his trainer and bowed his head.

Lance pulled off one medals off his trusty Pokemon. He slipped it over Emily's head, who showed it off to the cameras. "An excellent trainer who proved herself in the last few days. Who she's related to doesn't matter in battle. She showed everyone that her own hard work cannot be bought. I hope to see more of Emily. Keep pressing on," Lance thoughtfully ended his speech. The crowd once again cheered for her.

Lance moved on from trainer to trainer, awarding them medals and giving short, considerate speeches. Lance took his time to address each trainer, showing off his observant skills as he listed their possible concerns and weakness but ending it hopeful. His tone changed once he reached the top three. He looked perturbed but left his expression once the cameras panned over to him.

Lance chose the remaining golden medal as opposed to the silver ones the others got. "Coming in third place is Gary Oak," Lance announced, handing the medal to Blue. "Grandson to a famous professor but like I said with Emily, who you're related to doesn't matter during a battle. You earned this rank but I know because of your competitive attitude that you feel like you failed." Blue awkwardly rubbed his neck, feeling the pressure fall onto him. "I can tell people here had high expectations of you but let me say that don't look down at the lost as a failure. This is not your life," Lance's tone became frantic but he cooled it. "Life is bigger than you. You can't possess it. You take part in life. This will definitely not be the end of you so continue on fighting."

Blue was speechless to Red's surprise. He dumbly nodded, taking Lance's firm handshake. Lance accepted the response and moved on.

"Next we have the trainer from Sinnoh at his first Pokemon League tournament and making it second place," Lance sidestepped to the next on the list. He didn't go for the medal this time. "Is Paul Hirako." There were little to no applauds this time. "Unfortunately he is not here. He left the vicinity after the his final match," Lance sadly said, moving on without missing a beat.

"But here in first place, we have tournament winner Red Ketchum," Lance smiled, reinvigorated at the sight of Red. The stadium erupted with cheers and applauds as Red graciously received the medal. A member of the stage crew walked to Red and handed him his first place trophy. He held it by it's wooden square base. A glass pyramid stood atop the wooden platform, engraved with Red's name in golden letters. At the top of the pyramid was a flat top to accommodate the golden statue of three legendary birds of Kanto.

"I watched most of your battles and it felt like I was watching Aaron Stark fighting on the field in his youth," Lance strongly said.

I wouldn't go that far, Red timidly thought.

"I have many excellent things to say about you but I hope to save them once you take on the Elite Four challenge. I'll be expecting you soon," he dramatically finished. He also shook Red's hand. "Now will you please say some words to our viewers."

"Eh?" Red was handed the microphone without warning, nearly dropping his trophy. Gaining his balance and his thoughts, Red spoke into the microphone. "HELLO, EVERYONE!" his voice screeched over the speakers.

Lance lowered the mic from Red's mouth, clutching his left ear. "Don't get to close to the mic. It's really sensitive," Lance impudently whispered.

"Apologies," Red said, now sounding more like his normal self. "I just want to say that it's been an honor to fight in this tournament. I had to battle some tough fights. I settled scores with rivals and friends. It almost seems like I completed my journey," he tearfully said at the end. His gripped tightened around the microphone. "But I know for sure that this not over yet. This is not the end of my journey. I still plan to take on the Elite Four Challenge. I plan to take the task as soon as I can!" Red confidently said, throwing his fist in the air. His uplifting speech was met with tremendous praise, fueling Red's spirit.


The first rays of light reached the barren crater at daybreak. Leer's petrified body lay across the ground, still stretching out its arm. It was very early in the morning yet Leer already had a mysterious visitor. The patrolling guards that were posted in the area were nowhere to be found.

The visitor was most likely an intruder. The visitor hid its features with a disheveled dark-brown cloak held together with a clasp around its neck. The large hood was pulled over its head in hopes of hiding its face. The cloak didn't do quite a good job of hiding its odd features. The hood had an irregular shape as if two horns were on top of its large head. The fabric showed off the wearer's awfully narrow shoulders and painfully obvious tail pressed to its back.

Is this the fate that lays in store for me? The fate of those who defy the world like myself. My very existence defies the laws of nature, the monologue went on in the intruder's head. It stretched out its hand from under the cloak revealing it only had three digits each ending in spherical points. It reached out for that desperate hand of Kuraisora's leader. You called yourself Leer and gave yourself a new goal in life, to fight back against the world that did you wrong. Yet, this boy…Red defeated you and Lugia. You still cried for help from this world at the end of your life.

The odd creature pulled his hand back under the cloak, regretting the thoughts of sympathizing. Am I even worthy of this world? At least this man was born into the world, while I was artificially created, his inner turmoil stopped to sense his surroundings.

Someone is approaching! How did they bypass my psychic senses? It didn't want to stay much longer to find out. Pulling the cloak closer to hide its strange figure, its purple eyes flashed. The intruder disappeared in the bat of an eye. It didn't leave much of a trace beyond a small puff of smoke.

"Oh, it disappeared?" a stranger entered the vicinity from the forest and spoke in a masculine voice. A confused Espeon walked along his side. "That was the Teleport ability? The energy released from teleporting was hot enough to burn the grass it stood."

-It appears to have been a psychic-type with considerable strength,- Espeon further analyzed, sensing the being not anywhere close meaning it teleported pretty far away. –I also couldn't restrain it fast enough with my psychic powers.-

"This Pokemon must be the one responsible for putting the guards stationed around here in a zombie-like state," the stranger realized why it was so easy to get pass the dazed guards. "I thought it was you, Espeon, who used Confuse Ray on them."

-"I tried to explain to you that it wasn't me but we were already close to our destination that I couldn't be bother try anymore,"- Espeon begrudgingly answered.

"Whatever Pokemon it was, I've never seen the anything likes of it," the man said out loud. "Though, I never heard of a Pokemon wearing a hooded poncho as to hide itself. It's not going to work with its very feline structure. The ragged cloak didn't even cover its weird feet."

-"That extensive tail could never be covered by such a flimsy cloth,"- Espeon added.

"Come to think of it," the man pondered, hand on his cleanly shaved chin. "Wearing a dark cloak in bright daylight does make you seem very suspicious. It draws more attention towards you nowadays."

-"Then why are you wearing one?"- Espeon looked up to her trainer, barely able to see his face under the hood of the dark green cloak draped over him.

It was getting increasingly hot but despite that the man pulled the hood to cover more of his facial features. He walked towards Leer's body, stopping to examine the damage the exotic Pokemon left behind. He motioned his Pokemon with his index finger towards the Aura Guardian's body.

Espeon continued on, circling the body as if she was cornering her prey. She searched Leer's with her keen eyes, occasioning using her psychic abilities to break some frozen grass. She sniffed the area hoping to find it but with no luck.

Figuring that he won't learn much more from the torched ground, the hooded figure stood up, brushing his dirty hands against the coat. He renewed his curiosity with Leer. It was a strange sight to behold yet a sad one as well.

"Oh how fate has brought you here," the stranger said to the lifeless statue in melancholy tone. "There never existed such thing as prophecies. They are all lies. Nonsense that leads those who believe it into ignorance. Fate had nothing to do with this."

-"I don't sense that he has it on his person,"- Espeon concluded her search, sitting next to her trainer. She lazily shook her head.

"Then where could it possibly be. If he doesn't have it now then…he must have given it to someone," the cloaked man determined. "What about that strange Pokemon that was here before us? Did it took it with it? Did it knew Leer?"

Espeon stopped to answer. -"I doubt that odd Pokemon had it. I was entirely focused on it and I didn't catch a hint of its presence in his possession,"- Espeon responded promptly returning to her search.

"Well, that Pokemon was here for some reason," he speculated. "If it wasn't here for that…then why was it here visiting Leer? We'll draw conclusions once we have more information on the matter."

-"That will be most wise,"- Espeon said out loud and through telepathy.

"This will be the last time we will be here with you Leer, so I guess this will be what you call our last words with you. A short memorial service for what you naively have done," the trespasser clasped his hands together, bending low to get to Leer's level. "It's a shame you became lost in this utopia plan of yours which you believed was perfect," he thoughtfully said. "A perfect plan doesn't mean having everything go within expectations. A perfect plan is when it has the plasticity needed to flexibly deal with unsuspected problems."

-"And having various back up plans if the first goes wary,"- Espeon added. She stopped next to Leer's left hand against the frozen ground, eyeing it suspiciously.

"You're hard work and sacrifice will definitely not go to waste if I'm still alive," he hopefully said.

-"And what's this?"- Espeon prodded the fossilized grass under Leer's head. Her eyes flashed blue, a single broken glass shard rose up to her height. The sunlight passing through the yellow crystal fragment lit up the dull color with a vibrant orange.

Espeon's trainer dropped to his knees. He plucked the crystal without even praising his pokemon's investigative work, and lifted it higher into the sky with two careful fingers. He knelt before Leer, and scanned the ground for more glints of amber hiding under their noses. Smaller shards were found as well as pulverized dust of the crystal. The remaining pieces didn't help in identifying what the crystal originally looked like before being smashed. He acted quite surprised to learn that this did not petrify into stone like everything else on Leer's body.

"To think that Leer had this with him this entire time," the stranger said, unnervingly excited.

Espeon peered up, almost able to see the sly smirk on her trainer's face. –"What is it? That is definitely not what you were looking for,"- she unassumingly asked, sensing nothing out of the ordinary from the golden shards. The crystal reminded her of the golden sap that oozed out of trees.

The young man detected the uncertainty in Espeon's voice. "It's the Mad King's eye, or at least it used to be," he replied, bouncing the glass in his hand before pocketing it. "It's useless now that's its shattered. Oh and also because its wielder is dead." The hooded figure turned to Leer. "Which makes me wonder…has it figured out yet that he's dead." He awkwardly paused.

-I see now…so this belongs to it,- Espeon comprehended the truth of the broken crystal.

"He's not omniscient so it might take him awhile to find out," the intruder remarked, glancing at the shard before pocketing it. "This shard reminds me…we need to leave hoping he hasn't made the same mistake as others who wielded the Mad King's Eye. He hasn't caught on to me yet but I can't be too careful…"

-"We have been one step ahead of him,"- Espeon said, licking her paw. –"Stealing that Gible must have set him back a few stages. We have other measures to take if he catches on."-

"I do enjoy an unhappy ending but I wouldn't want him to go out so soon like poor Jared Owen did here," the man remarked, looking down at Leer. "You were to face the Indigo League yet the day before your family suffered a catastrophic incident. A proud, talented trainer's career destroyed in a day. Now look at yourself, Jared."

-"Isn't he dead?"- Espeon had asked, seeing her trainer monologue to a petrified corpse. -"The sealed worked like you said. It was all up to the child to weaken him for it to activate."-

The man pulled his arms into the cloak. "I got ahead of myself. I can't go acting like a fool in bright daylight," he solemnly said.

-"I don't see the problem with that. I enjoy it when you have your moments of unadulterated tangents,"- Espeon coyly responded.

"I digress," he responded, rolling his head from side to side on his neck to loosen up the tense muscles. He glanced down at Leer. "Your journey ended here. I planned that from the start but you were too caught up in your utopia fantasy that you failed to notice the signs. "

-"We mustn't waste too much time here,"- Espeon reminded her trainer. –"The guards can snap out of the daze at any moment now that…that Pokemon is gone."-

"Our journey has come to an end, Espeon," the stranger wrapped up his abrupt, muddled soliloquy. He walked away from the fallen leader of Kuraisora.

-"But a new one will start,"- Espeon added confidently, striding alongside her trainer. -"It must be time to return back home."- her head perked, gleaming at her trainer to show she was eager to return.

"We are going to need to wrap up warmly for this new journey," he deceitfully said to his Pokemon

-"Wrap up for what exactly?"- Espeon confusedly asked, not able to recall that they were going to visit someplace cold.

Pointing to the forest away from Leer, he responded with, "The east wind is coming. It's coming to sweep us all up."

-"If that's the case, we have your fire Pokemon,"- she wittingly said.

"Well, there are still a few more things to take care off before the wind can come," the man deviously said. "Such as recruiting some new members to take with us back. There still lose ends to tie up here in Kanto before we can go back to Navel Rock and retrieve it."

-"It's best that we start today then. Canvassing for our new team!"- Espeon gleamed.

They walked out of the low crater into to the edge of the surviving forest. They met up with another Pokemon of the trespasser, who was rummaging in a large berry bush. No wild Pokemon have come back from the resent ordeal but it wouldn't be long before they returned and this tamed Pokemon hidden in the bush wanted to make the most out of it.

"Time to go back," the adult trainer said. No more further words needed. No pleads to get out of the bush. No directions were spoken besides back. In a loud bang and flash, all three disappeared. The bush was left scorched but didn't set on fire.

Three Pokemon Rangers soon came running towards the strident crackle of energy but were far too late to even catch a glimpse of the snoopers. One ranger was already on his two-way radio transceiver talking on the matter of the teams' brief experience on being knocked out. They didn't remember the strange creature that approached them with a glowing pink hand that rendered them into a zombie-like state. For their memory were wiped from that point.

"He will increase security by joining with the Kanto Police force," the leader of the rangers came to an agreement. He clipped the walkie-talkie to his belt, issuing orders to check Leer's body.