"What are ya doing?" A spiky haired child walked by a tree before he spoke to a boy with black hair who was on the floor fiddling with a round device. Upon looking closer, he noticed the iconic red and white sphere that is broken in two, his friend attaching strings on it.
"Wait. Ain't that a Pokeball, Red?" The boy said with a brow raised when he inspects the top half of the sphere before noticing that there is a string alongside the edge. "It has a sticker of an Eevee and its evelutions. Are those stones?"
"Yeah, you can take that one since you like Eevee, Blue. Mines has Pikachu on it." Red smiled before showing his own half which has a sticker of a Pikachu along with part of a Thunderstone engraved on it. "Dad showed me how to do this so I thought 'Why not make this for the two of us?'"
"Ok? So what about it?" Blue asked, spinning his half with his index finger.
"Blue. You ever heard the story about the Pikachu and the Eevee?" Red asked, receiving an answer from his friend in the form of a nod. "Yeah, ain't it about a Pikachu that was on the beach who was found by an Eevee. The two then went on adventures, taking on bad guys and stuff and joining a…a…a…"
"Guild!" The raven haired boy finished before putting a hand on his chin. "Or is it guilt…Guile…well, anyways, I made those from them. I put stones for Eevee bigger farms there."
Blue was perplexed, he has known Red for a couple years and one thing the raven haired boy is known for is his eccentric behavior. The young Oak knew that having a miner and hiker as a dad made his friend extremely skilled with stones. Scratching his spiky locks, he thought aloud while looking at the half of a capsule.
"But why?"
Red and Leaf slowly entered the Pokemon Tower, the latter making sure to stay alert of any sounds in the area out of fear. While wandering the place, she noticed Red's eyes glowing brighter, each almost as luminescent as a dim flashlight which spooked the brunette.
"Ummm, Red. Are your eyes ok?" She asked, a nervous pit in her stomach which grew when he looked at her with a baffled expression on his face. "Yeaaaahhh. I'm alright. Why?"
"Oh, nothing. It's just...your eyes are glowing." Upon hearing that, his eyes widened.
"Wait, really?!" He said surprised, looking at a mirror which made him surprised before he inspected his eyes. "Seriously?! I look like an Umbreon."
Leaf gave him a deadpanned look before throwing a Pokeball at him, disappointed that it hit his face and fell down, ignoring his baffled expression. She continued throwing Pokeballs at him, a small tear on her face when she doesn't see them activate. 'Why can't I catch you? Why won't you be my Goddamn Umbreon?'
Red stopped her, holding her hands before feeling her forehead. "Leaf, calm down. Are you sick?"
'Oh, I'm sick, alright. Sick of you getting yourself in these situations. And not being in my gu-' Her thoughts were interrupted when they hear a voice echo through the room, much to her chagrin.
As they went up the stairs, they were greeted by silence and darkness which made Leaf grab unto Red when an eerie howl echoed through the room. Using the light produced from Red's eyes as a guide, they crept throughout the area, unaware of a hand coming towards Leaf shoulder. Once it touched her, she shook uncontrollably before patting it. "Buneary, I understand you're scared bu-"
She then saw Buneary inside Red's jacket turning to her, this made her stomach fall before she looked behind her, coming face to face with dead eyes.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" She screamed, punching the owner in the face which send him flying, her strength scaring Red who held to the wall while she grabbed unto him like a lifeline. 'Huge important note to self: never get on Leaf's bad side or scare her.'
The person then got up, walking towards the two in a zombie like fashion which caused the brunette to shudder, her grip on Red being tighter. "W-w-why is he like that? I-i-is he dead?"
"Looks like he's possessed." Red muttered quietly, pushing her out of the way when a blast hit where their previous position was, leaving a crater. They turn to see a Gastly floating beside the man, his eyes glowing along with it.
"His eyes are glowing just like Red." She thought aloud, the words not going unnoticed by Poli who was in Red's bag. Before anyone could do anything, Buneary jumped forward, pointing to the Gastly before Red had an idea. "Leaf, did Buneary use Foresight to find me?"
"Yeah."
"Nice! Let her use Jump Kick."
"Wha-" She was interrupted when they had to dodge another attack, the raven haired teen looking at her with a serious expression. "No time to explain. Go for it!"
"A-alright, Jump Kick!" She commanded, Buneary hopped around the room before kicking Gastly at the back which immediately knocking it out. Leaf was about to let a sigh of relief before the man started cackling, various shadows emerging from him. He then walked towards them with a crazed smile before Red shot him in the head which caused the shadows to disperse, much to their relief. Red then walked to the body, rubbing a cold bottle at the man's head with a somber expression which did not go unnoticed by his brunette friend who walked beside him. "You know him?"
"His name is Mr. Tsubasa. He likes to clean the tower." Leaf has never seen such a hurt look on her friend's face as he put a man by a chair in the corner of the room. Seeing a conflicted expression donned on his face, she asked a question while looking at the man. "What's up?"
"Something isn't right here, Leaf. The Ghosts aren't usually this aggressive. In fact, they never come on this floor." Red said with a hand on his chin. This made the brunette eyes widened as she gulped. "S-so do you think someone's controlling them?"
"Has to. There is a ward around here that stops Ghosts from descending into the first couple floors. Something or someone must have destroyed it somehow."
"Wait! You don't think...Team Rocket has anything to do with this?" It was a scary thought. With the device at Route 10 and the Rock Tunnel, it is possible for something like that to happen but if that's the case. She starts scratching her head to wonder about it. If that is all true, if Team Rocket is truly here. What are they looking for? Why are they here? What would their goal here be?
"It's the only possibility." Red said, knocking the brunette out of her stupor. Suddenly feeling a chill up his back, Red quickly pushed the brunette away before a blast hits between them, barely grazing his arm. Turning to the direction of the attack, they saw a group of people dressed like priests and priestesses, the same dead look in their eyes which made the hairs on Leaf's neck stand straight. Seeing their shadows morphing into Gastly, Haunter and Gengar along with a few Shuppet and Lampent, Red's fist clenched before he turns to Leaf, her look of horror making him grab her hand. "Leaf, get ready."
She gasped, turning to him. "But-"
"We don't have a choice honestly." Red said while readying his slingshot and his Pokeball, Leaf doing the same. He released Beedrill and Vulpix while she took out Roselia, taking the first move as she made the Grass type use Stun Spore which made the enemies step back.
"Beedrill, let's use Assurance. Vulpix, Hex." He said, Beedrill moved fast, its red eyes being the only thing everyone could see before it secured various knockouts, followed by Leaf's Buneary. During their conflict, some of the people motioned to grab the two teenagers, the brunette retreated in fear when she heard their empty murmurs.
"I need blood."
"Give me your blood."
"Give…me…your….soul…"
"I'm sorry, everyone." Red whispered quietly before his Vulpix used Hex, making all of the people scream in pain along with their Pokemon.
Taking the opportunity, he then picked up the fox and grabbed Leaf, dashing towards the steps, Beedrill continuing to secure a few knockouts. When they ran up the stairs, the two were greeted by fog, Leaf noticing the light from Red's eyes intensifying and a red light forming in his shadow. 'What the hell?'
As soon as she was about to open her mouth, it disappeared, confusing her as she looked around the place, not finding anything abnormal. They noticed a silhouette standing by a gravestone, slowly making their way through the room before they realized who it is.
"Blue?" Leaf's mouth moving on its own. The spiky haired teen turned towards them with a frown on his face, his expression hardening upon seeing Red. "Oh. It's just you losers."
Leaf took an offense to that before she spat back. "Said the guy who got his butt handed to him at the tournament."
The take got a reaction out of Blue before he ignored her, turning to Red. "I'm surprised you're still kicking. Well, your Pokemon seems healthy enough. At least I can make them faint."
Red thought about it, he wanted to fight Blue and showed him how much he changed and how strong he's gotten but something is not right with the tower. Something is bothering him as he looked around. Even at night, he never remembered the tower being this foggy. He then provided an answer after a while of thinking. "I can't battle you right now. I'm looking for Mr. Fuji to make sure he's alright. Can we do it tomorrow?
"Yeah. We're in a hurry and to be honest, I wanna be out here as quick as possible." Leaf added, pushing Red past Blue as she hurried him to the stairs.
"I said-" Blue lifted his hand to protest, seeing Red's retreating figure.
"Sorry, Blue."
Angry that Red ignored him, Blue's hand clenched into a fist as he watched the raven haired teen's retreating form with anger. He wanted to see why Eric and Zane regarded Red to be such a skilled trainer. He needed to know what Red had that he did not. He wanted to prove to Red that only the strong will prevail and the weak shall fail. His teeth gritted as he looked at Red with malice in his eyes, the scowl on his face getting bigger before he gripped on one of his Pokeballs.
"Red, what are we going to go about this?" Upon hearing her, Red stopped, looking to the floor like it was the most interesting thing in the room.
He was about to answer the question before his eyes started glowing, he grabbed Leaf and spun them around which frightened her. Before she could ask anything, a bolt of lightning hit them which Red endured the brunt of the attack, much to his brunette friend's surprise.
"R-Red..." Leaf muttered, his crimson eyes keeping her petrified in fear before they softened upon looking at her. She gulped before she pushed past her fear, gasping upon seeing his twitching. "Are you ok?"
"Yeah...I-I-I'm alright." Red said, seeing the shocked expression on her face before stepping back. As Red turned to the direction of the attack, seeing Blue with Electabuzz beside, Leaf gasped when she saw the charred spot on his back, trying to stop him. "Red, you're hurt."
"D-d-don't worry. I'm ok." He smiled to her before they both heard the young Oak. "I didn't ask for a battle, Fires. I am ordering you to battle me."
"Damnit Blue! What the hell was that for?!" Leaf exclaimed, getting up to her feet and able to shake off some of the sensation from the Electric type move.
"For being in the fucking way! I don't a flying shit about you or whatever the fuck you're doing here. I'm here for one thing. My battle and I. Will. Get. It." He yelled, Electabuzz letting off another attack before it jumped back, liquid sludge falling where it was, Beedrill descending in front of Red. "What's it gonna be…Red?"
Red thought about his options, he really wanted to make sure that Mr. Fuji is ok. On the other hand, Blue is adamant about his battle and will go as far as hurt either of them to do so. Scratching his neck and feeling an ominous presence around the area, the teen clenched his fists before he sighed and calmed down, making his choice.
"Fine."
Blue smirked at his answer while Leaf gasped, looking at him in confusion, about to speak before Red cut her off. "You know how hardheaded Blue can be. He's not backing down until he utterly beats me to the ground in battle."
After they steadied themselves, Red and Blue got themselves on either side of the room, Leaf going to the middle to act as referee. "Alright, I'm staying. I'll act as ref-"
"Fuck that!" Blue said, surprising everyone. His smirk got bigger as a glint shone from his eye which confused Red.
"This will be a six and six battle. No switching is allowed. The battle will be done when all six Pokemon from one's team is unable to continue." He explained calmly while Electabuzz went on the field, Red on the other side with Beedrill.
"Iron Tail now!"
"Block it with Twineedle!"
Lunging forward, Electabuzz swung its tail which came into contact with Beedrill's stinger before both Pokemon clashed, neither getting the upper hand. After a while, the two parted before the yellow bee took flight, its opponent chasing it and continuously using Iron Tail which resulted in a flew clashes around the field as the Bee handily block the strikes. This continued for a while, Red observing his opponent's movements before Blue switches to Thunderbolt when Beedrill went out of its range, the Bug type dodging the blasts while it maneuvers through the room. Evading and parrying every move that his opponent threw, Red could see the pattern of his movements, this angering Blue.
"Tch! Is dodging all you're gonna do, huh?!" He said before commanding another Thunderbolt, Beedrill using String Shot to block the attack. Despite him changing his battle style to physical moves again, Blue could only watch in surprise when Red predicted his strategy, his Pokemon parrying and dodging the barrage of Thunder Punch sent its way.
'He's always been like this.'
"Match start!"
Footsteps were heard in the room, cheers filling the air when sounds of impact echoed through the area.
"C'mon, Red! You can't win by running away!" A young Blue said dressed in his junior middle school clothes, his hands crossed while a Growlithe beside him licking its paw before going back into a battle stance. The other battler, who is a younger Red, kept his cool and stayed silent.
This was a Pokemon battle class that they are having, both boys using a rental Growlithe for everyone to learn how to approach a situation if you fight a Pokemon of the same type. As the battle rages on, everyone, including the teacher, started to get more excited as some of the kids start placing bets.
"My money's on Blue! He's like…THE best at everything."
"I dunno, the creepy kid could do something strange…like he always does."
"Hmm. It could be anyone but that kid with the weird eyes is wild. He always has something up his sleeve."
"His name is Red." Everyone turned to Yellow who is brushing her Growlithe hair, the cute sound it makes receiving some giggles and 'awws' from the girls. "And he's doing something. Just watch."
Blue was about to make a move which Red expected, making his Growlithe counter with Retaliate then use Bite, using the momentum to flip around until it slams its opponent on the floor. Upon seeing this, Yellow smirked while everyone was surprised by what happened, a click of the tongue from the teacher going unnoticed by them. Blue pouted for a minute before he smiled, seeing his Growlithe raised itself from the ground. It then turned the tide of the fight, landing a powerful Take Down that knocked out Red's Growlithe.
"Told ya! You need power to win, Red." Blue said before giving Red a high five. "But I have to admit, you did almost got me there with that last move. But as always, my greatness is undefeated."
"Says the guy who got his butt beaten the last time." Yellow walked towards them, getting a groan from the young Oak. "Couldn't you let me have my shine, Yell?"
"Nope. By the way, nice battle. Red."
"It wasn't just me. It was all Growlithe. You ok, buddy?" Red said silently, the Pokemon being over affectionate and playing with him. The class could only look at him amazed before the teacher finished marking their scores, begrudgingly putting down a good mark for Red. Everyone then stopped talking when they heard the teacher clapping his hands, gaining their attention.
"I must say that all of you did well. I've seen some rather good approaches to facing a Pokemon of the same typing…some a bit unusual." He glared at Red when he stated the last part, causing the kid to look down.
"Jeez. Can't he get off your case?" Blue whispered quietly, getting a nod from Yellow while Red simply petted his Growlithe. "I mean yeah, you didn't win but still…"
"It's a good tactic." The blonde of the trio finished. Red simply shrugged, not taking offense to the glare but still a little scared. The two of them knew that most of the teachers never liked Red's open minded perspective to strength and his willingness to use weak Pokemon against strong Pokemon.
Blue could understand what the teacher is saying, the statistics never lie. The immense strength that a Machamp has makes it a better competitor for the League than a cute little Pokemon like Azumarill. For as long as he has known Red, he never understood why the raven haired boy was so adamant on saying that every Pokemon is strong regardless of the League's statistics. It was put into the books for a reason. They require less effort to reach the power needed. Despite this, Red always loses, always coming close but have to end up using the very principle of the league to win his practice battles. When asked or teased by the students and teachers about this, Red stayed quiet and took the verbal assault, much to his tormentors' glee. The young Oak never thought much about it at the time, thinking that after a while, Red will give up and go back to following the rules.
He will never amount to anything with a mindset like that.
Beedrill skillfully dodged another attack, Blue ready to put his Pokemon on the offensive only for his opponent to immediately avoided his moves.
"Red, what's wrong? Didn't you say that every Pokemon have a way of fighting? That all Pokemon can be strong?! Well?! Where's that strength? Is it running away? Is it being a coward?" Red ignored Blue, thinking out his next plans until Blue said something that triggered him. "…just like old times."
At that moment, he thought about his entire life, him running away from his problems just like now, just makes it worse. Every second that passes in this battle could be one second of torture for Mr. Fuji and the Channelers of the Pokemon Tower. Something in him snapped as his mind started being clouded with his past mistakes, making him frustrated. Clenching his teeth, he saw one of Electabuzz's punches barely grazing Beedrill before saying one word. "Assurance."
Before anyone could react, a swift jab connected to Electabuzz's stomach which rocketed it into a gravestone. Leaf and Blue looked at Beedrill, its opponent getting up in a slightly dazed fashion.
"What the? Damn it! That was a fluke!" Blue yelled, before he commanded for another Iron Tail which missed then going for Thunder Punch, the attacks missing. This continued until Red whispered to his Pokemon, both of them about to clash.
"Thunder Punch now and don't you dare miss!"
"Trap it with String Shot."
As the Electric type was about to land a hit, Beedrill quickly spew silk which encased its arms, surprising everyone. Blue's eyes widened while Red's cap blocking his eyes, a smirk on his face before he opens his mouth. "Flip it over now."
"You want to see my strength." Beedrill then flipped over Electabuzz, making it airborne before slamming it onto the ground. Before the Pokemon could get up, the Bug type continued its assault, hitting it repeatedly with Assurance, one of its jabs shot out poison that launched the yellow tiger into a wall.
"This is my strength." Red said, glaring at Blue, his eyes sending an immense shiver up the teen's spine. He then let out a shaky sigh, looking at Electabuzz. He was angry, angry that with all his training, he is struggling. Against a Beedrill, a Pokemon not even known as a threat without its Mega Evolution. "C'mon, you damn Pokemon! Get the fuck up!"
Red simply watched in pity as his ex-friend yelled insults at his Pokemon, Leaf mimicking his expression, feeling a slight shiver in her spine.
"A-alright. You got stronger since the last time we fought at the Nugget Bridge." The young Oak turned to his opponent with a smirk on his face. "Remember…you got destroyed. It wasn't even a match."
Red gritted his teeth before he voiced his next move, his voice a bit louder than usual. "Assurance!"
Seeing the speed of the Bug type, Blue knew that he would not be quick enough to intercept it so he went with another option. "Barrier."
Creating a glowing shield, Electabuzz was able to block the attack, knocking Beedrill off balance before sending a flurry of punches on the Bug type then ending it with an Iron Tail that send its opponent to the ground. Under Red's command, the yellow bee use Venoshock to coat its stingers with poison, knocking its opponent into the air then spun around and following with another strike that send it back to the ground.
"Get the hell up, Electabuzz! I didn't catch you just so you could be lying on your ass! Useless Pokemon!" When he said this, he was unaware of Red and Leaf's shock at his attitude towards his Pokemon. Getting up despite its injuries, Blue caught Red off guard when it moved forward, letting out a quick Thunderbolt that repelled Beedrill before using Iron Tail, the leftover electricity from its last attack empowered the move then smacking its opponent. "Beedrill!"
"Is that really it?" Blue looked at the teen disappointed as he crouched down and looked at Beedrill, ignoring his spiky haired opponent. "C'mon, Beedrill. You can do it."
"What happened, loser? Didn't you say that every Pokemon had their strengths?!" Red was happy to see that Beedrill was alright, thanking it for a job well done and getting ready to take out his Pokeball until he heard something out of Blue's mouth that made him pause. "Such a useless Pokemon. Why don't you release that useless Pokemon? Oh wait, you need your love power boost to win. I wonder if that love crap's the reason your dad died. You trusted too much in them instead of getting the best."
"Blue, stop it. That's enough." Leaf said, knowing how Red's father is a touchy subject. She doesn't like how on edge he has been since they've come to this town. Red felt something surging in his chest before he looked at Blue, feeling something he has been trying to hold back for a while.
Anger.
"Beedrill." Blue turned to Red, seeing the dead look in his eyes. Seeing Beedrill able to rise from the ground, the young Oak then saw his foe outstretched his arm. "Assurance."
Beedrill moved quickly, surprising everyone with its newfound speed before a sound of a collision caught their ears, realizing that it hit the barrier, much to Blue's glee. He then commanded his Pokemon to use Thunderbolt which hurt Beedrill but it endured the move, Red continuing. "Keep attacking the barrier."
Complying and ruthlessly attacking the shield, everyone shocked by the action apart from Blue who is laughing. "Are you stupid? Beedrill won't be strong enough to break through my-"
He stopped taking when he witnessed the scene before him in shock, same with Leaf. Everyone watched as the poison around Beedrill's stingers hardening, coating it entirely before glowing, the result being it creating cracks in the barrier.
"Wait! Is that…" She said, seeing the yellow bee break through the veil and hitting Electabuzz in the stomach. The Electric type struggled to stand, a sickly look on its face when it hunches over, panting heavily which confirmed her suspicions. 'That's definitely Poison Jab.'
Blue, however, was furious until he let out a command. "Thunder Punch!"
"Poison Jab!"
Both Pokemon lunges forward, entangled in a brutal match as they travelled throughout the battlefield. Leaf watched the two combatants battle ruthlessly, not falling despite the damages they received. She cringed upon each impact made along with each time any of them is sent to the wall or into a gravestone. She stepped back as debris flew from the fight, a look of awe on her face as she sees neither Red nor Blue moving from their spots or flinching.
"You can do it, Beedrill."
"Don't you dare fall, Electabuzz!"
Both Pokemon then sprinted forward, rearing their arm back as they unleashed their strongest attack, the clash creating a shockwave that made Leaf have to shield herself from the wind. Looking forward, she saw both Beedrill and Electabuzz looking at each other with determination leaking off them, refusing to go down. Time seemed to stop before Beedrill fell to the ground, Red's eyes covered by his cap, much to the girl's shock. "Beedrill lost."
Seeing the scene in front of him, Blue simply smirked before laughing loudly while Red picks up his Pokemon and pats it. "Ha! See, Red! In the end, the statistics don't lie. Once a useless 'mon, always a useless 'mon. It's only good for its Mega which isn't even a good one."
After he finished his spiel, his Electabuzz then followed as it fell to the floor and not moving, succumbing to the poison. Red walks back to his bag, laying Beedrill there and applying medicine to it while he glances at Blue at the corner of his eye, seeing Blue's eye twitching. 'I don't like that look."
"…useless…" Blue muttered silently before kicking Electabuzz in a fit of anger, shocking everyone along with the hurtful words he said. "Useless piece of shit!"
"I trained you all for nothing!" Another kick followed.
"You can't even beat a Beedrill! A fucking Beedrill! I took so much of my time to catch you, to train you. Such a waste of my God! Damn! Time!"
Seeing the scene, Leaf held unto Buneary like a lifeline, patting the shuddering rabbit when it witnessed the brutal beating on Electabuzz before Blue returned it. She could never think of calling her Pokemon useless or worthless, worse hitting them. She then hugged it, not wanting to believe what she just witnessed. "I would never do that to you, Buneary…never…"
"W-why…" Blue turned to Red who returned his Beedrill into its ball before the silent teen continued. "…why did you do that?"
"Pokemon are just tools, Red." Blue said coldly, readying another Pokeball which Red noticed was an Ultra Ball. He watched as the spiky haired teen spins the ball on his finger, the smirk on his face getting bigger. "I hope you don't think this means anything. Here's real power. A strong Pokemon."
"Seriously, Blue! You're telling me that you don't feel one thing about your Pokemon whatsoever?!" Leaf asked in disbelief. He scoffed, throwing his Pokeball in a non-caring fashion. It released a bipedal, blue shark-like Pokemon that roared, its voice shaking the place. Leaf's eyes widened upon seeing the Pokemon, her thoughts becoming awry. 'Gabite?! How did he get one? They are rare, even in the Safari Zone. It makes no sense on how he could get one this early unless he got it as a gift from is Professor Rowan from the Sinnoh Region but if that was the case. Why did he take so long to use it?'
Watching the Pokemon with an uneasy expression, Red took out his Pokedex and scanned the Pokemon. "Gabite, the Land Shark and the evolution of Gible. As it digs to expand its nest, it habitually digs up gems that it then hoards in its nest."
'So Dragon and Ground. Terrifying combo but not unstoppable. Need to play safe since I'm going up the tower after this.' Red thought before he readied a Pokeball, releasing Clefairy onto the field. Once he appeared on the field, Clef looked towards its opponent, Gabite smirking along with Blue. 'So this the squirt I have to fight…what a sorry excuse…'
This angered Red before Clef walks forward and putting up a boxing stance, determination showing in its eyes. 'Don't judge a book by its cover.'
"Blue, what do you mean they're tools? They have feelings too." Leaf's retort fell on deaf ears when Blue continued the match, his Pokemon stomped on the ground which almost made her and Red lose balance. Some of the stones nearly hit her, Buneary hopped forward and broke the boulders, much to the surprise of Red. The brunette looked at Blue in disbelief as he harshly speaks to Gabite. "I see why Yellow cut ties with you. You're insane."
Blue's eyes widened, giving her a spiteful glare that unnerved the girl. The uncomfortable feeling in his stomach growing immensely, trying his hardest to ignore the nauseating feeling. He hated this feeling, trying his best to hold it back only to come back to him. If he wanted to be the champion, if he wanted to be the strongest trainer, nothing should be holding him back. This feeling is holding him back, like his body was yelling at him to not follow through with his thoughts. Yellow is holding him back. All of this friendship and love mentality is holding him back. But he had to continue on if he wanted to be the best.
"Last warning: Shut the fuck up, bitch!" He warned Leaf before turning to his Pokemon. Before the girl could say anymore, he yelled his next move. "Sand Tomb!"
Glowing, Gabite started roaring which caused an intense tornado to surge around the area, rock particles and dust getting into the air which surrounded both trainers, repelling Leaf back before she found herself looking at a sand dome. She made Buneary attack it with Jump Kick but it failed, fearing for the life of her friend as she puts a hand on the cocoon and then yells. "Red, you ok in there?"
Determination took Red's expression when he found himself within the Sand Tomb, lowering his cap to protect his eyes from the debris as he stands defiantly across from Blue who has a smug smile on his face. "Now there's no escape for you or your weak ass Clefairy! Metal Claw!"
"Brick Break on the ground!" Following his command, Clefairy punched the ground, the rocks protruding from the floor creating an impromptu shield which surprised Blue and his Pokemon. The Fairy type then picked up a boulder before throwing it which Gabite broke with a Dragon Claw.
"Continue throwing them. Use Mega Punch and Brick Break to punch them." Clef then continued its assault, Red taking the time to find a weak spot for Gabite. When the Dragon type used Bulldoze, the red capped teen was caught off guard by the attack which trapping his Pokemon into the ground.
"Use Copycat and go underground." Red whispered during his opponent's attack. Clef obeyed, glowing before it descended into the ground, its trainer watched their opponent.
Noticing an opening, Red made his move, catching Blue and Gabite off guard when the pink fairy came out of the ground and land a Mega Punch uppercut before spinning around and punching its opponent in the face, much to the young Oak's surprise. Red was about to continue the assault until he noticed something that made his eyes widened. 'What's wrong?'
Shock took both trainer and Pokemon when they look at Gabite, seeing it barely moved from its spot, patting its cheek. 'Heh, that tickles.'
'What…' Clef stated in horror.
"…the hell?" Red finished before he heard Blue laughter, the smile on his face looking smug and psychotic. "Do you now know what I mean by a strong Pokemon? This is what the league refers to as one of the best! Where's your bullshit strength now, Red?"
He snapped his fingers, Red instantly noticing the blue dragon's claws turning metallic, lunging in front of its pink adversary in a second but its trainer was able to react quickly. "Brick Break to intercept."
Both attacks clashed, neither Pokemon backing up from their contest of strength until after a while, Red noticed his Clefairy being pushed back and Gabite having a huge smirk on its face. It then overpowered the fairy, about to hit it with Metal Claw but it was stopped by another Brick Break.
"Boxer stance!" The Fairy Pokemon puts his hands up, hopping in place which made a laugh release from Blue before he commented on how stupid it looks. He then commanded Gabite to attack, Red ready for the attack. "Block left, attack right."
Clefairy followed his command, raising its left hand to block only to realize he needed two hands which made the situation harder. The teen then continued spewing out commands, trying to wear down Gabite enough but it was futile when Gabite hit his Pokemon in the stomach, sending it flying into a gravestone.
'No matter what I dish out, it just takes it and knocks Clef around. I need something…anything to close the power gap. Wait…' He looked at Gabite before an idea came to his head, a smile slowly forming on his face. "Clef, use Copycat and keep hold of the move."
Clef looked at the teen, seeing the look of determination on his face before complying, glowing before its hands turned metallic as it continued blocking its draconic opponent's attacks.
'Metal Claw hardens the users claws or hands, making their attacks stronger, by that knowledge, keeping hold of the move should make Clef stronger.' Red thought as he called out Clefairy to block left claw, the Pokemon able to handily with one arm which shocked Blue. The spiky haired teen then scoffed, thinking of it as a fluke as he continued attacking, adding Bulldoze in his assault to throw off Red and his Clefairy to gain a solid hit. The fistfight raged on, Blue on the offensive while Red plays defense, unable to find any weaknesses from the Land Shark Pokemon.
'Gotta admit, Blue trained that Gabite well.' Red thought, making Clef duck against a Metal Claw, jumping back from a Bulldoze before landing two punches. 'It's shrugging off Clef's attacks and it's fast. Not a good combination to go against. At least Clef is able to hold its own better against it thanks to Copycat.'
'Red's no dumbass. He wouldn't hold up a battle this long unless he's up to something. He's always like that. He either uses something on the field to his advantage or…a…move…' He then noticed Clefairy's hands being coated in steel, a sign of the move Metal Claw. Seeing that it was able to easily clash with one of Gabite's claws, his eyes widened, realizing what was going on all this time. "Oh shit!"
"Attack now. Slow left, quick right." Clefairy lunged forward, launching a left hook which Gabite tried to block but was caught off guard when it was hit by a speedy right fist. Blue was surprised, first by Red cleverly using one of his moves against him, second that his Clefairy was able to close the gap in strength and skillfully able to take so many hits but what surprised him the most was when Gabite was now knocked back by one of the Fairy type's strikes, nearly sending it into a gravestone.
"Oh fuck!" He saw his Pokemon slightly dizzy before it shook itself out of its daze before glaring at its pink adversary, equally surprised. 'That hurt? How did that hurt? Alright…I think I held back a little too much. Let's try again, squirt!'
Both Pokemon rushed forward, attacking each other with everything that they have. Upon Red's instruction, he was able to allow Clef an advantage when he guided the Pokemon, making its attacks more coordinated which ended up pushing back their opponent. The pink fairy lets out a flurry of punches, slowly knocking back the Land Shark Pokemon, a few clean hits landing from occasionally. After a while, they were both knocked back from one of their clashes, Clef being extremely exhausted while Gabite looked like it barely broke a sweat.
'Damn it! The difference is strength was too great. What Gabite could do naturally, Clef needed to do so much just to catch up.' Red thought in worry, contemplating his next move before he heard Blue's laughing. "You think some wishful thinking is gonna get you to clash with the greats? Psshhhh! That's not strength. Here's true strength. Metal Claw."
"Mega Punch! Full Power!"
Seeing Gabite dashing towards it, Clef readied its fist, using Mega Kick to get a boost in speed which ended in a collision. Both trainers have to cover their eyes to block the shockwave, checking the results of the match after it subsided.
"Red, are you ok?" Red heard Leaf's voice, sending her a message on the response. He then looked at the field, seeing both Pokemon standing still.
"Clef!" Red shouted, not hearing anything from his Pokemon. It stood still, unresponsive which made him confused. Walking up to the Pokemon, he looked at Clefairy before his eyes widened, a somber look following afterwards. 'It lost consciousness on its feet.'
"In the end, you're just a weak trainer. Just like your Pokemon…worhless trash…" Blue muttered, the pit in his stomach appearing again but he ignored the feeling.
'I hate this feeling. Why the fuck is it here? I don't need to be sorry for anything.' He thought, forcing the feeling away. Despite this, it still stayed, much to his annoyance as he yelled to himself.
'I don't need anyone!'
Ignoring the feeling and trying hard to remove it, he snapped his fingers, Gabite getting closer to the unconscious Pokemon. Seeing the dragon lifting his claw, Red's eyes widened before quickly going for his Pokeball before he was knocked aside by its tail, his voice increasing by the second. "Wait. Clef is already unconscious! Stop, Blue!"
"Wait, wha-" Blue could not finish his sentence when Gabite attacked, a slash crossing Clef's chest, surprising everyone. The young Oak was extremely confused, wanting to vomit when he saw the scene in front of him.
'What's happening?' He tried to tell Gabite to stop and come back but no voice could come out of his mouth. Watching Red slowly walk closer to Clefairy, the teen's eyes in disbelief when he saw the blood coming from its pink fur, he laughed. This is how it was in the wild. This is what happens when the weak tries to battle the strong.
"T-that's what you get. T-this is what h-happens when you use your friendship bullshit. You only get hurt. Quit trying to make worthless Pokemon good. You're just hurting them! They're worthless for a reason!" Blue could not believe what he said. He felt uncomfortable but he racked his brain for any form of logic he could find. 'If Red didn't come into the battle with a weak Pokemon t-t-then this would never have happened.'
His heartbeat sped up when he saw Gabite prepared for another attack, getting his Pokeball to stop but again was too late. Dashing in front of Clef, Red blocked the attack, punching the blue dragon, ignoring the stinging sensation from his hands and arm. He then took up the Fairy type in his arms, cradling the Pokemon before he quickly gave it an Oran Berry, using his Potions and herbs to stop the bleeding as much as he could.
Blue felt mixed feeling looking at what happened, his mind in complete pain and confusion at what is occurring.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…" Red repeated like a mantra, not realizing the tears in his eyes before he took up his bag and stuff, about to leave. Before he could do anything, the Sand Tomb hardened even more, the red capped trainer turned to Blue who was panting heavily with a crazed look in his eye.
"I never said that you're going anywhere. Get the fuck back here and let's finish our match!"
"Blue! We can have it another time. Clef is hurt. He needs to get treated before he dies."
"Then let him die then!" Red could not believe it. He could not believe what he heard. Blue prioritizing the battle over the condition of their Pokemon. All he wanted to do was to make sure that Mr. Fuji is alright. All he wanted to do was to help Leaf out of her fear of Ghost types and let her enjoy the beauty of Lavender town.
All he wanted was a break.
He then looked at Blue with all the malice and anger in his eyes, his mind clouded by rage as his eyes glowed intensely. He was about to attack Blue, his shadow moving as he grit his teeth in frustration. "I'm sorry, Clef…"
'Don't…worry…Red…' The teen's eyes widened before he turned to the Pokemon, seeing it glowing which surprising Blue. "What's it doing?"
"M-moonlight…" Red said, a smile forming on his face as the wound slowly disappeared which made him let out a sigh of relief. Once it finished glowing, he saw a huge scar across its chest which made his heart ache, him mumbling his apologies and hugging the pink fairy, happy that it has the strength to hug back. "I'm sorry, Clef…"
'It's alright, boss.'
Blue hated what he saw, it reminded him of his grandfather, it reminded him of his father. It reminded him too much of her. His vision got darkened as he yelled at Red, uncaring of what's going on around him. "See that, Red?! This is what a good Pokemon trainer is like. Me! Up standing while you're sitting on the dirt with that fucking failure in your arms! You're weak and you always will be with that damn 'friendship is magic' bullshit mentality you got! Feelings only get in the way, you only got lucky on the SS. Anne because I had the wrong Pokemon! And here's another wakeup call!"
Red saw Blue return his Gabite and sends out a Gyarados whose roar shaking the room but he did not budge, his cap covering his face. Tired of this, Red returned Clef and about to leave the battlefield, not willing to play with Blue's game anymore, much to the young Oak's surprise. "What's wrong, Red? Are you a coward?"
Red continued, looking for an opening along the edge of the Sand Tomb. He was unable to continue when a tail went in front of him, barely missing him as he turned to Blue with a glare on his face. He could not say anything when the blue serpent lunged towards him which was countered when one of Red's balls opened, a huge electric shock sending it back. Luxio came out onto the field, covered in bandages and watching his blue opponent with an intimidating glare. Seeing his starter in a battle position, he crouched in front of it in worry. "Luxio, you're in no shape to fight. You need to be resting."
'I'm…fine…this is nothing…' Luxio panted when it tries to move but felt pain, much to the red capped teen's horror.
"But-" He could not finish his sentence when they were both attacked again by Gyarados, Luxio able to protect Red from the attack with Discharge, some of the leftover debris flying from their initial position, one of them hitting the teen in his face, knocking his cap off his head.
"Still have that weak ass Luxio? Hmph! Don't think this is going to be like the tournament. That jackass fisherman Klaus or whatever didn't know how to fight using this thing. Here's how you use a Gyarados." Blue said, snapping his fingers, Red seeing Gyarados ready to do another Aqua Tail, voicing his next move. "Use Discharge to protect yourself."
Luxio enveloped itself in electricity, releasing the attack last minute when the blue serpent got close, electrocuting it. The serpent cried in pain, Red taking this opportunity for his Pokemon to use Thunder Fang which it did, holding unto the Water type. Able to break a small opening into the tomb, Leaf watched the battle, seeing it escalate as the blue serpent started trashing about and surprised to see Luxio fighting it, keeping its hold onto its tail.
'I don't like this. Red didn't even let his Luxio fight with Team Rocket at the Rock Tunnel, even when his life was on the line. He'd rather throw the match than put it in battle.' She watched as Gyarados made its counterattack, using Crunch on Luxio. She then hear the lynx's cries of pain which made her gasp and Red's heart drop before the serpent threw it to the ground. Watching the Pokemon, he became worried when he saw some of its wounds reopening which made him panic until he saw Luxio's determined face, swallowing his worry and voicing his next command. "Discharge."
The Pokemon roared, its body glowing and crackling with electricity before it released the attack, Gyarados barely able to dodge until Blue calmly orders it. "Dragon Dance."
The blue serpent's body glows as red clouds swirls around it, the Pokemon starts moving in circular motion until the energy disperses. At that moment, it started darting through the room, dodging attacks until Luxio was unable to continue due to exhaustion.
"A useless starter…just like its useless trainer. You're pathetic." Blue said with a cold glare which made Red sense something odd for a moment. The spiky haired teen started chuckling before he continued, his hands in his pockets. "Maybe if you trained that weak Pokemon, it wouldn't have been such a damn disappointment, Pokemon like those I throw off my team."
Clenching his fists and gritting his teeth, Red could barely control himself as he heard Blue state the rest of his spiel, his vision getting darker.
Who was he to tell him what do with his Pokemon? Who decided which Pokemon is stronger? We still don't anything about Pokemon and what their full potential is.
Who on earth was he to tell him what he should do with his Pokemon? They were his friends but a part of him was wondering what if Blue was right, this surprising him.
Throughout his journey, he always struggled with the League so called weak Pokemon. Would having a stronger Pokemon save him from getting Luxio hurt? Would having a stronger Pokemon help those Pokemon in the Rock Tunnel? Would having a stronger Pokemon helped him do a better job at Mt. Moon? Every mistake that happened throughout his journey resurfaced to his head, giving him a slight headache as he tries to focus on the match. Before long, he snapped, letting out all his frustrations. "Discharge!"
Luxio let out a huge blast of electricity, creating a wave of lightning that repelled Gyarados away and nearly destroying the battlefield, much to Leaf's worry. "Red! You need to calm down!"
'He's more aggressive than usual. If he's not careful, Blue will take advantage of this.' Leaf said, seeing the pure rage written on the usually calm teen's face as he throws out attacks, trying to hit Gyarados but failing. As he called out moves, Red failed to notice Blue's Pokemon using another Dragon Dance while getting closer along with Luxio starting to wear down, only its stubbornness keeping it going. When the Water type got close, he saw an opportunity, letting Luxio use Thunder Fang which it did, biting its tail and electrocuting the Pokemon, much to Blue's chagrin.
'I would be cheering but this…is this even a battle anymore?' Leaf said, seeing Gyarados lashing about, throwing the lynx around who kept its hold on the serpent's tail. Red watched with a slight bit of glee as the Pokemon started to fall, smirking at his soon to be victory before Blue thought quickly, voicing his plan. "Use Aqua Tail to shake him off, slam him on the ground if you have to!"
Red attitude change to worry, when Gyarados lifted its tail, the appendage swirling with blue aura before it slams it repeatedly on the ground, taking Luxio with it. Thinking that it's enough, he quickly took out his Pokeball, ready to return his the blue lynx which Blue noticed. "Oh! You want your Pokemon back, here you go. Gyarados give him back his Pokemon!"
The serpent complied, flinging the starter towards Red, the force being so strong that it broke the Sand Tomb, sending both of them into the wall, creating a crater which made Blue smirk. "Oops, sorry. Gyarados tends to play a little too rough."
Leaf ran to Red, seeing Luxio unconscious in the teen's arms, Red cradling the Pokemon and handling it with the utmost care like it would break if he held it wrong. She then gasped when she saw his wounds, seeing his hands covered in cuts from the confrontation with Gabite. Red started coughing, some blood coming from his mouth when she realized that he had a busted lip and his head is bleeding. "Red, you're hurt."
"I'm…ok." He wheezed, barely have the air to continue his sentence before he started coughing again. She was unnerved by the look of rage in his eyes as they glowed intensely, locking to the direction that Blue was located.
'That hit must have knocked the wind out of him.' She thought, seeing Buneary patting Luxio's head before she turns to Blue, looking at him in disappointment. Blue barely noticed her when she yelled his name, him enjoying the look of despair on Red's face. "What the fuck is wrong with you, Blue? There's more important stuff to do apart from this battle! Like if Mr. Fuji is still alri-"
"I don't give a flying fuck about some old coot! If he dies, it ain't my problem. He's not important. Now let's continue our battle, Red!" He said, shooing Leaf which made her angry before she got between him and Red, folding her arms. "Blue, we need to stop this now. You can battle Red another time…when we're not in a spooky tower."
Blue finally looked at Leaf when a sinister thought came to his head, he outstretched his hand, voicing his command before he realized what he had done. As Gyarados lunged forward, she could barely turn around and react before the serpent slams its tail down, Red's eyes widened in horror along with Buneary at what he saw. Blue didn't know what took over him, happy to see that the girl was protected in a veil of light, the light dispersed revealing Wartortle.
Feeling an intense headache, he wanted to apologize but he pushed away his feelings, not wanting to show any weakness. "Move out of the way, Leaf. This is between that weak bastard and me. You should train yourself more so that in the future you can block that better."
Leaf could not believe what she was hearing, she always knew Blue was arrogant but it has never gone this far. She knows Blue has a short temper but she has never seen him blow up like this. Sure, he has had his times when he went a little overboard but this…he was off the ship at this point.
'What made him like this? What pushed him into…his sick idealogy? What did Yellow see in him?' She then stopped, poor Yellow. She clenched her fists, she grinded her teeth.
"So is Yellow weak, Blue?!" There was the nausea again, Blue sick and tired of the feeling as Leaf laid the questions on him like a semi-automatic gun. "What about her?! Was she weak?! Was she holding you back?!"
Red waited, able to breathe clearly and treating Luxio's wounded while he watched Blue shake in anger, the spiky haired teen then lost it as he snapped, his anger taking control. "Yes! Yes, she was! She was a good for nothing dumb blonde who treated her Pokemon like family. Pokemon are tools that we use for combat! Yet, she see them like her little bitty friends! She doesn't even want to see them hurt! What kinda weak hearted crap is that! I'm happy that I left her! She was holding me back!"
Leaf just watched him in horror, her arms slumped at how he described his closest friend. Red simply scowled, giving Blue a glare before he gets up, giving Luxio to Leaf along with some medicines to help with its bruises. "Please take care of Luxio for me."
Leaf sees Red bleeding and twitching, worried about his health. "But Re-"
"Leaf. Please. He needs to be taken down a peg."
"Red please-"
"Leaf! I'm OK!" Leaf was surprised by Red's outburst before nodding while he walks back to the field across from Blue, throwing out Meowth who stretched out before it look at the teen with a curious look before turning to Red.
"See that, Leaf? Weak, all of his Pokemon. You're the reason he got through the tournament. You're the reason people see him as strong. Stopping making Red feel like he's bigger and stronger, let him know his place. This battle is gonna be a mind opener for you." Blue explained with a look of disappointment which made Red's anger grew, before he glared at Blue in hatred. "I'll show you true power."
Clenching his fists and spitting out the blood in his mouth, he looked at Blue with a frown. "I'll make you regret ever making me angry!"
We're done. Done. Done. I had to reread and edit these chapters to make sure I didn't mess up on anything. Please tell me if I'm wrong but how they state Red and Blue's relationship in the games reminds me a little of Izuku and Bakugou's relationship from My Hero Academia. Dunno why but it kinda does, hell, Bakugou even looks like Blue just…blonde. Throughout this battle, Blue has been a bit…extreme right. Yeah, that and Red losing terribly. Leaf slightly being the voice of reason for this chapter and there is maybe a reason for that…I think. You will know next chapter which is possibly tomorrow. Or next week. I have been planning this battle for a while and it has been changed around five times to make sure to fit how I'm progressing the story. In fact, because of this chapter, I'm going to have to furiously edit how the rest of the arc goes so I hope you look forward to it and love what is going to happen from here. Well, I ranted long enough, I'm pretty much out of gas and calling it a day for now. Thanks guys for everything and I hope you enjoy this chapter. Keep safe and stay healthy. Enigma out!
