Interlude Three: Thoughts of a Champion

As Red stared at the television, he reminded himself that there was a reason he had stopped watching the news.

He was sitting alone in the bottom floor of the Champion's House, a four storey building built into the mountains that surrounded the Indigo Plateau. It was regularly refurbished as part of the league's way of satisfying its champion, and Red currently rested upon one of three identical black leather couches, his attention focused upon a plasma television that was the same height as him. A very flash, very metallic kitchen rested behind him, and an oak dining table, several extremely cluttered desks, a Pinball machine and floor to ceiling glass doors that lead outside were all placed behind him. It was a very nice house, much nicer than anything Red had ever stayed in before, but he quickly got bored with the things down here and spent most of the time he wasn't battling or travelling on promotional tours training with his Pokemon in an expansive training facility upstairs, the only place were he truly felt himself.

But for now, the television screen was finally giving him something worth watching, even if he didn't want to know about it.

The reporter, a man in a crisp suit, was standing outside of the Pewter City Museum, discussing how a mad man with a gun had threatened to shoot several people, including Red's friend Mark Hansom, and was apparently looking for technology and several fossils. It cut to shoots taken on a tourist's video camera that had been playing when a bomb exploded, causing everyone to panic, an image of something large falling from the blast. It then cut to footage of the fossil display, the reporter explaining how a young girl had fought off the man but prevented him from planting a bomb. Red watched as the camera showed large holes in the walls and floor, the remainder burnt black. The displays lay in ruins on the floor, with several police officers taking pictures of them before the museum staff could move them away.

"This has been a terrible tragedy, especially after all the hard work we had put into finding these fossils," Mark was telling the reporter, his usual handsome features dishevelled.

"What about these rumours of a teenage girl fighting off this man?" The reporter asked, but Mark simply shook his head in response.

"I refuse to confirm or deny anything of that nature," Mark replied, and the image cut back to the reporter outside the museum, giving the latest details to the newsreader back home. Red listened to these facts, but nothing of interest came through, and he simply sighed and turned the television off, leaning back into the couch and groaning.

"Three years… this was all meant to be over!" He groaned, and angrily lashed out at the table in front of him. Several magazines Leaf had left out with him on the cover fell to the floor, and Red was tempted to tear them in two, but knew his girlfriend wouldn't appreciate that much. He wondered where she was at this moment, wheter she and Janine were watching the news together and how they would react to the news that peace was once again slipping away.

Red leapt to his feet, knowing that he had to do something. Rumours of plots and plans had been revolving around for months, ever since that reality show had been announced. Red hadn't liked the sound of it, but the league officials had approved it without his consideration, thinking it would be good publicity. Then there had been whispers of disturbances around Chrono Island over the past few days, and the incident with the robotic Beedrill had sent alarm bells ringing, but the Champion hadn't done anything about it yet. It was his job to help protect Kanto against all threats, and it was time he put things into action.

Playing the hero now, are we? A voice laughed from the corner as Red reached across for a remote. He rolled his eyes as he pressed a button, turning the television screen into computer mode.

"I don't have time for your views at the moment," Red called out as he walked up to the computer and brought up a series of files: documents, a special version of the PC Storage System, e-mail and a webcam application. His Lapras smiled as she propelled herself forwards with her flippers, a thin layer of ice forming on the carpet.

What exactly are you planning on doing? She asked. I know you think Gideon is involved, but has Mark contacted you yet?Racing off into battle could prove dangerousyou should take slow steps.

"I would agree with you if I wasn't already running behind," Red replied. He was already opening all files in the system about Gideon, and was checking his emails for any contact, but it seemed Mark was too busy sorting things out in his court to contact Red. "The girl can't get caught in whatever is going on. We must make sure she gets the proper protection," Red explained, and Lapras simply nodded as she came up alongside.

If your going to protect her, there's only one route you can go down, She said, and Red sighed and nodded in response. He pulled up the log PC Box and moved it across to the right section, which showed only two Pokemon were located here. Red pressed a button, causing a box to pop up and he typed in several passwords as a laser overhead scanned down his body. The screen shuddered slightly, and suddenly an Ultra and a Master Ball appeared in a slot to the side. Red reached forwards and picked the two containers up, staring down at them as his fingers hovered over the buttons.

You need to do it, Lapras thought.They won't get captured this time.The girl needs protection. Red simply nodded, still shaking slightly as he threw the balls to a clear space. Light lit up the dark room, and Red and Lapras simply watched as the magnificent electric bird Zapdos and the soulful water beast Suicune formed in front of them, sparkles emitting from their legendary bodies. Zapdos stretched her wings out to full height and Suicune shook back his long mane, staring around the flash building. Red smiled warmly at them, realising how long a time it had been since he had trusted himself to send them out again. But he slowly walked back to the screen and touched another file, causing an email he had received earlier in the day to appear. It was a security image, showing a girl in jeans and a red shirt, a wide smile on her face as she departed Pewter Gym with a Pidgeotto, no idea of the danger she'd put herself in.

Her name was Alaska Acevedo.

"This girl needs your protection," Red told to his two legendary Pokemon, and they both nodded. "Find her and watch her from a far. Make sure no one harmful gets near her, and do your best not to lose her: she could be the key to stopping what's about to happen in Kanto, and I know several people would gladly have her suffer an accident." Zapdos and Suicune nodded, and turned around without another remark. Red knew they were a bit grumpy about being left in their PokeBalls, and hoped they would be able to forgive him after this.

Lapras' eyes flashed pink, and the doors magically opened. Suicune sprinted off and leapt off the balcony, whilst Zapdos took a running start before taking off into the sky. Red and Lapras moved onto the deck that went around the entire bottom floor, watching as Zapdos flew off into the sunset and Suicune ran swiftly down the mountainside. From up here, Red could see the borders of Johto to one end, with wide oceans in between,CinnabarIslandfar in the distance, all the way across to Viridian andVermillionCities. The view was spectacular, with the golden and pink sunset casting beautiful light across the regions, but Red knew that in a few weeks, it could all be ruined.

Do you think this girl will be able to stop them? Lapras asked. Red stared towards the stadium, the very stadium he had defended himself for so many years, and the surrounding area that had nearly been destroyed.

"I can only hope so. She's the only damn hope we have," he sighed, and walked back into his living area, needing to contact Leaf, Professor Oak and Mark Hansom, and whoever else could help. He needed all possible help: if the rumours were true, he was going to be dead in only a few weeks.

Panic echoed around the Dragon's Den.

None of the people that lived and worked here had ever seen something like this before, not in many years. The many robed people, wearing different colours depending on their ranks and jobs, were fleeing back into their makeshift wooden houses scattered across the rocky area, many people screaming or gathering together children or bundles, not wanting to leave anything behind. They continued to stare back towards the source of their fright: blue lightning bolts exploding out of the house where Clair, the Dragon Elder and elite members slept. The bolts were shooting across the entire den, causing the stalactites on the roof to shudder and shake, and the Dratini, Horsea, Dragonair and Seadra that lived in the blue crystal lake to hide under rocks and in caves. It was like a fireworks display gone wrong, and people could only wonder what was causing it.

Inside the giant central house, things were a lot worse.

Clair, the Blackthorn City Gym Leader, marched determinedly through the many hallways, pushing past people in magnificent purple robes that were fleeing from the central room. The entire building was shaking, but Clair didn't care about the building that she had lived in for her entire life: she knew what was causing this, and it had to stop before it got out of hand.

"Clair, what's going on?" A voice whined behind her, but Clair simply waved a hand at her nephew Kieran as she turned a corner, finding the corridor into the central room, where all important meetings and ceremonies took place, crowded.

"Out of my way!" Clair shouted, and people parted as she continued to march through. The heavy wooden doors were closed, but the blue lightning was glowing through and threatening to blast them down. "Spike, what's going on?" A black haired teenager, aged 18, appeared at her side, his spiky hair clashing horribly with his purple robes, but he had long stopped caring about this and stared at Clair with a grim look. "Is the Elder in there?" Spike looked a bit awkward, and Clair began to seize up, giving him a look that resembled that of her Salamance.

"Yes… there was a blue flash and the doors suddenly closed, and it's been shaking ever since," Spike explained. "We've tried opening, but it doesn't seem to be working. "

"You just need to try harder!" Clair roared, and she threw a PokeBall onto the ground. People cleared out of the way as her Dragonite formed, staring between Clair and the shaking doors with an anxious look. "HYPER BEAM, NOW!" Clair screamed, unable to contain herself any longer. Spike gasped, but stepped backwards as Dragonite instantly obeyed his trainer, the energy quickly forming in his mouth. The magnificent doors, many designs of Dragon Pokemon etched into the wood, had been standing for hundreds of years, but it took Dragonite only one second to blast them backwards. The wood moved inwards with the force of the attack, but the blue lightning sent them straight backwards, causing everyone to scream and dodge, the wood tearing straight through the opposite wall. Clair ignored the damage, and peered into the central room, ignoring the lightning flying through, and stared in with horror.

The entire room was glowing blue, lightning bolts emitting from the very center and flying around. All lights had smashed and candles extinguished, the mural on the wall was being burnt, and all the cushions had exploded into bundles of feathers. The only human in there was a short elderly man, lying face down on the floor, not appearing to move. The only other figure was the creature causing all of this, who floated in the middle of the room, glowing a violent blue and staring around peacefully, unaware of the damage he was causing.

"Latios!" Clair gasped, grasping onto the doorway and edging herself forwards. The Eon Pokemon turned towards her and seemed to float backwards, almost in fright. "Latios, you have been dormant for four years, why do you awaken now? Why are you causing this destruction to our home?" Latios stared back at her, still floating towards the glassless windows, apparently in confusion.

I appreciate your hospitality,He said inside all of their heads, and Clair and Spike both screamed, collapsing to the ground and clutching their ears, however, I must go now. I need to find my true master, a master I should have found a long time ago. Please make sure the Crystal gets to themthank you. Without another word, Latios turned and headed through the windows, taking all of the lightning with them. Clair looked up, the pain in her head lessening, and could see a blue blur heading towards the only entrance and exit, flying away to another life. She leant against the frame in shock, unable to take any of it in. All of these years they had spent caring for Latios' Enigma Crystal, all of this spent to make sure it remained safe… all worthless.

"Clair…," a weak voice sounded, and Clair turned around in shock, towards the man lying on the floor.

"Grandfather!" She gasped and rushed forwards, Spike and Dragonite at her heels as always. The Dragon Elder had been growing older and weaker over the past few months, the strength he had once had slowly slipping away. As he lay there, slowly turning painfully onto his back, Clair could see it in his sunken, shaking face that he wasn't going to pull through this.

"Grandfather, are there any potions we can use, any remedies?" The gym leader asked as tears began to form in her eyes, clutching her grandfather's hands. The Elder simply smiled up at her and gripped back onto her hands.

"It seems it is my time to go, just like it was Latios'," the old man said, and Clair held on tightly, shaking her head as the tears began to stream. "Clair, you must keep the Dragon's Den alive. It needs someone like you to run it, and you're our only hope. But most importantly, you must make sure Latios is not harmed. He may have led to my death coming only a few weeks, possibly even a few days or hours early, but his destined trainer needs him…" The Elder collapsed backwards onto the floor, his grip loosening off Clair's hands, and the gym leader began to sob as he she continued to hold her grandfather's dead hands. Spike simply turned around in respect to give her privacy, while her Dragonite bent down and gave his trainer a hug. Something glittered slightly on the floor, and Spike bent down to pick up the object lying on the carpet: a beautiful stone, coloured almost silver with a glowing blue crystal enclosed in the middle. There appeared to be a crack running through it, and Spike had seen the sister of this Enigma Crystal and knew the crack wasn't an identical thing.

Whoever Latios' destined trainer was, the Eon Pokemon seemed very eager to get to them, and Spike had been involved in these things long enough to know that wasn't good news.

Hopefully, this interlude wasn't too confusing for any of you. Things will make more sense in time, so bare with me! This Red can be seen in Red vs Leaf, but due to their roles in this story, I am rewriting Red vs Leaf into The First Warriors, a series that will detail their adventures with Blue and against Team Rocket in more depth. Red vs Leaf didn't provide the write background for 8ES, so hopefully the new series shall fix that. Also, Clair, Spike, Latios and the Dragon Elder can be seen in Kris vs Gold, if anyone is interested. I write my stories all in same universe (The GalacticVerse) and I don't know if you've all read every other story, so I simply do this to let you know where they can be found to prevent otherwise confusion.