chapter 12: Flames extinguished

My name is Emburn, i am a Charizard that has been with my trainer Ryan for 64 years now, we became the most powerful team in the world many years ago, but when he grew to old to battle anymore, he resigned his position as league champion all over the six regions. Speaking of my trainer, he's taking his last breaths in his bed in his childhood home in Kanto. The whole team is gathered around him, ready to say their goodbyes to a very special person. We each said our goodbyes in the reverse fashion that we were caught, first was Crusher, then came Sharktooth, then was Wake, after him came Nightshade, after him was Punchout, and finally it was my turn.

"hey Emburn, looks like it's time for me to say farwell my old friend, *breathing deeply* we've had some adventures haven't we old pal?"

"yeah we have, but don't worry we'll see each other again. but how's about one last ride throughout the region, to put at rest those old memories?"

"i could go for that, one last fly around seems nice." he climbed onto my back, being slower than in the old days, when he adjusted himself comfortably we took off. as we flew over the region that night everything was calm, we flew over Pewter city first, recaping our first gym battle, then we flew over the other gyms and the memories that we shared there, we flew to the pokemon league where we became the champions of kanto. we ended our flight at the far ends of veridian forest where we first met.

"this sure brings back old times, i remember when you were just a baby charmander, lost and alone in the woods." we just stood there admiring what happened so many years ago, but like all good times it came to an end.

"it's getting cold Emburn, i think it's time we go back home to the others." we flew back where Ryan said his final words to us.

"goodbye my friends. i will see you, in the next life, but for now, thank you for giving me the best time of my existence, i will never forget you." with those words Ryan's eyes closed for the final time, our mentor, trainer, and friend was dead. we spent the entire night in silence mourning the loss of Ryan, but in the morning we took his body to have a private ceremony, i would have flown over to pick up Alex and Shredder, but i had no idea where Shredder lives, and Alex died 2 years ago, so it was just the team. since i was the leader, i picked the one spot where his body would not be bothered, yet we would all be able to find it, the far edge of the Veridian forest. i laid down his body in a patch of grass in the sun, before we started with the encasement of Ryan, i took the mega stone from my bracelet and placed in his hand.

"never forget, Ryan" i then walked away to let the others do what they did, first Crusher built a base around his body with a stone edge, then used a rock tomb to cover up the holes, then both Sharktooth and Wake used surf and sandstorm to buff out the edges and make it smooth, Punchout and Nightshade used their abilities to create an illusion that would shield the tomb just in case anybody ever came across it. then it was my turn to offer up something in the tomb effort, i used a flamethrower to crystalize the rocks and preserve Ryan's body.

"well, what's done is done, i guess this is goodbye to all of you also." i walked around to everyone to say goodbye

"Punchout, keep up that never go down spirit, i could sense that in you when you were a Riolu."

"thanks Emburn, i won't forget you." next came Nightshade.

"well i don;t think i'll be seeing you in another life, considering you're a ghost, but this trip has been fun with you nightshade."

"Don't worry, i'll find a way to see you again, it's been fun" Wake came next

"hey man, this was an awesome ride with you, you've powered through a lot of stuff with us, but now it's time to say goodbye."

"it's been fun with you too Emburn, i'll make sure to talk about my great leader throughout my travels."

"(i'm not that great, hehe) Sharktooth, you've been a great help to the team, and along with that Draco meteor of yours, we dominated everything"

"yeah, well what are ya gonna do, i'm just that awesome."

"don't make me burn you, hehe, just kidding. well if it isn't Crusher, wow it is really weird having you stand so tall when i remember you as the Larvitar who basically sweeped the entire Fire type gym."

"well i couldn't have done it without you and Ryan being some really great strength to me, but now it's time for goodbye."

"yeah, it is. well everyone, i'm on my way, hopefully i see you all around sometime, it's been fun." i then took off into the sky to go on some adventures of my own. along my travels around the Regions, i encountered some powerful opponents, but even without Ryan or the team by my side, i was back in the spirit of battling and the wild. along the way i even found some old friends, Wake was travelling the oceans, and it seems like Crusher and Sharktooth have made a pact in the desert, Nightshade went back to Lavender town where he came from, and was the head guard of the pokemon tower, Punchout went off to train in different caves around the world, never stopping for more than a week at a time. i met up with Tidal along my travels, and we actually became good friends, eventually i found Shredder in some woods, and told him the news about Ryan.

"man that's gotta really suck for you, but don't let this get you down, keep remembering him, and he'll never leave."

"thanks man, i needed some comfort advice, hopefully i see you around."

"bye Emburn." i flew off letting my wings and the air take me wherever they want.

it's been 40 years since the death of Ryan. I've been visiting his grave every year since the Encasement. the others have also come every year, but eventually it was only me left. i was the last living team member apart from Nightshade who will never die, this year would be the last time i would visit this grave. I've been on this planet for 106 years now, and it's time i finally take my leave.

"it's been 40 years since i last saw you old friend, now it's time i see you again." i walked over to my old nest where the bones of my siblings and mother have remained undisturbed for over a century. in the sky i could see a slow moving shape of a Charizard gliding slowly down towards here, in the instant i looked at the bracelet on his wrist i knew it was my brother Blaze. he landed right next to me weakly.

"hey Emburn, you too?"

"yeah, it's my time also, how's about we go out together as we should, we were born almost at the same time, it's only fair."

"wouldn't have it any other way." so we each laid down and curled up back to back, and slowly waited. i could feel my life force draining bit by bit and watching both our tail flames becoming smaller and smaller. as my flame was going out, i could see a light and hear voices, i could hear the team, i could hear Shredder, and Tidal, i could hear my mother and siblings calling out for me, but above all i could hear Ryan. the light was surrounding me as i slipped slowly into this world. As my death grew nearer, i remembered all the adventures i had with Ryan, our first gym battle together, our battle with Alex before the elite four, the battle between me and Tidal. These memories flooded over me in a wave of relaxation, i remembered the other leagues we challenged, but above all of them, i remembered when he first caught me. Eventually my flame went out, and the light took me over, but at my death, i feel a strange wave of calm coming over me, like my life is now complete, and i slowly flew with my brother at my side, through the light and into the next life.

End note: whew that was a real trip wasn't it, i really had a lot of fun making this story, and i hope that you had fun reading it. and yes in Ryan's burial i used the tomb crystalization from Eragon, and i also used the final flight from Eragon, but it was a neat little trick and a heartwarming final farewell and i really wanted to do it, but anyway that was the end of Flames of an Emburn, i will see you in the next story, peace.