Pokemon: You're the Monster

by robert.williamstn

What if we didn't train Pokemon to fight our battles for us but instead harvested that power to use in hand-to-hand combat between men? Here is the original storyline retold with that notion in mind and some twists as well. With protagonist Red form the video games, we see Kanto through his eyes and a cast of other folks. New chapters should be up every Tuesday!

20. Indigo Plateau and Cerulean Cave

35

For the next several days after I propose to Kyomi, my life kicks off into hyperdrive. I'm fortunate that that night goes by sort of peacefully though. At my request, our family and friends take us out to Spoons, the restaurant owned by Sabrina's family in Saffron City only this time there are no hallucinations or visions. Shew! We get the whole restaurant to ourselves. Sabrina surprises us all by coming in makeup and a beautiful pink dress and Koga in a red dress shirt and black slacks. I never thought I'd see them out of their typical black outfits. They almost look normal to me for the night. Sabrina's sister serves everyone shabu shabu though Kyomi and I request the sushi, just to be on the safe side.

When we finish eating, Yellow and several IP officers agree to Fly us all home though I convince Kyomi to let me take her home separately. Hayashi gives me a wink as he takes his wife's hand and soars into the sky. Flying home to Pallet Town with Kyomi is totally exciting and seeing the night lights is amazing though I can tell that Kyomi is a little nervous by the she gets quiet and clings onto me as we take off.

"Is that what you saw every night when you came to visit me? It's so...beautiful!"

"Almost as beautiful as you!"

Kyomi kisses my cheek then tucks her face into my neck.

"Are you OK?"

"I'm fine! This feels great!"

When we get to Pallet Town, I make a stop at her house to drop her off. It's all I can do to let go of her hand as she walks up to the door on her porch. We make a promise to see each other again in the morning, kiss one last time, and then I step back and watch as she goes in for the night. I head home and say goodnight to my mother before heading to bed myself.

The next morning after breakfast, a group of people show up on our front porch. The first and most important person I see is Kyomi who punches my arm then walks into the house without asking for permission. Typical! After Kyomi comes both of her parents, Yellow and Daisy, and lastly a man I vaguely remember running into by Bill's house, Looker. Kyomi's father, Yellow, and Looker all have the traditional IP slacks and long coats while Daisy , my mother, and Mrs. Hayashi have some nice spring colored dresses. Kyomi and I are the odd ones out with our red and blue ensemble of training clothes.

Mom makes everyone coffee and seats us around the living room, with Kyomi and me sitting on the loveseat across from Looker. He takes the lead in the conversation and even refers to Yellow by his birth name, Seth Matis. He in fact appears to know everything about everything.

Looker reveals to us that his goal is for "Green" to train with her father and chase down the last wild bird that Yellow was hunting, Moltres. To this Mrs. Hayashi gives a concerned look, but her husband holds her hand and whispers something reassuring to her to put her at ease. I don't say anything or even look her way, but squeeze Kyomi's hand. I don't want her to be in danger, but this could be a good chance for her to get back into training as well as reconnect with her father.

The next bit of news involves me and Blue. Apparently after his argument with me in Viridian, he went charging up to Indigo Plateau and tried to take on the Elite Four only to get thrown in jail. Looker tasks me with going to Indigo Plateau to train with the Elite Four and try to talk sense into Blue as he detoxes from the effects of the Rare Candy in his system. I will then be considered for the position of Champion if it comes down to it as it seems several of the Gym Leaders have already put in votes for me.

"How do I even qualify? I mean there are people in the IP and Elite Four that are more well trained than me!"

"There are some, yes, but not many, and there is more to being Champion than being a strong Monster Trainer. It helps if you have a sober mind, devotion, faith, and have a good reputation with the people. Can anyone hear deny that Red has these qualities?"

The group smiles and shakes their heads.

"So it's decided then. You will train and lead us in the fight against Kami Sakiki and his Team Rocket and after that you will lead us as a nation. Don't fret, you won't be alone."

"I'm honored, truly! Wait! What about Oak, Blue's grandfather...the…"

"The current Champion? He's gone into hiding. Yellow will go back to looking for him today, but know that he and his secret club are held responsible for many crimes against Kanto including murder of the previous Champion, conspiracy, and exploitation of minors."

"Exploitation of minors?"

"Yes, we know that Oak groomed you three to go on this journey for at least a year before sending you out on his private mission to get rid of Team Rocket."

"But exploitation? That's a little strong isn't it? I mean, he wasn't honest with us, but he didn't hurt us or anything."

"Red," Daisy chimes in, "you may not see it, but look at Blue...look at Jack…He's so broken...so lost...I tried to defend him myself...but look where we are now...I miss him...I miss my stupid brother..."

To my surprise, she starts tearing up, and Yellow pulls her in close and pats her gently on her back. Seeing her like this is so strange, but I feel sympathy for her, for all those misled by Oak. I just can't accept that he is completely to blame for everything.

"Looker, I won't deny that what Oak has done was wrong, that he crossed some lines, and that he broke the law. I just want to say that I won't accept him as a scapegoat for everything bad that has happened. I talked to him before he took off...I don't know why he did everything that he did, but I know that somehow he thought that he was doing something good. There are other corrupt people in this government that must be discovered and answer for their crimes. How else could someone like Dan Mirty become a Gym Leader?"

"You speak the truth. He most certainly will face justice as well."

"Sir, I don't want Oak to get off guilt-free, but he shouldn't be thrown into the same league as Kami...Giovanni!"

"Many people will not share your balanced perspective on this, but if you speak up, they will respect what you have to say and listen. For now, let's focus on our separate missions, and I will regroup with you when the time comes. Questions?"

We all shake our heads.

"Good!"

36

For the next two weeks, we all go our separate ways to train during the day. I first head north to Viridian City and head back out west to Route 22 then north to Route 23. Though 22 is flat and semi wooded, 23 is hillier and filled with deep ponds similar to the ones in the Safari Zone forcing me to Surf to make it across. Once I bypass these two routes, I'm onto an area called Victory Road, the mountainous terrain under Indigo Plateau, our capital.

Despite housing a fancy training hall and the state building where the Champion and Elite Four work, the Plateau is quite barren. The air outside of the building is hot. The ground is barren to the point that nothing can grow there and certainly no one would want to live there, though I believe that there are few condominiums for state employees in a closed neighborhood behind the state building.

Getting to the top of Victory Road or as I like to call it "death mountain" is super tough. Road is a deceiving term for this long and tedious trek uphill that requires hours of hiking and Strengthing, my least favorite of Skills. Once I get to the top, I mark the building on my map and decide to Fly here from now on. What a relief!

I slip into a nice routine for training, coming to Indigo Plateau during the day to fight with other trainers that have collected their eight Belts as well as fight with the Elite Four themselves when they are free from work. When I get done with training in the evening, I Fly over to Fuchsia City or wherever I might run into Hayashi and Kyomi then either stay at the Focus in Fuchsia or return to Pallet and spend the night catching up with Mom on current happenings. One day in particular, I'm excited to come home and find Kyomi eating cookies with my mother on the couch together and watching TV. They flick the screen off as I walk in and ask me to sit and chat.

"So you have met them all then?"

"Yes, Mom, and they're pretty cool. Let's see, there is Lorelei a woman that uses Ice Skills."

"Isn't she the pretty one?"

"Ah come on, she's like your age, besides you know I'm into brunettes not redheads!"

"Right answer, babe!" Kyomi says teasing me with a cookie then taking a bite out of it before giving me the rest.

"So then you met that Agatha lady, too? The one from TV?"

"Sure did! She uses Ghost Skills, and man, is she sneaky! I never thought an old lady could be so tough, but she is no joke!"

"Wow, and what about the big guy, Bowser, I think?"

"Bruno, and man he is huge! He uses Fighting Skills. And don't forget the last one, Lance. He uses Dragon Skills."

"Dragon Skills?"

"I know right! Yes, he is pretty hard to beat because of those Skills, but then again so are all of them."

"Hard to beat? Does that mean that you HAVE beat them, babe?"

"I...yeah, actually I have."

"No way! I'm so proud of you! Why didn't you tell me?"

"Well I just beat Lance today actually. He's the toughest of them all, and I've lost to him like five times before today, haha. I guess I wanted to wait until I had something good to tell you first."

"Of course you would! Oh, how is Blue? Have you talked to him recently?"

"Yeah, I talked to him. It's hard, you know? He's totally back to his normal self, but he's still stuck in a cell up there. I want to tell everyone he's sorry and get him out of there, but it's not that easy. Daisy can't even come see him yet, the Elite Four will only let me see him."

"Is he, you know angry?"

"Not as mad was I would expect to be honest. He has fully endorsed me for working with the IP and training. He even asked if I would fight with him when he got out, but you know without using Rare Candy or anything."

"Wait, he wants to fight you? Isn't that bad?"

"No, not like that. He wants go back to training the right way and knows that we're both pretty evenly matched. If I want to get stronger, I should train against a guy like him and vice versa. I heard from your Dad that you're catching up with us yourself!"

"I...uh don't know about that,no sign of Moltres yet, but I did learn how to do those environment Skills you learned earlier."

"Wait, really? What kind of Skills do you have now?"

"Ah, well I can use the Venusaur Skill to use Cut and my Clefable Skill to use Strength."

After talking about my last battle with the Pokemon at the Viridian City Gym with Yellow, I realized I could evolve my Nidorino Skill with a Moon Stone I got a long time ago into Nidoking. Once I did this, I thought of Kyomi and gave her one of the same Moon Stones I got at Mount Moon so she could evolve her Clefairy Skill into Clefable which is much more powerful. After that she told me, she bought a Fire Stone which she used on a Vulpix Skill she got Giovanni's and evolved that Skill into Ninetales. Ninetales in real life looks like a giant white fox with nine tails hence the name and is booth mysterious and beautiful to the eye, a perfect fit for my Kyomi!

"I'm glad you know how to do that now! Cool! Did I hear you can do the others, too?"

"Right, so that Aerodactyl Skill you gave me totally works for Flying…" she says referencing the Fossil Skill I picked up Cinnabar Island. "... all though that is probably my least favorite thing to do."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I mean I liked it when you brought me here the other day, but I hate Flying on my own. It's so scary. I can't explain it, but I guess I kind of hate birds, and I hate being up there alone with them."

"You hate birds?"

"Yeah, didn't I tell you I was attacked by birds in the woods when I was little, did I? And, I get a little nervous being up so high anyway...it's just not my favorite thing, and there are some cute birds to look at in pictures I guess, but I can't stand being around them in person. All those feathers and those...talons! And then being off the ground, it's so disorienting."

"OK, well whatever weirdo!"

"Babe!"

"Red, be nice to your fiance!"

"Yes, Mom...OK, I believe you, but I'm asking more about this later."

"Fine!"

"So are you Surfing now?"

"Yes, actually. Oh, didn't I tell you? No, I didn't. Mr. Silph was so thankful for me coming to his rescue that he visited me in Fuchsia City and offered me a reward."

"Yeah? He tried to give me money and stuff from his shops. You, too?"

"Not exactly. He let me have an Element Skill from a Pokemon called Lapras. It's like sort of like this serpent with a big belly and a shell and little flipper legs. Oh, I can't really describe it, but it's super cute!"

"Of course it is! So you can use that Skill to Surf then?"

"Yeah, I like Surfing the best actually."

"Isn't it the best? Man, I bet you look hot in that swimsuit!"

"Satoshi! Shhh!"

"What?"

"Your Mom is right there!" Kyomi says turning red.

"OK, OK, you two," Mom says, "Son, did you tell her about your new Pokemon?"

"It's new SKILLS, Mom! I don't have any Pokemon on me."

"Skills then."

"Yeah, well I have most of the ones you know about. Charizard, Scyther, Gyrados, and you saw me evolve that Nidoking Skill. Oh, and I ended up catching that Tauros the other day."

"Tauros?" Mom asks.

"Yeah, it's this crazy bull thing. I kept trying to talk with my wonderful fiance here and there was like thirty of those things running around making lots of racket. Every time we'd get somewhere quiet they'd go stampeding by. I threw rocks at them and that scared most of them off except this one that got really mad and started chasing me all over the Safari Zone. I'm surprised he didn't impale to death with those pointy horns, ha ha!"

"RED! Don't joke about things like that! Did he get you?" Mom says jumping to her feet.

"No, no! I'm sorry Mom, sorry. OK, OK, so I got that Skill from that Tauros, and he finally left me alone, and then that was that...oh, Agatha let me trade my Haunter Skill with her and then back."

"Trade it?"

"Yeah, I don't know, but for some reason if you send a Skill from your SKillfinder to a different one it causes that Skill to evolve then all you have to do is get the person to trade it back to you and you have a stronger more powerful one than before. Blue actually did that, too."

"He did?"

"Yeah, he has an Alakazam Skill just like Sabrina, and you have to trade to get that one."

"Oh, what other Skills does he have?"

"All good ones I have to say. I mean you knew that he had Blastoise and Pidgeot and then Alakazam, but he also has Exeggutor, Arcanine, and Rhydon."

"Oh those sound really tough!"

"They are, you know he actually gave me some really good advice the other day and I...well let me just show you."

"Yeah?"

I get up and run to my room and come back with my Bill Box and open it to reveal some new weapons I have been collecting. Several advanced trainers use weapons and tools to mimic Pokemon moves while in battle. Giovanni in particular cheated by using modified weaponry that can bypass Evertone armor and manipulate the Skillfinder allowing for fatal attacks on opponents. After talking with Blue about the subject, I decided that I needed to consider evening the odds.

In a small pouch, I have some dark soil, the same kind I saw Nidoking use to turn into Earth Power. Next to that I have a small stone that allows me to concentrate Ghost energy into a Shadow Ball, a deadly move I saw Agatha use in battle and much more powerful than most Ghost type attacks. Propped between these two items are my personal favorites, blades of a fallen Scyther. A gem from the Safari Zone, I found them and had them forged into wieldable swords by none other than Warden Bob. It was actually his idea that I could use them to do a powerful Bug type move some Scyther know called X-Scissor.

"Wow!"

"Cool huh? I...hold on."

Bzzzt Bzzzt!

Looking at my phone, I nearly fall over when I read the name that flashes across the display, Dr. Oak.

"Who is it, babe?"

"Hold on…" I say and answer the phone. "Hello?"

"Red! Are you there?"

"It's me, Dr. Oak! What's going on?"

Kyomi stands alert and listens in quietly.

"Red, the way I left things...It's unacceptable, I admit it. Blue shouldn't be in jail, and I will see to it that he gets out soon. I also want you to be the next Champion properly."

"What do you mean?"

"I want you to fight me."

"What? Fight you? But I can't…"

"Red, it's imperative that you show up to fight me. Please continue your training, be ready for the fight of your life!"

"Dr...I…"

"I'll be at Indigo Plateau, training room in two weeks. Do what you have to do, and I'll see you there! Goodbye, Red!"

"Dr..." I start but the phone clicks off.

37

So for the next two weeks, I continue with my training and focus on learning as many moves I can and getting as strong as possible.

I contact Yellow and inform him of the call from Oak the following day and hear surprising news about Blue. Apparently one night, Oak came and posted the bail for Blue and then turned himself into the jailer. When Yellow and Hayashi were notified, they left home in the middle of the night and went straight to the jail to discover that Oak had Transformed into a Ditto. The real Oak was still at large, and now so was Blue. Looker insisted that I go ahead and plan on meeting Oak and that he may very well want to fight me, but that the IP would be watching and waiting to seize him the second they saw him.

After two weeks of training, I raised my Skill levels to 70 and felt ready to fight anyone and anything that came my way, but I found a new stressor had me feeling all kinds of incompetent. Sitting on the living floor at the Hayashi's, Kyomi has me looking at different fliers for wedding vendors. Her parents have been pacing the floor looking over the pictures and occasionally nodding or shaking their heads and giving vague responses which seems more annoying than helpful to me, but Kyomi insists on all of us helping out.

I want to help with this tonight is the night. Oak could call me any minute. Everyone knows it, but I feel like the others are somehow able to pretend like nothing special is happening tonight and focus on the reception. Ugh, I wish I didn't have to think about Oak or Team Rocket or any drama right now.

"Satoshi, you didn't answer me. Do you want to do seafood or poultry at the reception?"

"I'm sorry babe, um, let's go with poultry. We don't get enough of that in Kanto."

"You think? I mean, I feel like my parents are kind of picky."

"Oh, don't worry about us dear!" Mrs. Hayashi says. "Oh, Tetsuo, I just remembered that I didn't put away the dishes. Could you help me with that?"

"Sure dear!"

Kyomi's parents smile and retreat to the kitchen. Thanks for nothing!

"Can we just do sushi? I feel like everyone like sushi."

"That's true...OK then."

Much to my delight and horror, we have bounced back and forth from town to town either doing extensive training or thorough planning for our wedding, and I'm exhausted. Kanto has the cultural confusion of different influences which makes it hard sometimes to decide on a basic location and set of rituals for things like weddings. Traditional Shinto weddings are still popular, but modern Western traditions have also been in the mix, too. Whenever people ask us, I feel like my head will explode trying to pick out some obscure detail about our wedding day. Not to mention that the list of possible guests seem to keep rising by the hour. We're contemplating inviting some two hundred or so people that I don't that well at all and possibly leaving part of the reception open to random fans.

"Satoshi...I'm sorry, I'm just going to ask you. What do you want?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I know we've been planning this for weeks, and it's a head ache for you. It is for me, too! What would you like?"

"Me?"

"Yes, please just tell me."

"OK, I think we need to stop trying to plan something so big and elaborate. Can we do something small?"

"How small?"

"Like let's just have our parents and maybe our closest friends, nobody else. Let's get married in the Forest this spring, and maybe just get something local to eat."

"That's what you want?"

"Yeah...you think it's terrible, but..."

"What, no, oh Satoshi! I love it! Can we just get some food from that place where you got me lunch?"

"The sandwich place?"

"Ha ha, yes, oh my gosh! The sandwich place, oh it's perfect!"

"You mean it?"

Yes, oh my gosh! I just can't stand all this stupid planning stuff! I just want something meaningful that ends with me marrying you. End of story!"

"Awesome! I'm glad you feel that way...oh Kyomi, I can't wait..."

Bzzzzt! Bzzzt!

"I..hold on…"

"Is it him?"

I check my cell phone.

"It is. It's Oak."

"Well don't wait! Go! He's waiting for you!"

"All right, geez, I'm going. Love you!"

"Love you," she says with kiss. "Be careful!"

I nod to her and smile. Her parents run up to me from the kitchen and give me a hug, their faces now more serious. I turn and walk out the door to see some of my neighbors standing outside looking intently at me. Did somebody tell them about tonight?

I do my best to bring my focus back to my ringing phone and finally answer it. The phone hangs up when I try to answer, but a text message comes across the screen reading simply "I'll be waiting."

I Fly into the night sky and head northwest toward the Indigo Plateau. Passing all of the nearby forest and the lights of both Pallet Town and Viridian City I can't help but feel a sudden pang of fear. Am I just going to fight Oak or is something bigger going down? Is it a trap? What if I make plans to Kyomi that I can't keep? What if I sign up to be the Champion, and instead of living a life of love and joy with her, I bring nothing but dread and uncertainty to our future? Should I risk doing that to her, after all she's been through? Maybe I should turn around and get her. We could run away together! Oh, but I could never live with myself if I ran from something. No, I have to go tonight and see Oak and when the time comes, I will face whatever challenges come with being Champion.

When I get to the Plateau at the top of Victory Road, I see the street lights surrounding the training facility. I'm here now. I have to remember why I started all of this in the first place. I wanted to be a man of devotion, of love, even courage like my father. Tonight, no matter what happens, I hope my father is proud of me. If I don't make it, at least that will make everything worth it. No, I can't forget about Kyomi! Ugh, my brain hurts. I'm not ready for whatever this is, but I have to be. Somehow, get yourself together Satoshi!

I land on the street in front of the building and run up the stone steps to the big double doors of the training facility. To my left and right, I see IP hiding in the bushes. They are ready to attack which is what I should be now, ready to fight. I open the door and walk down a dark hallway toward a cracked door leaking light towards me. As I open the door, I find him waiting for me under a single overhead light in a big gymnasium. Walking up to the professor, I see that he hasn't come prepared for battle by dressing in fighting clothes but instead has on his favorite lab coat and slippers.

"Dr. Oak...I'm here."

"Red, please come here. There is someone I want you to meet."

"OK?"

"Please hurry, we don't have much time," he whispers waving me closer.

Though he looks totally unsuspecting, I came prepared for battle. With my training clothes on as usual, I also have attached various pouches to my Belt so that I can easily access them during battle, but most notably I have holstered the twin Scyther blades on straps across my back. When I first got them, I had no clue how to swing them, but for the past few weeks I have practiced using them everyday for hours on end. At this hour, despite all the history and memories I have of Blue's grandfather, I prepare myself exactly how I will strike Dr. Oak down should it come down to it.

But when I get close to him in the dark, I can tell that he isn't going to attack me. In fact he appears to have been crying and is shivering like a life in the wind.

"Red, thank you...I'm...so sorry for all I've done...I didn't know for sure if you'd come…"

"I know, I know, please tell me. What is this about? You told me you wanted to fight me!"

Oak raises a shaking hand and then points to the right. I turn and look and see something move in the dark. On instinct I reach my hands back so that I can touch the handles of my swords with my fingers. I wait a few seconds as the object moves slowly towards me and then put my arms down when I realize what I'm looking at.

Mewtwo.

"Red, we don't have much time. I...tracked him down over the past month or so..but I found him...he is in danger, and you are the only one that can protect him...I lied to you...but only sort of...you will make a great Champion, much better than me...I fully believe in you. I...could have been a fight for you in the past, but no, I won't be fighting with you."

"Oak, what is wrong? Why are you shaking?"

"I told Yellow everything...I told Blue...Blue will help you...you can trust him...maybe you still have anger towards him, but please take that out on me...it was never his fault...I…"

SHK! SHK! SHK! SHK!

Before he can finish whatever he is about to say dozens of needles fly dig into Oak's body. He doesn't say a word but just stands there with his mouth open, blood dripping from his lips. I reach out to Oak but he slips between my fingers and slumps to the floor.

THOOOM!

I watch as a ball comes flying across the room and hits Mewtwo right in the face. In a couple of seconds, I see his whole body glow like hot lava and then turn into a small ball of light and enter the ball before it falls to the ground. What just happened? The ball just captured him. Looking back into the dark, I see my answer.

"GIOVANNI!"

The man that has caused me so much trouble over the last several months and all of Kanto for that matter comes crawling out of the shadows like the demon he truly is. Dressed in a black suit with a Silver band wrapped around his left arm, he walks past Oak and me and collects the purple and white ball holding Mewtwo. I want to tear his face off, but I stick close to Oak.

Why use this ball? Then it hits me. A few weeks ago, I heard Yellow talking about using a Siplh Ball to catch Articuno. Silph as in Silph Co. where Giovanni showed up in hopes of stealing something called a Master Ball.

"Is that a Silph Ball or Master Ball? That's why you attacked Saffron City. Why you tried to kill everyone there? You wanted to use it to catch Mewtwo!"

"I did, and honestly I felt really defeated that day despite getting the Ball because so many of me got captured and not not mention, someone damaged my Skillfinder. I had just modified it to track Mewtwo's location, but Oak was my bait to finding Mewtwo and boy did he deliver, ha ha ha! I was so mad about the delay, but everything worked out in the end."

"Oh well I'm not sorry for cracking your GPS thingy and slowing down your plans."

"Ha, you did throw a good punch I suppose, but you didn't crack my Skillfinder. That was some bratty girl from Pallet."

I feel my fists tightening.

"But you know, I thought she was dead for sure! Word is that she made a full recovery and is getting married to you!"

"She still has scars on her body from where you attacked her!"

"Oh? Well that won't do, maybe I can stop by Pallet tonight and pay her a visit. She won't mind will she? I mean the past is in the past."

"You stay away from her!"

"Oh, so you're the boss now huh? Yeah, I heard Oak saying to you to come here prepared to battle for the title of Champion, how exciting! Too bad he's a total wimp. I'll tell you what. Drop this foolish plan to be a hero and take your girlfriend to Johto...no actually, I'm going to take over that country next...maybe Unova..."

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! I'LL MAKE YOU PAY FOR ALL THE PEOPLE YOU'VE HURT!"

"Oh, I know, I figured you'd say that, and to be honest, I don't really believe in letting things go…"

I reach overhead towards my swords. Giovanni prowls around me in a slow circle like a hungry lion. This could be quick. The next person to strike could determine who walks away and who dies.

"...and I would like to fight you for, I don't know, sentiment I guess, but the game is over, kid. I mean look at me!"

He raises his hands above his head and rings of fire start to form, then he lowers his hands to his side, and the flames turn into a blue mist. He points his fingers at me like little guns and water starts shooting out onto the floor in front of me. I step back and draw my swords in front of me as he raises one hand out and another above his head, the stance to use Thunder.

"This move didn't work on me Himura, but I'm curious how it will do against you if I use it with Mewtwo's powers. Want to see? LET'S DANCE!"

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

Just as I prepare myself for the pain of my life, a giant burst of energy comes blasting through the window and hitting Giovanni like a train. I watch in amazement as he goes flying back and crashes into the wall and falls to the ground. Looking out the window, I see Looker. I wave to him and he waves back.

"What just…"

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

BOOOOOOOOM!

But before Giovanni can say another word, the IP outside begin an all out assault on the room blasting every inch of ground near Giovanni with a deadly Hyper Beam, a hand generated blast of energy meant for complete destruction. Giovanni rolls out of the way just narrowly avoiding what I can only imagine would be a painful death and then soars into the air, busting through the ceiling.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" I cry watching him get away.

"RED!" Looker calls to me. "We have to recharge. We'll stay here with Oak, but you have to follow Giovanni! Do not let get him away with that Mewtwo Skill or all of Kanto may be doomed!"

"You don't have to tell me twice! I'm going!"

I set Oak down on the ground and squeeze his hand.

"Hang in there, Dr. Oak!"

"Don't worry about me...the plan will work...but you have to follow Giovanni...stop him...for good!"

I don't know what plan Oak is talking about, but I nod to him and then take flight through the ceiling. I rise into the night sky and squint my eyes for any sign of movement. At first all I can see are stars and the flicker of street lights. Then off to the east, I see something moving. Giovanni!

I Fly straight towards the object and confirm it's him. Giovanni looks back over his shoulder and sees me then hastens his flight. Is he scared? I don't get it. He got this Mewtwo creature which is supposed to be all powerful and he wants to run away from me. He must know how much I want to kill him!

I chase after him for several minutes, but he doesn't let up. At times we run into clouds, and I nearly lose him, but then I find him once again.

Before I know it, we are back over Mount Moon looking down at Cerulean City. Giovanni dives down towards the river west of town and marches into a small space between some boulders. I dive down for the entrance only to see the rocks smash into place in front of me. I put out my arms and use Strength to move one out of the way.

Running into the cave, I see Giovanni Surf across some rushing waters and then climb out on the opposite bank and go down some stairs. I jump into the waters and follow him down the stairs. When I make it to the next floor, I'm greeted by an incredible sight.

Giovanni runs across the tiled floor through what appears to be some sort of laboratory and places the Master Ball in a large machine. Looking around the room, I see that he has been quite busy building whatever this facility is and...there are Rocket Grunts everywhere! Out from every nook and cranny come dozens of men and women in black and silver costumes surrounding me completely. There bright red "R's" gleam at me like the eyes of silent killers in the jungle. I feel my heart begin pouding as I take them all in and look back to see one of them is now standing in front of the stairs back out. A trap! But I look closely at the man as he pulls his cap up and see his face. Koga? He smiles at me and nods for me to turn around towards Giovanni.

"Well Red, or Himura, or whatever your name is," Giovanni starts, "I'm actually glad you're here. I'm going to complete the plan I set out to do all those years ago. I'm going to finish the cloning project that I got Oak and his buddies involved in but this time do it myself. With this Mewtwo and this machine, I will mass produce an army of clones and unleash them on Kanto. We won't even have to fight anymore because we will engineer these clones to be obedient and respond to my commands. That's all I ever wanted, for people to listen, ha ha ha, and now, now Kanto will have no choice because if they don't listen to me, they will have to answer to Mewtwo."

"Giovanni, I know you have a grudge about the past. What...what happened to you was wrong. But you can't do this. Please have reason! Pokemon aren't meant to fight our battles, and this plan...this plan gives you power based on fear. You may get people to listen but not without becoming a monster in the process. They won't listen to you! They'll run and hide from you and curse your name all your days, but I promise you they won't listen to a man they can't respect!"

"HA! You know I think you're right. I think I need to change my outlook on this mission, yes. I've had it wrong this whole time. You know what...LET THEM RUN! LET THEM HIDE!"

Giovanni runs like a mad man up some steps and starts touching buttons on a machine causing a tube to open. He turns towards the tube and prepares to put the Master Ball in it. No, you don't!

Shk!

Giovanni winces and flinches as my Poisonsting cuts into his hand making him drop the ball. The Grunts all raise their fists and growl at me. I survey the room, looking closely at their faces. In the crowd I start to notice that nearly a third of Team Rocket appear to be people I know but wearing the black garb. I look back and see Koga by the stairs. He nods and motions to my left. I turn and see Sabrina, Surge, and Yellow. They all smile and look behind me. I turn around and see both Erika the Gym Leader and fake Erica or as we now know her, Summer. Turning back to look at Giovanni, I see that he can tell something is wrong. He looks down to a group in between the two of us and furrows his brow. Looking in the crowd myself, I see them, my closest friends, Blue and Kyomi! I can't explain it but seeing her here in that outfit, with the tight black skirt and some long Silver gloves and tights, I can't help but fall in love with her all over again.

"Kyomi, it's you! How did you know?" I say turning to her.

"I had no clue until tonight, haha, but Yellow called me a couple of days ago and told me he had a surprise party planned for you...This is clearly not a party, but Yellow knew if he told me about this place, I wouldn't wait for a plan, I'd just come straight her on my own."

"It's true! You're here now, all of you..."

My friends all step forward revealing themselves to the others.

Kyomi turns to look at Giovanni and stick out her tongue making him even madder then turns back to me.

"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR CHAMPION? GET HIM!" she cries.

And with that, the Rocket Grunts and my insurgents turn on each other as I sprint towards Giovanni. He clips the Master Ball back to his belt and jumps over a railing to charge me. I know that he will try any number of attacks to take me down, but he will use the Mewtwo Skill which is Psychic. My best bet is to rely on my Bug and Ghost Skills so I draw the stone from my belt and transfer pure energy into the ball which then flows back out into my hand in the shape of dark sphere.

Giovanni pulls a hand back and forms an incredibly big wave of Psychic energy then flings it towards me. Psywave huh? I used to dread this attack from Sabrina, but now I have a solution. Jumping into the sky towards the wave directly, I chuck the Shadow Ball straight at Giovanni. The ball of energy makes the light in the room invert like a negative photograph for a second and causes the Psywave to split into halves that fade away. The Shadow Ball drives toward Giovanni and hits him square in the chest.

Stumbling back Giovanni hits his back on the rail behind him and falls to his knees. I don't hesitate and follow up my attack with another Shadow Ball. The second flickers and changes the color in the room once more as it nears Giovanni, but this time he raises a hand and a similar energy comes out of him and destroys the Shadow Ball. Checking my stone, I discover that he has rendered it useless. I can't get it to activate again!

Giovanni gets to his feet and pulses another negative energy blast of Nightshade at me and knocks me down. I try to draw my swords while Giovanni tears off his jacket and holds it above his head turning the material somehow into a large rock. I charge him, but he makes the Stone Edge fly towards me and knock me on my back causing me to drop the Scyther blades. Looking to my right, I watch as Kyomi blasts two Rocket Grunts into a wall using Solar Beam, a giant blast of green energy. Blue uses the deadly attack Fire Blast that Blaine used on me to take out three more bad guys. Get back up Red, you can do this!

I flip over onto my chest and push myself off the ground and jump out of the way as a Fire Spin impacts with the ground where I just lay. Turning around to face my opponent, I watch as he holds his hands out in the stance Yellow used for Thunder. I open a pouch on my waist and pull out the dark material that allows me to use Earth Power and send a massive projectile towards him. Earth Power cuts through his attack and knocks him back off his feet but some of the electricity still zaps me knocking the breath out of me.

I gasp for air and grab at my chest as Giovanni gets back to his feet. He glares at me and sticks out both his hands at me showing that now both of his hands have a Horn Drill mechanism. If he hits me with either one of those, I could easily die. Looking down at the floor, I can see the Scyther blades right in front of me. Don't blow it Red! Get him!

He charges towards me, and I dive for the ground and scoop up the swords sliding right towards him. I grab them then quickly tuck and roll as he jabs a Horn Drill into the ground at me making a small crater. I turn and roll again as he thrusts the other Drill at me missing my heart but making a gash across my shoulder and nicking my cheek. I touch my face and feel the warm blood on my fingers as I get back to my feet. Giovanni tries to rush me again, but this time I'm ready. I run forward and just as he tries to use his drills on me for the last time, I swing down both blades in an overhead diagonal arc and chop them off.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!"

He screams as he looks at his now useless weapons and the blood trickling from his injured fists. X-Scissor worked but Giovanni is still on the attack. He pulls his arms back and holds his arms above his head and makes a dark purple cloud form over his body that expands and then quite suddenly knocks me back. My ears pop and nausea courses through me as I slip to one knee and drop a sword. I reach down and grab it only to look up and see he is going to attack me again.

DOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

The Psychic blast knocks me back into a machine with hard thud. Some control stabs me in the back and my head making it throb with pain. I peel myself off and charge forward as he tries once more to use this pesky attack. Giovanni forms the blast and sends it towards me as I dive through the air for him with all the might left in me. The blast hits me in the face, but my momentum allows me to keep going towards Giovanni with the blades in the familiar arc. I swing them down toward him with all I have, and this time make a broad "X" across his chest before falling flat on the ground in front of him.

All at once, the sound of screaming and fighting ceases. I raise my head just enough to see Giovanni's boots as they fall back, and hear his body slams against the floor. Looking around the room, I see that many of the Rocket Grunts are knocked out while the remaining ones are standing with their hands behind their hands, panic across their faces at the sight of their fallen leader. I set the swords down and grit my teeth as I climb up first on my knees and then slowly back up on my feet. Looking down at Giovanni's face, I can see the shock in his eyes, blood seeping from his chest into a pool around him.

"This fight is over, Giovanni! I didn't want this, but you gave me no choice."

"Himura...Himura..."

I step over to to his side and squat down taking the Master Ball from his belt and clicking a button on it without even acknowledging him. The Ball glows and a strand of purple energy emits from the side then expands into the size of a man before finally changing back into Mewtwo. He looks at me then everyone else before levitating into the air and Teleporting away.

"Go Mewtwo, be free, and never be a weapon for any man's scheme again!" I say as he leaves.

I look back at Giovanni who has started to tear up.

"Himura...Red...Silver...find him...find Silver…"

I lean down near his face and turn his head towards me. He looks up into my eyes in complete desperation and pain. He knows this is it.

"What are you saying to me?"

"I...I failed...yes, but please find my son...find Silver...don't let him...don't let him grow up to be like his father...don't let him grow up in fear…"

"Where is he?"

"I tried to...but he wouldn't listen...he hates me..."

"Where is Silver, where is your son?" I repeat.

"He's in Johto...with Alfie and my lieutenants. I sent them to Johto...Please…"

"OK, Giovanni. I don't have any desire to do you any favors, but I will not rest until all of Team Rocket is punished for their crimes. I will catch your lieutenants and I will liberate your son. I can do that for you. Know this, my father died trying to save you, and despite you actions, I, like my father will commit all I am to finding your son."

"Thank...you…"

Giovanni closes his eyes and begins shaking and choking on his own blood. I lay his head back down and turn to the others. I hold his hand for a moment until he stills and check his pulse. He's gone. It's over.

"He's gone everyone. Let's go...let's go home!"