"It's mine! I saw it first!" Wailed Griff, hugging the egg to his chest.

"I'm the one who wants to be a pokemon master, let me have it!" Whined Nate, trying to tug it from Griff's arms.

"I think I would be the best to look after it," muttered Kaori.

"I'm the one who needs more pokemon!" Yelled Mac over the commotion.

The four of them fought furiously over the egg, each of them screaming out why they would be the best to have it. The egg had been discovered lying in the path on the way towards Vermillion City. It was smaller than most pokemon eggs that Nate had seen and it had a brown crooked line across it, the normally white eggshell was faintly tinted in blue.

"Stop!" Roared Griff, halting Nate and Mac in their tracks as they battled over the egg. "We will fight a tournament to decide who gets the egg," the others nodded slowly, realising that a tournament was the fairest way to settle things.

"We'll have one on one battles, as soon as you're pokemon is unable to battle then you're knocked out!" Announced Griff, whilst the others struggled to understand his tournament lingo. "And to add a little spice," he gave them all a mischievous grin, "we'll play the tournament blind!"

There was complete silence before Kaori asked tentatively, "what does playing blind mean?"
Griff's excited expression dropped to be replaced with one of disgust. "Don't you guys know anything about tournaments?" he moaned, "playing blind is when you don't get to choose your pokemon, you just choose a random poke ball and see what happens." Griff finished very slowly and very condescendingly, receiving a withering look from Nate.

"I'm not sure I quite understand…" muttered Kaori, but Griff had began choosing first round opponents.

"Ok, I'll fight Mac in the first round and Kaori can fight Nate," said Griff laying out his poke balls on the grass in front of him.

"Lay out your active poke balls on the grass," Griff commanded Mac.

"Ok," Mac said slowly, "I only have three."

"So! I only have two!" Yelled Griff, almost angry that Mac thought three was not enough.

"Ok, I choose this one," Griff announced grabbing one of his poke balls. Mac selected his poke ball and the two turned to face each other.

"This should be good," whispered Nate, settling himself upon the grass, beside Kaori.

"Start the battle!" Roared Griff. Griff threw out his poke ball and watched the white light swirl into the form of his Skitty!

"Skitty, alright!" Griff cheered.

Mac gulped nervously as his poke ball opened and turned into the form of Pachirisu! Mac groaned as Pachirisu shocked him mercilessly, giggling as it did.

"Pachirisu… why couldn't it have been Bulbasaur?" he whined, receiving another shock from Pachirisu as he did.

Griff let out an enormous smile as it watched Pachirisu run circles around Mac.

"Skitty, this should be easy, tackle now!" he roared. The little pink cat charged at Pachirisu, squeaking furiously.

"Pachirisu, sweet kiss!" Mac ordered. Pachirisu smacked its lips happily letting out a pink heart.

"You were meant… to use it… on Skitty…" Mac mumbled, smiling bemusedly down at Pachirisu.

Nate began to laugh as Mac stared lovingly at Pachirisu, moments later Skitty slammed into the squirrel throwing it off its feet.

"No…" murmured Mac, "My sweet, beautiful, wonderful…" he trailed off woozily, stumbling over onto the ground where he stretched out happily.

Pachirisu lifted itself back onto its feet and let a spark of electricity; forcing Skitty to back off and bringing Mac back to his senses.

"Have you woken up yet Mac?" Giggled Griff.

"Ok Pachirisu, let's use sweet kiss, but on Skitty this time!" Roared Mac. Pachirisu nodded letting out another pink heart, but this time at Skitty. But Skitty hopped skilfully out of the way and let out a chilling blizzard.

"Pachirisu, dodge it with quick attack," The squirrel squirmed out of the way of the blizzard and shot forwards straight at Skitty.

"Skitty, use faint attack!" Skitty slowly faded out of sight, causing Pachirisu to grind to a halt.

"Pachirisu look out! Skitty's about to…" But Mac was too late, Skitty slammed into Pachirisu, throwing it tumbling across the grass.

"Pachirisu, no!" Wailed Mac, but Pachirisu jumped back to its feet, refusing to be beaten. "Ok Pachirisu, time to use spark!" Pachirisu began to run, charging itself with crackling blue electricity.

"Skitty, um…" Griff burbled, but it was too late. Skitty skidded backwards across the floor, sparks cascading off of it.

"Skitty, are you paralysed?" gasped Griff.

"Yes!" Grinned Mac.

"No problem, Heal bell!" Griff said smugly. Skitty let out a soft chime, and Mac watched as the sparks stopped crackling and Skitty returned to its healthy status although still badly bruised.

"Damn… Pachirisu, Discharge now!" Yelled Mac, his mind set on his prize.

Pachirisu squeaked furiously as it began to crackle and fizz with electricity, blasting both Skitty and Mac once again.

Mac rose slowly to his feet, badly singed, there was a ringing in his ears and he was finding it hard to focus. Nate and Kaori were clapping happily and Pachirisu was rubbing its head affectionately against Mac's legs. Mac wasn't quite sure what had happened. But then he saw Skitty lying unconscious and blackened in front of Griff.

"Have a good long rest," Griff whispered as he returned Skitty to its poke ball.

"Nice battle Mac," called Nate, "I'll see you in the finals." Nate and Kaori took their positions, each reaching for a poke ball.

"Please don't be Machoke," Kaori muttered to herself, "please don't be Beautifly," Nate muttered to himself."

The two poke balls opened and took the form of Charmander and Cyndaquil!

"Hmmm fighting fire with fire," giggled Nate, but Kaori seemed very focused.

"Let's start with a smoke screen," ordered Kaori. Cyndaquil breathed out a haze of smoke, enveloping the entire battlefield.

"Now, Cyndaquil use quick attack!"

"Charmander watch out for Cyndaquil!" Cried Nate. Charmander's eyes flitted nervously from side to side, seeing nothing but vast expanses of smoke. Suddenly Cyndaquil burst through the smoke dealing Charmander a glancing blow.

"Charmander, use metal claw!" The little red lizard turned, its claws shining brightly and slashed viciously at Cyndaquil. Cyndaquil slumped to the floor, its eyes glazed.

"Charmander, finish it with rage!"

"Cyndaquil, flame thrower!"

Charmander charged at Cyndaquil, but at the last moment Cyndaquil unleashed a jet of flame, throwing Charmander backwards.

"This isn't going to be easy," muttered Nate.

"You're right! It won't!" said Kaori confidently.

Cyndaquil and Charmander continued to face off, neither of them backing down for a moment. They scratched, slammed and scorched one another, all the while not letting back an inch.

"Charmander, flame thrower!"

"Cyndaquil, flame thrower!"

The two streaks of fire crashed into one another, causing an explosion of smoke, ash and dirt. Nate shielded his eyes; Kaori was blasted back onto the floor. As the dust cleared, Nate was shocked to see both pokemon still standing.

But then slowly, painfully slowly, Cyndaquil's collapsed to its knees and then flopped to the floor. Charmander remained standing, its breathing coming fast and its flame sputtering dangerously. But the result had been discovered.

"Oh…" whispered Kaori, "I lost…"

"Good match Kaori!" Grinned Nate, "But now Mac, it's time for me to win that egg!"

"I wouldn't be so sure," said Mac, taking his place opposite Nate. Griff and Kaori sat together, Kaori cradling the egg maternally in her arms.

"Let's start this thing!" Mac cried throwing out a poke ball, it took the form of Bulbasaur.

"Well I can beat Bulbasaur with…" Announced Nate throwing out one of his poke balls. "BEAUTIFLY?!?!?!" He wailed as Beautifly fluttered happily around.

"Ok, Bulbasaur, vine whip!" Long green vines unfurled out of Bulbasaur's bulb, shooting rapidly towards Beautifly.

"Beautifly, cut through the vines with silver wind!" Beautifly flapped its wings hard, letting off a sparkling breeze, but not enough to cut the incoming vines. Beautifly was thrown to the ground in a heap.

"That silver wind was beautiful," sighed Kaori, watching as Beautifly struggled to fly into the air. Beautifly looked worried and hurt, trying to hide behind Nate.

"Beautifly, you can do it, Come on!" Encouraged Nate and slowly Beautifly soared back into the battle.

"Bulbasaur, razor leaf now!" Commanded Mac. Razor leaf came spinning towards Beautifly. The butterfly's eyes began to shine bright blue as it used a psychic attack, halting several of the spinning leaves in their path, but not all of the leaves. Nate gritted his teeth as Beautifly tumbled down through the air, only spinning out of its nosedive at the last second.

"Beautifly, morning sun!" Beautifly began to glow as it took in light, its injuries visibly healing.

"Bulbasaur, Take down before Beautifly heals itself!" Bulbasaur launched itself into the air, slamming into Beautifly with so much force that Beautifly was thrown into Nate.

"Beautifly?" asked Nate worriedly, but there was no point, Beautifly was well and truly down for the count.

"Good work Bulbasaur!" Congratulated Mac, grabbing the egg and lifting it happily above his head. "Yes the egg is mine!" He roared, jumping happily, the egg bouncing in his hands.

Kaori caught the egg as it tumbled to out of Mac's hands. Mac sheepishly took the egg out of Kaori's hands, this time clutching it carefully to his chest.

Nate looked out into the horizon, watching the orange glow of the sun sink behind the distant Vermillion City. A sound behind him alerted him to the presence of Kaori. She was standing behind him, a poke ball clutched in her hand.

"Hey Kaori, what's up?" he asked.

"Machoke never listens to me," she said thoughtfully, staring into the distance alongside Nate.

"I'm sure if you train it then…"

"No. I'm not strong enough, Machoke needs a trainer who knows how to battle and who battles a lot."

Nate furrowed his brow as he began to deduce what Kaori was saying.

"Your Beautifly doesn't seem to like battling very much," she smiled, turning to Nate, "I think you know what I'm suggesting," she finished holding out her poke ball to Nate.

Slowly, Nate reached to his belt and grasped Beautifly's poke ball.

"Good luck Beautifly," He whispered, before handing the poke ball to Kaori, Kaori handed him hers.

"The trade is complete," said Kaori happily, "Look after Machoke ok?"

"Sure I…" began Nate, but suddenly Machoke's poke ball burst open but the light did not materialize into a Machoke but instead an enormous four-armed muscle bound monster.

"WOW! Machoke evolved into a Machamp!" Cried Nate excitedly. Machamp grinned happily, patting Kaori on the shoulder and given Nate a crippling hug.

"Beautifly, come on out!" said Kaori, letting out her brand new pokemon. Beautifly trilled happily, landing on Kaori's shoulder.

"Beautifly, don't forget me ok?" insisted Nate. Beautifly fluttered appreciatively over to Nate, shyly rubbing its feeler across the top of his head.

"Well Machamp, get ready!" Yelled Nate, "Because Vermillion City here we come!"