"Come on Charizard! We've just got to finish him off! We've come this far, and I know we can win," Red shouted gleefully.

"I don't think so," Blue laughed, "Blastoise, use Hydro Pump!"

Blue's Blastoise hurled water at the Charizard, or at least what it thought to be the Charizard.

"Blastoise, come on!" Blue shouted at the Pokémon and then at Red, "You know, as soon as I beat you, I'm making a rule so that no Pokemon can use Sand Attack against the Elite Four!"

"Sorry," Red shrugged, "Charizard, use Strength!"

The Charizard launched itself at Blastoise with all of its strength, knocking the great turtle to the ground. It wriggled around a bit before falling limp on the ground.

"No!" Blue cried, rushing to Blastoise's side, "Blastoise, I'm sorry."

"Good job, Charizard! Come here!" The Charizard flew to Red's side and nuzzled up against him, "That was a close one, huh? But I'm so proud of you! You're my only Pokémon that was still standing in the end."

"Not so fast!" a voice yelled as the door flew open.

"Leaf? I already have to fight someone else?" Red sighed, exasperated, "But I only have one Pokémon left. And look, he's so tired." Charizard was covered with sweat from the heat of the last battle, and panted.

"Well, so do I. Go, Eevee!" Leaf released Eevee from its Pokeball, "Use swift!"

Red, panicking, shouted, "Charizard, Flamethrower!"

The two attacks hit the opposing Pokémon, and both collapsed simultaneously, exhausted.

"What!?" Red and Leaf cried, confused.

"So… who won?" Leaf asked.

"I…" Red stuttered, "I guess we're both the champion now…."

"Oh!" Leaf exclaimed, "So we can do double battles now! Wow, this is going to be so fun, Red! Just like we used to."

"Go, Bulbasaur!" young Leaf squealed, "This is my first Pokémon battle. Thanks for agreeing to battle with me, Red."

"Any time, Leaf," Red laughed, "Go, Charmander!"

"You think you both can beat me and my sis?" a young girl shouted, "Go, Cleffa!"

Her sister then sent out an Igglybuff and a battle commenced. Both of the twins' Pokémon only used Pound repeatedly, with Igglybuff occasionally using Charm. Leaf and Red's Pokémon used tackle over and over again, and when it appeared that the end was in sight, Igglybuff did the unthinkable- it used Sing. Bulbasaur and Charmander both fell asleep, and as their masters tried to wake them up, they were both attacked relentlessly. Bulbasaur was the first to faint, and then it was Charmander. The defeated trainers ran as fast as they could to get away from the twins, carrying their wounded Pokémon to the nearest Pokémon Center.

"It looks like they'll be alright, but you should be sure they don't get hurt like this again, and they'll eventually grow to love you," Nurse Joy explained, "That's the greatest bond of all: the bond of friendship between a Pokémon and its trainer."

For a time, the two traveled together, creating strong bonds with their Pokémon, but one day, fate carried them apart. They didn't meet again until their Elite Four challenges.

Leaf and Red walked back to the Elite Four P.C. to choose their Pokémon.

"We can each use three Pokémon, so let's pick which ones now. I'm going to use Venosaur and Eevee, obviously, but I don't know about the third. I have a Horsea, Phanpy, and Blissey."

"Definitley the Blissey," Red answered, "Does it know Softboiled?" Leaf nodded her head and Red continued, "I'll use Charizard, Crobat, and Dragonair."

"Sounds like we'll make a great team!" Leaf smiled as the two walked back to their new room.

The trainers and Pokémon all sat around the room, making themselves comfortable. Crobat had a timid nature, and therefore spent most of its time hiding behind Red.

"So, Leaf, how have your travels been going?" Red tried to fill an awkward silence between the two.

"Great!" she responded, "I almost filled up my regional Pokédex. It's just those pesky starters and legendaries that are making it hard."

"Yeah, same here," Red's eyes suddenly lit up, "Hey, what if we let Blue run this place while we go search for all the Pokémon we need?"

Leaf gasped happily, "I'm sure he'd love that."

The new champions located and informed their friend of their plans, and he quickly made his way back to the Elite Four so that he could be the champion once more.


"So, Mewtwo, would you agree to be my partner in this little operation?" Giovanni asked, "With your help, we can liberate all Pokemon. But we will need help from the other legendary Pokémon as well." After a moment of silence, he continued, "The choice is yours."

Mewtwo was lost deep in thought, and eventually responded, "All right. You may be my partner. But you will be just that. I have no master, and you may not ever think that that's what you are… my master," Mewtwo shuddered at the thought, "I am your master, and through me, you may rule the world."

Giovanni smiled silently as his helicopter flew over a mountain and a bird made entirely of flame came into view.