Red squinted at this new kid, who swaggered more than walked and wore the smile on his face in an unfazed expression of smugness. Who the hell was he?
"Gramps, this kid's got it way too easy. Anyone can train a Snorlax to listen, especially with food. You really think he's that special?"
Red's face burned, and his fists clenched.
"Blue," Professor Oak turned with a stern finger, "what have I told you about mocking the younger trainers?"
The other boy shrugged with both hands shoved into his pockets. He still smiled.
"Apologize to him. Now."
"Sorry, dweeb."
"Properly," Professor Oak said, the finger stiffer and threatening.
"Sorry I made fun of your training, kid."
The Professor turned back to Red with his hands together and a look that rode the line between desperation and awkward laughing. "We've met so many trainers, that it seems he's seen it all already. I think of him more as my assistant than another trainer. Please, ignore his challenge. He's far more experienced, and he's been here since before we started the 'starter program' a few months back. Please don't worry about him."
Red's face went from furious to confused to challenged. His lips curled into a smirk when he looked at the Professor.
"No, it's okay. I need to learn anyway."
Professor Oak's shoulders slumped, and he walked away in surrender.
"He does this every time, and the younger ones always think they have a chance..."
All that was left was Red and Blue. Word traveled fast and people began to watch out of the corners of their eyes.
"Big mistake, kid," Blue said. "I wasn't given a low-level starter like you. I got a couple of rejects, one of which they got fairly recently. I won't ask if you're ready, 'cause you won't ever be."
He tossed out the first one, and it opened into
"SNORLAX! Stay down."
It must be a Sandshrew. I guess it pays to know the headmaster. You get one of the higher leveled rejects.
True to his trainer's command, the massive pokemon stayed put. The mouse pokemon rushed closer to it.
"Hold."
Sandshrew's claws reached in front as its feet kicked up dirt, quickly gaining speed.
"HOLD IT." Snorlax calmly relaxed as the spiny pokemon lunged forward, claws slicing ahead.
"NOW! DOUBLE-EDGE ATTACK!"
Snorlax opened its eyes and whipped its hands in front of its face, meeting Sandshrew's claws head-on and tossing the smaller pokemon to the side.
"Now, show them how big you really are."
Snorlax obliged as it happily rose up to its full height. Sandshrew was immediately dwarfed by the massive pokemon. Even Blue gulped a little before composing himself.
"POISON STING!"
Suddenly the massive beast recoiled from the sting of something into its stomach.
"Now, SAND-ATTACK!"
The pangolin-like creature began kicking up as much dust as it could, clouding Snorlax's vision.
Red cursed as he covered his face from the sand.
"Snorlax, whatever you do, keep your hands up to protect your face."
Confused and temporarily blinded, it covered its face from the sand.
"Now, SWIFT attack!"
Snorlax recoiled as dozens of stars slammed into its backside. Sandshrew couldn't be picked out in the sand cloud!
There's got to be a way out of this sand cloud... But what?
"FURY SWIPES AGAIN!"
Snorlax was knocked to the side as another attack slammed into its side.
While he couldn't do anything, he could at least build up Snorlax's special.
"AMNESIA!"
"SAND-ATTACK AGAIN!"
Red cursed as another cloud of sand covered the battlefield.
What on Gemini could get rid of the sand?! A gust could do that but... wait.
"Snorlax, wave your arms and blow air in front of you!"
Blue laughed out loud. The trainers outside the battle murmured.
The massive pokemon obeyed as it moved its arms around and blew the sand as far away as possible. As it dissipated, he could see in front of him, but only a few feet. Then it saw spines pass through the field of vision, crossing to its left.
"SLASH!"
"TRY TO BLOCK IT, SNORLAX! DOUBLE-EDGE!"
It saw Sandshrew coming through the dust cloud, the form darkening as it reached closer. Claws clashed and Snorlax got the last hit in before sending Sandshrew outside of the cloud.
That's it.
Move the battle!
"Snorlax, don't let him get back into the cloud!"
The pokemon turned and nodded back at Red as the cloud dissipated on its own.
"GO UNDER, Sandshrew!"
As if on cue, the spiny pokemon dived underground in a massive hole.
Sweat ran down Red's back as he tried to make a strategy. He knew that Sandshrew would try to ambush Snorlax from underground, but if it was laying down...
"Snorlax, rest!"
Immediately after he uttered that, Snorlax collapsed onto the floor in a deep and refreshing slumber. He could feel Sandshrew tunnel underfoot...
But the force of the Dig didn't even move Snorlax. Instead, Sandshrew crawled out from underneath, rubbing its head vigorously. It missed, even though the Dig clearly hit Snorlax. This was Red's big chance; Snorlax was fully healed and Sandshrew spun around in sloppy circles.
"Now! TAKEDOWN!"
Snorlax got up and lunged, it's body clearing the ground before slamming atop the yellow pokemon. As Snorlax got off of the ground and moved away, everyone could clearly see Sandshrew get up, take a few steps... and collapse in exhaustion onto the ground. It fainted.
Sandshrew was unable to battle.
He won.
Snorlax won.
He finally won his first battle!
"Sandshrew, return!"
The exhausted spiny pokemon turned into a ball of red energy as it flew back into its pokeball. Red fished into his backpack for one last fruit, which Snorlax enjoyed the most. He couldn't believe that he did it. A pokemon he just gained respect from in barely a day, and now had won its first battle.
"Well, Red. You might have won this round, but there's still another to go!"
Blue had a second pokemon. Every second level gets one. He knew that the lottery for the second pokemon was after you beat two trainers with levels above yours, so this was going to be an uphill battle from the start. Yet now he didn't seem so afraid anymore. Red breathed deeply into his chest as he heard Blue's second pokeball burst open, white energy showering the stage.
He watched the new pokemon formed, then cursed under his breath.
In front of the two of them was an angry-looking Gyarados, hell-bent on revenge.
