Creation began on 11-04-17
Creation ended on 12-22-17
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Into the Night
Thud! Seiryu's Nidoqueen fell from exhaustion whilst Shinji's Charizard still stood, though panting from her own fatigue.
"Nidoqueen is unable to battle," the referee announced. "Charizard wins the first round!"
The audience cheered Shinji's victory over Seiryu's first Pokemon sent out to battle.
"Way to go, you two!" Toji cheered them.
Seiryu recalled his Nidoqueen and sighed.
"Good work, Nidoqueen," he told his fallen Pokemon in its ball, and then replaced it with a new Great Ball. "I said I looked forward to our match, Ikari, and you don't disappoint. Even your Charizard is at the top of its game."
"Thank you," Shinji praised him.
"But can you fare against this next challenge? Come out…Regirock!"
From out of the Great Ball came a Pokemon unlike any Shinji had seen within the Sinnoh Region. It was some sort of humanoid made out of rocks with small, brownish-red stones on the head-like portion that resembled an "H", some sort of patchwork creature made of rocks.
"So, that's a Regirock," he responded to such a sight, actually impressed. "Asuka, can you still fight or do you need a break?"
His Charizard looked at him and gave him a thumbs down gesture with her left claw.
"Alright, then," he accepted, recalling her back into her Great Ball, replacing it with a new ball. "You're up next, Rei!"
His Shiny Gyarados appeared, glistening from her recent bathing.
"Rrrrraaurgh!" She roared, looking down at her Rock-Type opponent.
-x-
"…Have you or Shinji ever seen this Regirock before?" Misato asked Kensuke as the battle began anew.
"Not in person, but I've seen a picture of it before," he answered her, holding up Shinji's Sinnoh Region Pokedex, accessing the database for the desired creature.
"Regirock, the Rock Peak Pokemon," said Dexter. "Generally found in cave systems, Regirock exhibits a configuration of rocks from multiple times and areas that make up its body. Because of this, it is believed that it can repair itself simply by gathering new rocks should it ever suffer damage."
"Wow," went Toji.
-x-
"Hmm?" Fuyutsuki went, having arrived at the research and development facility after he was done at NERV HQ for the day, seeing several of the personnel either asleep, about to go to sleep, or were getting wired on coffee and caffeine.
Even Palkia was asleep where it sat as it was being filmed by the camera equipment to ensure the continued connection to the Pokemon world.
Antonio, among the few that were still awake, yawned as he sat in front of the console as he wrote down a few notes.
"How long has it been?" Fuyutsuki asked him as he came over, curious.
"Eight hours straight," he answered back. "Shinji's match against this Seiry Shores fellow has progressed into the evening hours where they are."
"His matches aren't normally this long?"
"Nope. Sometimes, they go for half an hour. Sometimes, they go for ten minutes. It varies, depending on the type of Pokemon used. But Shinji and Seiryu seem to have amped up their stamina to make them fight longer. More stamina means more energy to exploit through activity. So far, this six-on-six match has only led to Shinji being reduced to five of his own while Seiryu has only four Pokemon left to use. Shinji's Gyarados fell after defeating Seiryu's Regirock and getting defeated by his Dragonite. Dragon Pokemon aren't as easy to beat as most other Pokemon tend to be."
On the screens, Fuyutsuki saw Shinji standing on his side of the stadium field, illuminated by the lights, almost as though he were being judged by the people in a way. On another screen were the other pilots and Major Katsuragi, whom all looked concerned for Shinji. Then the boy held up an Ultra Ball and threw it in front of him, unleashing his Mewtwo.
"Oh, and Shinji's made his third choice to send out his Mewtwo!" The announcers yelled. "It's Psychic vs. Dragon! Who will have the edge?"
Suddenly, the Mewtwo, Master, glowed as it changed its appearance. It then looked stronger, tougher.
"Incredible," said Seiryu to Shinji. "Your Pokemon being capable of Mega Evolution without the need for stones is amazing. You must've been born under a lucky star to get where you are tonight."
"Thank you. After you."
"Dragon Rage, Dragonite!"
"Counter with Psychic, Master!"
The orange, winged reptile spat bluish-red fire at the Mega Evolved Mewtwo, who responded with a release of psychokinetic energy that took control of the opposing attack and redirected it back to Seiryu's Pokemon.
-x-
It was hardly his Dragonite that caused Rei to fall. No, it was mere exhaustion after fighting a Rock Pokemon that had been specifically trained to withstand any Water-Type attack used against it. It wasn't something Shinji had anticipated, but it was quite a feat that likely increased his Gyarados' confidence because she had beaten another Legendary Pokemon that most others had difficulty with, even though it was at the cost of most of her strength. All that needed to happen now was for the remaining four Pokemon Seiryu had to win the match that would earn them their shot against the Elite Four, and Shinji needed to believe in his Pokemon and himself more than ever.
Master's Psychic attack took control of the Dragon Rage and sent it back to Dragonite, which took to the air and dodged the redirected attack.
"Orgh!" Dragonite growled.
"In the end, we can only try our best in the face of adversity," Master told the Dragonite.
"Orgh."
Shinji looked at Seiryu and felt like this was going to be a very long battle as the sky slowly lost its sunlight and the feeling of a streetlight somewhere came to life in the town.
-x-
"…Tell me, Sakuya, how good is the broadcast conditions for Tokyo-3?" Antonio asked a woman in charge of another console in the large room.
"Conditions look green, sir," she answered him.
"I guess we can try to excite the nightlife for the time being."
"You want to broadcast Shinji's Pokemon match out to the city?" Fuyutsuki questioned, curious as to what this could do.
"After getting nearly a billion hits on each video posted on YouTube, the people have something…and someone to talk about that reaches out to them, appeals to their imagination, and inspires them. I originally wanted to try this on his future match against the current Sinnoh Leage Champion, but that's going to be for another time."
"But is that a good thing to do?"
"We let that be for the people to decide."
-x-
Sakura Suzuhara stirred in her sleep as she was awoken by someone from her hospital bed.
"Mmm… What…what?" She reacted, opening her eyes and seeing her grandfather with a look of excitement. "Grandpa? What is it?"
"A Pokemon match is being broadcasted throughout the city's jumbotrons," he revealed. "Your brother's friend is on. Everyone is watching."
He then helped out of bed and into a wheelchair, then took her to the roof of the hospital, where several other patients, doctors and nurses that were off duty were watching the large screens outside on the sides of other buildings.
Sakura's eyes readjusted to the bright lights as she felt awakened by the sight of the boy that had been taken from this world and put into another one, fighting against a man that was older than himself in the chill of the night, illuminated by the lights. The boy seemed happy to be surrounded by many hundreds of people wherever he was right now.
"That's Shinji Ikari," she uttered. "He's in a big Pokemon match."
"That must be his toughest opponent yet," said a boy on her left with his left leg in a cast. "Look at his Mewtwo. He calls it the Master of Its Own Destiny or something like that."
"That other guy's Pokemon," went a female nurse, pointing to the orange creature, "that must be a Dragonite. So awesome!"
Out on the streets and sidewalks, people that had watched on YouTube the recorded exploits of this lost man were watching his latest match that was current. This was someone that their kids or neighbors couldn't stop talking about, a virtual nobody that was walked out on by his pathetic father shortly after the death of his mother, drafted into a crazy conflict with giant monsters that he knew virtually nothing of until after his father sent for him, with absolutely no guarantee of coming back alive. A young man out of time and space due to an incident beyond any sense of his control…and trying to navigate his way through a place he was managing to fit in…in order to find his way back.
"My daughters love the creatures he caught," a young mother told some of her friends.
"My cousins, they have dreams about his adventures," an elderly man added.
"Let's end this with Psycho Cut, Master!" Shinji commanded, and his Mewtwo unleashed a purple wave of energy at the Dragonite.
"Orgh!" The Dragonite groaned, covered in scrapes and panting.
"You can't continue after that attack," Shinji said, feeling like his Pokemon needed a break. "No way."
The people saw the Dragonite owned by the other guy fall to the ground.
"Dragonite is unable to continue," the referee announced. "Mewtwo wins this round!"
The crowd in the stadium cheered for Shinji and the people watching on the screens cheered for him, too. This was unlike the previous posts on YouTube by one of the kids that knew the guy; it was happening now and they weren't in front of a computer, tablet or their cell phones. And it was incredible to watch it live.
-x-
Gendo really hated that he was becoming the last person to find out about what was going on around him that could've or couldn't have interfered with his scenario. The fact that many NERV personnel were looking at a city-wide pirate broadcast that showed the Third Child in one of his ridiculous matches with some other person in Central Dogma and on their terminals.
"What is this?" He demanded from one of the lower personnel workers.
"A current match in the Sinnoh League, sir," she answered him, just as the guy Shinji was facing recalled his defeated Dragonite. "It was broadcast by the Giovanni Corporation just a half hour ago."
"A powerful adversary with Pokemon that might as well be considered very powerful," the guy told Shinji, replacing the ball containing the Dragonite with a different one. "I must say, you're one of the best Pokemon Trainers I've encountered, Mr. Ikari. Just as it was said long ago to praise your adversary and let them revel in their success."
"Thank you," Shinji responded.
"Shut it off," Gendo ordered the girl.
"Sir?"
"Shut this off," he reiterated with more coldness. "We don't have time for such nonsense."
"We can't shut off a broadcast we have no authority to shut down, sir," another male worker informed him. "Plus, some people are betting money on Shinji to be the champion of this region's league."
"Which is nonsense we don't have time for. Shut it down."
Gendo was clearly not the understanding type when it came to his son and what he did while in the Pokemon world trying to get back here.
"Okay, but if the people can't watch down here will go watch it out there in the city."
As the current streaming of Shinji's Pokemon match was cut off, as though by instinct, several of the workers got up and vacated the large room.
"What is wrong with you people?" Gendo muttered.
-x-
"…Uh, Mr. Giovanni, we have quite a thing here," one of the guys in charge of keeping the streaming broadcast clean told him, checking the number of people watching in the city. "Over half the city is watching."
"It's amazing," said Fuyutsuki, stunned by the impact that Shinji was having upon the city as a Pokemon Trainer in a match to move up the ranks to become the champion.
"My God, even the police are watching," a woman revealed. "Looks like those videos of Shinji visiting where they train Pokemon to help the police force impressed some of them."
"Growlithe, Haunter and Spinarak do make effective partners when criminals use Pokemon to commit crimes," Antonio expressed.
"My next Pokemon is just as strong as my Dragonite," the man told Shinji. "Come out…Salamence!"
From out the Poke Ball came a large, blue, four-legged dragon with large, red wings.
-x-
Shinji should've been terrified by Salamence, as it was a Dragon Pokemon that he had some difficulty facing every now and then. But not this trainer. Shinji was not terrified at all by such a strong Pokemon that could possibly take on an army if enraged.
"Yeah!" He expressed.
"He's not worried?" Misato asked Kensuke.
"He admires the strength of Salamence," the otaku explained. "The question now is which of his five Pokemon he has left that will face this one. Master is still standing, but he looks like he needs a break."
"The fact that he can't use his Gyarados anymore is quite a potential disadvantage for him," said Hikari as she stroked Shinji's Eevee.
"Adaptation, Class Rep.," went Toji. "Shinji has to consider every alternative for each challenge. Each Pokemon faced brings a different challenge. Type, level, experience and training determine the performance of each Pokemon against other Pokemon."
Out of the field, Shinji recalled Master and substituted him with a different Pokemon.
"Give it your all, Sandabado!" He shouted, releasing his Zapdos, igniting the crowd into a frenzy of excitement over such a sight.
"Oh, it's incredible!" One of the announcers cheered. "For his fourth choice, Shinji has gone with a Zapdos! Another Legendary Pokemon!"
"Gott im Himmel!" Asuka gasped, even though she had seen this Pokemon of Shinji's before. "Shinji, I don't know whether to hug you or punch you half the time."
Sandabado flew around the stadium before setting foot on Shinji's side of the field.
"Are you ready?" Shinji asked Sandabado.
"Zaaaah!" Sandabado screeched, flaring its wings out in front of Seiryu's Salamence, trying to intimidate it. "Zaaah!"
"Begin!" The referee declared.
"Steel Wing, Salemence!" Seiryu commanded, and Salamence took the darkening skies on glowing wings as it began charging its chosen attack.
"Use Thunder Wave, Sandabado!" Shinji countered; while Thunder Wave won't harm Salamence in the physical and stamina sense, it will paralyze it enough to keep it from attacking for as long as possible.
His Zapdos spread its wings and unleashed electrical waves from them, sending them out in front towards the Salamence, which continued its assault on the Legendary Pokemon.
SLASH! The Steel Wing attack hit its mark and Sandabado was sent falling backwards onto the ground, losing some strength, but not enough to put it down.
It got back up and flared its wings again.
"Why did he use that attack?" Hikari asked. "It didn't look like it did anything."
"Thunder Wave isn't a physical attack," explained Rei. "The Pokemon affected by Thunder Wave become afflicted with paralyzes. Salamence won't be able to attack as much as it could now, allowing for Shinji's Zapdos to weaken it or defeat it."
"What's more is that some Pseudo-Lendendary Pokemon like Salamence aren't up to par with Legendary Pokemon like Zapdos," added Kensuke.
"Pseudo-Ledendary Pokemon?" Misato asked, curious.
"Certain Pokemon, like Dragonite, Tyranitar and Metagross are considered so powerful under certain circumstances that they're considered almost legendary," the otaku explained. "But because they're just difficult to find, capture and train most of the time, they're not truly rare and therefore not truly legendary; anyone that has a Larvitar can raise it until it becomes a Tyranitar. Anyone that has a Dratini can raise it to become a Dragonite."
"Okay, Sandabado, show Salamence your Thunder attack!" Shinji suggested, and his Zapdos took to the air.
"Zaaaahh!" It shrieked, spreading out its wings as its electrical aura emanated from its body.
Rumble! The clouds that blackened the skies roared with thunder as a massive bolt of lightning shot out from them onto Salamence!
"Sal!" Salamence cried out as it was heavily injured by the electrical attack. "Salamence!"
-x-
"Whoo-hoo!" Shigeru cheered for Shinji's comeback attack, happy that he left the Geo-Front just in time to catch the Thunder attack on one of the jumbotrons on the buildings.
"Un-freaking-believable!" Hyuga added. "The more I watch, the more I know I can't disbelieve!"
They, among other members of NERV's personnel force, practically went and mutiny against Commander Ikari in favor of watching the current match between Shinji and his opponent.
This was something that Gendo couldn't and wouldn't tolerate, as he was accessing the MAGI to try and shut down the pirate broadcast. In his mind, this broadcast was just another distraction that blinded people to the importance of NERV's responsibility to eradicate the Angels and the need of the Instrumentality Project and the goal of his scenario.
"It's not worth it," he heard a female voice say to him from behind, and he turned and saw Ritsuko. "Whatever you're trying to do about the broadcast, that is."
"This is irrelevant," he told her. "This broadcast is a complete waste of time and resources. How does this aid in interdimensional travel? And the attention they give the Third Child is a waste, as well. He's not some hero. He's not some role model for people to look up to. He's a…"
"He's what, Ikari?" Ritsuko questioned him, wanting to know what his feelings were towards his son's predicament. "What is he to you? What is he really to you?"
"He's a disappointment that questions everything and got lost in another world where he needs to acquire specific creatures to return to this one…and he's not acquired them at all and spends his time competing in these pointless competitions when he should be focusing on finding his way back here to pilot the Eva. That's what he is."
Ritsuko looked at a random console that showed the broadcast where Shinji's Zapdos had took to the air again and attacked the Salamence with its beak.
"We don't even know if he could still pilot the Eva if he did get back to this world," she told him. "Physically, he doesn't look like he's aged much, but due to the blackout we instigated in an attempt to keep the Fourth Child in check, he went from being fourteen to eighteen because we needed the pilots we have left ready to face the Angels. For all we know, he might not be capable of piloting the Eva, anymore. So even if he does get back, he won't be able to pilot, meaning we tried to force a result we never should've to begin with. And you know something else? For a while, after finding out that he was alive and adjusting in another world that has no global threats, I wondered if he blamed me for his displacement, since the priority at that time with the Twelfth Angel was to retrieve the Eva, with absolutely no regard for his life if he even survived having close to a thousand N² explosives dropped and detonated into the Dirac Sea that made up the Angel's body. I still don't know if he does blame me because I don't know if Major Katsuragi or the pilots told him anything relating to the incident. And I gotta hand it to Shinji. For a young man that used to be coping with doing whatever people told him to do, he's definitely become independent and makes his own decisions that affect those around him. If he has to catch specific Pokemon in order to get back here, he'll do so at his own pace, not anyone else's. We might be working on a clock here, but over there…he has all the time he could ask for in the world to go along with the space that he never asked for."
"Your point being?"
"You can't use the MAGI to interfere with or shut down the broadcast. The people want to see what Shinji sees. They want to see what he'll do next, what he'll say, who he'll meet as time moves on. Maybe he's been reduced to another form of entertainment, or another would-be idol that attracts the masses more than pop singers do. Who knows for sure? This…just brings people closer to him…and he's a whole a universe away…and you can't be proud of him…for any of it…because, to you, he's just a disappointment…and nothing more."
Ritsuko then walked away, leaving him alone; after she shared with him her peace of mind over what happened, she never thought that she would view the younger Ikari with more acceptability than the elder Ikari.
Where have I gone wrong over all this time? She wondered as she prepared to leave the Geo-Front.
-x-
A Drill Peck from Sandabado had delivered a very effective assault on Seiryu's Salamence. And while Shinji had trained it after catching it, he hadn't expected it to be quite strong against the Dragon Pokemon. No, he expected Seiryu to have trained it to be a powerhouse.
"Sal… Sal…" Salamence panted.
"Salamence, return," Seiryu commanded, recalling his Pokemon back into his ball and replacing it with an Ultra Ball. "If I'm going to defeat your Zapdos, I'll have to bring out my best fighter ahead of schedule. You're in for a treat, Ikari. Come out, Golurk!"
The Ultra Ball opened and unleashed a Pokemon the likes of which Shinji hadn't seen before. It looked like…an over-sized suit of armor of a greenish color with yellow swirls on its shoulders and a small head and a brownish, belt-like patch over a large crack on its chest.
"Go…Golurk?" Shinji asked him.
"From the Unova Region," Seiryu explained. "Let's see how you fare against a Pokemon from a region you're not familiar with."
Another Pokemon from the Unova Region that he had yet to see…and another sneak peek at what was in store for any that thought of going there. Since he didn't know what type of Pokemon Golurk was, Shinji had to wing it with Sandabado. And if winging it didn't work, he still had his Charizard, Mewtwo, Mew and his Eevee's substitute for this match. He had faith in them, and they never disappointed him; he was never disappointed with any of them.
Golurk could be another dual-type between Rock and Ground, he thought, but the way it looks just has me concerned that it might only have one of those types or is just something else entirely. If either one is true, then Sandabado won't be effective against it. My best bet would be to use an attack to test my deduction out on it.
-x-
"Mister Shores is certainly confident that this new Pokemon of his will stop Shinji," said Hikari to the others.
"It's only because Shinji's never seen it before," explained Kensuke. "Because he doesn't know what type it is, he's left to make guesses based on looks alone. It looks like a Rock-Type, but could just be Ground-Type. You never know what you're facing until after you face it."
"Use Drill Peck again, Sandabado!" They heard Shinji command his Zapdos, and the electrical avian carried out its command, unleashing a drilling motion of energy from its beak.
"Aaaurgh!" Sandabado shrieked, hitting Golurk in its left shoulder, but the attack was probably a double-edged sword of sorts because the Legendary Pokemon recoiled as it flew backwards. "Guurgh!"
"Golurk!" Golurk grunted, appearing barely affected by the attack. "Lurk!"
"Oh, and what a move on Shinji's part!" The female announcer yelled. "Once more pitted against a Pokemon from a region he hasn't been to, and he refuses to let intimidation bring his team down! What will Seiryu Shores do?"
"Yet the differences between the two Pokemon's typing may result in a clashing of the titans!" One of the two male announcers stated, which indicated they knew something about Golurk that Shinji was forced to make guesses at due to his lack of experience with it.
"Kensuke," went Asuka to the boy that was just as old as Shinji was in this world due to the time gap, "didn't Shinji update his Pokedex encyclopedia to include Pokemon from the Unova Region?"
"Shinji was unable to on account of needing to get in contact with a professor from that region," he explained to her. "He has no choice right now but to take his chances with a creature he's never faced before and hope that his Pokemon are able to beat it."
"Like before with Garbodor," stated Misato. "He only knew what type it was because its trainer specialized in specific Pokemon. A trainer that has no preference in type is an unpredictable opponent."
"Eee?" Shinji's Eevee went, looking down at her trainer.
"Hmm?" Hikari added, confused. "What's going on?"
For some reason, Shinji just seemed to be momentarily distracted by something, like something beyond the match had caught his attention. And it wasn't just the rising trainer; whatever he appeared to be distracted by, if he was even distracted, it was affecting the entire stadium.
-x-
Palkia opened its eyes and awoke from its slumber, wondering what was going on…and noticed how several of the people in the room were transfixed on the screens displaying the lost boy.
"Such a strange sense of energy is being emanated by the boy and is spreading like a breeze in the wind," it uttered, feeling such energy…and felt as though its own presence was amplifying the energy. "People are reacting to his displaced presence."
-x-
Sakura no longer felt like she was watching Shinji on a big screen. No, she felt like she was watching him…in person, close enough to get a grand view…but far away as to provide the guy his personal space. Looking around herself, she found others, the same people that she saw earlier when her grandfather came and showed her the broadcast.
He was looking back at her, at them, as though they were all occupying the same space.
"You're an amazing Pokemon Trainer, Shinji Ikari," a young woman uttered to the boy.
"Man, my kids can't stop talking about you," a man added.
"Win this match!" A little boy cheered.
Then, before she could say anything to the boy, he turned to see everyone watching him, as if trying to see for himself if they were truly there.
-x-
Gendo really didn't like that the people on the street were watching his son and just wanted them to cease paying him any attention as he found various people on the street looking at the building screens at the Third Child. He wasn't even doing anything important that could save any of them, he was just serving as a pathetic form of entertainment with these creatures he had in his possession. Creatures that he saw as potential weapons for NERV.
"Are you people crazy, watching this?!" He asked, getting some of their attention. "This is meaningless! Stop watching him! He's not worth it!"
"What's it to you?" A woman asked him. "Mind your own business."
"He's a disgrace! He's not even trying to find his way back here, even after he found out how to get back here! What he's doing right now is a complete waste of time!"
Then, three cops came up from behind him and removed him for disturbing the peace and harassment.
-x-
Then, as soon as the phenomenon occurred, it ended…and Shinji was back in the stadium, surrounded by the masses that were in attendance, facing his current opponent. It was quite an incredible experience; he hadn't seen so many people looking at him, like he was all there was to look at. Never before had he felt so…so appreciated by the masses.
"You must've had quite an epiphany or some sort of daydream to stand quietly for a whole minute," said Seiryu to him.
"Just a quiet glimpse back to a place I used to live in," he explained with a smile. "Tell me, do you have people waiting for you back home?"
"Yeah, I do."
"Then, that's a good thing. Use Thunder, Sandabado!"
His Zapdos flew high into the night sky and unleashed its most devastating attack, filling the entire stadium with electrical light!
"GO!" Golurk groaned, somewhat weakened, but still standing. "Lurk!"
"Haaaurgh!" Sandabado cried, lowering back to the ground.
"What a move, people!" The announcers yelled. "Shinji's Zapdos illuminated the whole stadium and Golurk still stands!"
Fortunately, the attack was necessary for Shinji to confirm something for himself…and it was that there was no chance of Sandabado's attacks having much effect on this Pokemon, meaning he needed a new strategy to beat it.
I have Master, Hikari, Asuka and my secret weapon if necessary, he thought, choosing to save his substitute for Misato as a last resort. I'll give Hikari of Light a chance to shine.
"Use Mega Punch, Golurk!" Seiryu commanded, and Golurk's arms glowed with energy as it charged towards Sandabado.
PUNCH! Its left arm made contact with the Zapdos and sent it flying backwards to the ground, injuring it, but not enough to put it out of the match.
"Haaaurgh!" Sandabado cawed, still standing strong, despite the blow it took to its left wing.
"Return for now, Sandabado," Shinji ordered, recalling his Pokemon back into its ball and throwing out one of his Ultra Balls. "Show us what you have, Hikari of Light!"
The ball burst opened and revealed his Mew.
"Mew," Hikari of Light uttered, floating telekinetically in the air, looking at Golurk.
"Oh! Oh! Now, this is something here!" The female announcer shouted to the crowd. "Shinji has substituted his Zapdos with a Mew! Considered the rarest and most powerful of all Pokemon! Who is this kid?!"
"A Mew?!" Seiryu gasped; he had read the boy's profile, but he hadn't anticipated that Shinji had a Mew in his possession. This young man has no idea how many would pay just to see a live Mew.
"I may not have any clue as to what type of Pokemon your Golurk is, Seiryu, but let's see how it fares against my latest Psychic-Type," Shinji told him, confident in his Mew's abilities.
-x-
"It looks like Shinji's going for broke with his Mew," said Asuka.
"You never know for sure, Asuka," went Hikari. "Psychic Pokemon are among the strongest when trained to do their best. And Shinji's Mewtwo demonstrated absolutely no fear against any Ghost Pokemon he went up against."
"It isn't so much as the strength of the mind as it is the strength and tenacity of the will," explained Kensuke. "Ghost Pokemon can install fear to chaos the mind, but if Psychic Pokemon are focused only on their persistence, they can overcome their fear, whatever it is. What if this Golurk of Mr. Shores is part Ghost-Type?"
"Then Shinji's in for quite a challenge," responded Toji.
"A Ghost/Ground-Type, perhaps?" Misato suggested. "Based on its appearance, it would be like a golem haunted and possessed by a spirit."
-x-
"Looks like everyone's stopped doing what they were doing to watch the match," said the guy in front of the console to Antonio and Fuyutsuki. "It's incredible."
"Extremely incredible," Antonio agreed.
-x-
"Shadow Punch, Golurk!" Seiryu ordered, and his Pokemon charged towards Shinji's Mew, its right arm glowing purple.
"Golurk!" It grunted, taking aim and unleashing its attack at the Mew.
"Dodge and use Psychic, Hikari!" Shinji responded, and his Mew floated to the right as her body glowed to unleash her Psychic attack.
"Mew," Hikari uttered, focusing enough to negate the Shadow Punch.
Then, responding to her trainer's command, glowed a bluish outline and caused Golurk's body to glow a bluish outline, as well.
Golurk was lifted two feet off the ground and thrown backwards back onto it.
"Golurk!" It groaned as got back up, still having a lot of fight in it.
-x-
Through the power of FaceTime on every phone and tablet within reach, the broadcast in Tokyo-3 was reaching across the archipelago to friends and relations that lived elsewhere, and they were broadcasting it to friends and relations further away, trying to share as much of the current Pokemon match as possible.
-x-
"Go! Night Shade, Golurk!" Seiryu commanded.
"Counter with Energy Ball, Hikari!" Shinji responded.
Golurk began to generate a dark sphere of energy in its left arm while Hikari of Light began to generate a ball of green energy in between her arms.
They both unleashed their respective attacks and they collided, creating a massive, shockwave explosion, blinding the entire stadium!
"Aaurgh!" Seiryu grunted, shielding his eyes from the light.
"Waah!" Shinji gasped, doing the same.
When the light faded, the entire crowd was in awe at the result! Both Golurk and Hikari of Light were on the ground, incapacitated.
Shinji could feel Hikari's strength drained down to the very limit for the time…and there was not enough for her to use Recover and replenish her health.
I'm sorry, Hikari of Light, he apologized to her.
It's okay, Shinji, he heard her voice in his mind. One for all, all for one. Golurk won't be able to continue. You know what to do.
"Unbelievable!" One of the male announcers yelled. "It's a double K.O.!"
"Golurk and Mew are both unable to battle any further," the referee declared.
-x-
"…His Mew was beaten?" Hikari questioned, confused with the way this battle turned out. "But I thought Mew was among the most powerful."
"Powerful, yes," Kensuke explained, "but not invincible. Plus, Shinji only caught her recently, so he didn't have as much time training her as he would his other Pokemon."
"This leaves him with only four Pokemon left in this match," said Rei, "and Mr. Shores with only two Pokemon left. Hang in there, Shinji."
The friends and guardian of Shinji saw as both trainers recalled their defeated Pokemon back into their Poke Balls and pondered what type of Pokemon Seiryu Shores would release against Shinji. With the opposing trainer only having two left to use, his chances seemed very slim. But at the same time, his chances seemed heightened.
"I didn't think I'd ever face a Mew before or end up in a double knock out," went Seiryu, holding out a Great Ball in his left hand. "It's…quite the shocker when you let it sink in. I've never had this much excitement in any match before I met you. I really must thank you, Shinji Ikari."
"Same here, Seiryu Shores," Shinji replied, holding another Ultra Ball. "This is an exhilarating match. I look forward to seeing how this ends, for better or for worse."
"My thoughts exactly. Here's my next move! Go…Throh!"
Throwing the Great Ball onto the field, Seiryu unleashed his chosen Pokemon in the sixth slot.
Shinji prepared for the unexpected; whatever this Throh was, it had to be incredibly strong, which would make defeating it more rewarding.
The light unleashed took form…and revealed a human-sized, humanoid creature (about four feet in height) with a reddish skin coloration and two hands with only three digits. It appeared to be a male, based on its physique, dressed in a white garment similar to those that studied under the martial arts, but what really took Shinji by surprise was the dark, "T"-like feature on its head, appearing to form a nose and brow for its face.
"Whoa…" Shinji quietly gasped; if this was another Pokemon from the Unova Region, then it was an unexpected treat to meet three different Pokemon from a place he had every intention on going to much after the Sinnoh Region.
"Is that another Fighting-Type?" Asuka wondered.
"It looks like one," Toji suggested. "A strong one, too."
"A Fighting-Type and a Dragon-Type left for Seiry Shores," went Kensuke. "His Salamence was injured by Shinji's Zapdos, so it'll still need to rest up before being sent back out. So, I guess this…Throh is his final gambit. If he can hold out with these two, he might be able to beat Shinji."
"Do you really think that Mr. Shores will be able to defeat Shinji," asked Misato, "who seems to have the edge due to having four more Pokemon left to use against this Throh and Salamence?"
"Eevo," added the Eevee; she clearly had faith in her trainer's ability to win this match.
"Knowing Shinji, the chances of him winning are slim. Not slim to none. Just slim."
"And if he made his entire roster of Pokemon his most strongest?" Asuka suggested.
"Then I would say that his chances of winning are assured."
They saw Shinji throw a ball that released his Mewtwo onto the field.
"So far, his Legendary and Mythical Pokemon have consisted of his Zapdos, Mew and now Mewtwo," said Toji. "His other two Pokemon were his Gyarados and Charizard. He must've wanted to win so much that those two are his only regular Pokemon."
"We won't know for sure…until we see his sixth Pokemon," stated Hikari to him. "It could be any type meant to substitute his Eevee."
-x-
"…Oh, man," said Antonio as he saw Shinji's Mewtwo on the field in front of this Throh Pokemon. "This just keeps getting better and better."
"You can say that again," agreed Fuyutsuki, though he would keep his cheers for Shinji until after he won the match against his opponent.
"The broadcast is trending like crazy over FaceTime links," a woman informed them. "It's gotta be reaching out to almost half the country."
"I wouldn't be surprised if it spread further than that," they heard Palkia say. "Such influence may not know few boundaries…or have few boundaries."
-x-
"Prepare for battle," went Master, and then he Mega Evolved into one of the two forms he possessed, appearing larger and bulkier, as if this was a version of Mewtwo that was designed for fighting over the previous version.
"Begin!" The referee announced.
"Throh, use Strength!" Seiryu commanded.
"You use your Strength, too, Master!" Shinji told his Mewtwo.
CLASH-SLAM! Master and Throh locked arms in the middle of the field, trying to force the other back with their overwhelming force.
Such power! Shinji and Seiryu both thought, impressed by the other's Pokemon.
Throh grunted as it managed to push Master back by two feet, but Master caught his second wind and pushed Throh back by four more feet.
"Psychic, Master!" Shinji commanded, and his Mewtwo's body glowed the blue outline.
"Quick, Throh! Mega Punch!" Seiryu yelled.
As it felt the effects of Psychic being unleashed upon it, Throh unleashed the pent-up force of its Mega Punch upon Master, but the Genetic Pokemon didn't so much as flinch from being decked in the face.
"You're strong," Master told Throh, "but it takes more than just the power of the body."
"Throh! Throh!" Throh grunted, being lifted off its feet.
"Strength of the mind will grant additional advantages to the strength of the body."
Through the Psychic attack, Master threw Throh across the field.
"Throh!" It grunted, and then got back up.
"Your Throh is strong, Mr. Shores," went Shinji.
"Same with your Mewtwo," responded Seiryu. "Throh, use Body Slam!"
Throh charged towards Master and jumped into the air above.
"Strength, Master!" Shinji gasped; he usually expected Body Slam attacks from larger, heavier Pokemon like Snorlax, Ursaring, Onix or Golem, not Fighting-Type Pokemon because he hardly ever had Pokemon smaller than them.
SLAM! Master caught Throh before the full force of Body Slam could be unleashed upon him, and felt the pressure in his bones from the failed impact.
"Grr," Shinji grunted, feeling Master's pain. I'm gonna be feeling that later on.
Master then threw Throh again.
"Recover, Master," Shinji told his Mewtwo, and the Genetic Pokemon expanded a field of greenish energy around its body, removing any injuries sustained from the failed Body Slam attack.
"Use Bulk Up, Throh!" Seiryu commanded, and his Judo Pokemon became surrounded in a crimson aura whilst flexing its body for a few seconds.
Shinji and Master could see that it appeared to be some sort of performance-enhancing move, like several others seen over the years, and Throh was now a little stronger than it had been previously.
"Oh! Oh! What a shocker here, ladies and gentlemen!" The female announcer shouted. "If Shinji has no clue, Bulk Up increases the attack strength of Throh, making it stronger than before!"
Shinji turned his head slightly towards the crowd, looking at his friends and guardian, seeing that they were still encouraging him to keep going. Even his Eevee raised her left paw up and waved at him. He then turned back to Throh and Seiryu; the opposing trainer seemed almost like he had the edge, despite having only two Pokemon left. But he had the edge, as well; nobody except Prof. Oak knew what his sixth Pokemon was, thus leaving him with an advantage over the battle.
"Bulk Up again, Throh!" Seiryu commanded, and Throh increased its attack strength again, becoming stronger than it previously had been a moment ago. "Now, Mega Punch!"
"Psycho Cut, Master!" Shinji told his Master, and the Genetic Pokemon unleashed his attack at the same time as Throh unleashed its own attack, made much stronger due to the increased attack strength.
BLAST! The two attacks collided…and Master was sent flying backwards onto the ground, back to Shinji, who was now sporting a scrape mark on his left check, identical to where Master was hit.
"Throh is…much stronger than even I had anticipated," Master groaned as he got back onto his feet.
"Are you alright, Master?" Shinji asked him, feeling something other than saliva in his mouth. "Can you keep going?"
"Can you?"
Shinji raised his right hand to his mouth and felt something starting to seep out, and didn't flinch at the sight of his blood mixed in with his saliva. He expected something like this due to facing stronger Pokemon Trainers, taking stronger hits alongside his own Pokemon. It was nothing he wouldn't recover from later alongside them or sooner if Master could use Recover again.
"I'm fine," he told him. "Just a scratch."
"I can still use Recover. Shall I?"
"Yes, please."
And Master performed his Recover move again, and all of his injuries shared with Shinji at a lesser degree were undone.
"We're going to need to go harder to win this," Shinji suggested.
"Exactly," Master agreed with him.
-x-
"…Incredible," went Ritsuko as she saw the scene where Shinji's Mewtwo regenerated from its injuries and the boy himself seemed to recover from his own injury to his face.
Standing out amongst the crowd of people in front of the large screens in the city, the faux-blond couldn't believe how many of them actually stopped doing what they were doing just to watch Shinji's broadcasted match. It was…many times greater than simply monitoring an Eva battle against an Angel because there was no threat to the world.
"Every time their Pokemon get hurt, they get hurt," a little girl said to her father.
"It's a deep and mystical bond between them," the father explained. "They work as a team."
Almost like with the Eva, Ritsuko thought, only this is less dangerous for people.
She watched as Shinji's Mewtwo used its Psychic attack again, building up energy in a similar way as his adversary, this Seiryu Shores person's Throh augmented its own strength by flexing its muscles.
What is he doing? The faux-blond wondered.
-x-
This was only a move they had tried once before, but Shinji and Master knew it had its advantages. By letting the energy for Psychic build up, the force behind it raised to a level that made it a hit that would force the enemy to quit fighting them.
"They're letting the energy build up," went Kensuke in revelation to what was happening.
"Is that an enhancement move?" Asuka asked him.
"No, it's a creative method. Building the energy for the attack will make it more powerful. Shinji and Master did this once before. Just once before."
"It must be a last resort move," said Misato.
"Eevo," the Eevee responded; she had seen this attack herself…and who it had been used on to save others that her trainer set on better paths.
"Ha-ha-ha! You can build up that energy until you're gray in the face," Seiryu chuckled, "but it won't do you any good if it doesn't hit its mark! Throh! Let's end this part of the battle! Use your Superpower and overwhelm them!"
"Throh!" Throh shouted, flexing its muscles again as it glowed blue.
It then charged towards Master, who could do nothing as his Psychic attack's energy continued to build up, leaving him open to the enemy.
"Get ready," said Shinji; this was going to be a calculated move. "Wait for it."
Throh continued to charge towards Master, its arms raised up to make it an intimidating force to be reckoned with.
"Almost there."
Seiryu could feel the excitement and very power building between himself and Shinji. It felt like a scene in a play or film, with the background music welling up and intensifying as the combatants faced off for the final time. He was hoping for greater excitement, not only for himself, but for his Pokemon, as well. This was, after all, the greatest match they were experiencing so far. Probably even the very best of them.
"Throh!" Throh yelled.
Everyone watching was silent, waiting for Shinji's Mewtwo to do something.
Misato, both Shinji's guardian and his Eevee, became worried with Shinji's patience and Master's Psychic attack energy buildup.
Asuka and Rei were starting to wonder if their displaced friend was starting to become insane.
Hikari got so tense that she practically tightened her left hand on Toji's right hand, causing him to scream out in pain.
"Aaaaurgh! Shinji, do something!" He howled.
"Now! Psychic!" Shinji commanded.
Master unleashed his attack upon Throh at the same time as it unleashed its Superpower attack.
BOOM! An explosion of energy came and unleashed a dust cloud that covered everything and everyone within the stadium for several moments.
-x-
"Oh, my God!" Antonio gasped, never seeing such power unleashed like that before in any of the posted footage or recorded footage from before the blackout.
"He could definitely be a Pokemon Master one day," went Fuyutsuki, expressing his opinion on just how powerful Shinji felt right now. "The very best."
-x-
Forget being the best trainer over there, thought Ritsuko, grateful that the screens were still showing the broadcast. He could be the king of Japan, no, the whole world over here if he wanted.
As the dust settled, the people on the streets and sidewalks were stunned anticipation over the outcome.
-x-
"Kami, that was intense," went Kensuke as he shielded his eyes from the eyes.
"And dangerous," added Misato.
"Eee," her namesake Eevee added.
The dust disappeared, revealing both Master and Throh standing ten feet across from each other, panting as the sense of fatigue made itself known on them.
Shinji, also looking severely fatigued, panted as he held onto his knees, trying to catch his breath.
Seiryu, the same as Shinji, held his knees as he did the same.
"Quite the gamble, Shinji," he told his opponent. "You intentionally had your Pokemon build up its Psychic attack's energy to increase its offensive strength as a counter to my Throh's raised attack factor. Makes for an exceptional bang with unleashed."
"Yes," Shinji responded. "It's very exceptional…except I only use buildup moves as an absolute last resort on account of their dangers. I consider them to be double-edged swords. Now, it's a matter of what happens next."
As Master felt some strength return to him, he had to admit to himself that, even one of his enhanced forms, he was facing an opponent that had worked just as hard as Shinji had trained him to get to where they were. There was no doubt at all that there were bound to be more opponents that were just as strong…or even stronger.
"Throh… Throh… Throh…" Throh panted…and then fell backwards. "Throh…"
The referee looked over at Throh and declared, "Throh is unable to continue! Mewtwo wins!"
The crowd cheered as Shinji won another battle in another spectacular way.
"Man, Shinji's unbelievable!" Toji shouted.
"Eevo!"
"Now, it's just Salamence, and this match ends in his favor," Misato sighed as the boy's Eevee cheered for her trainer to win.
Seiryu recalled his Throh and replaced the ball with his Salamence's, wondering if he still had a chance to win this match at all.
"Seiryu!" Shinji shouted over to him. "Play this match out! No effort, no greatness!"
"Heh! After hearing that, I can't throw in the towel now."
He unleashed his Salamence, which looked rested enough to keep going.
"Sala!" It growled.
"I need to recoup before I fall, Shinji," Master told him.
"Yeah, you seriously need the rest, Master," he agreed with him, holding up his Ultra Ball. "I know just the Pokemon to continue and win this. Return."
His Mewtwo turned to light and returned to the ball, and he replaced it with another Ultra Ball.
"I think he's going to use the Pokemon he substituted his Eevee for," said Rei.
"Either that or he's going to use his Charizard or Zapdos," suggested Asuka.
"And now, it's all or nothing for Shinji!" One of the male announcers stated to the stadium. "Which of his remaining Pokemon will he summon to face Seiryu's Salamence?"
"With his sense of unpredictability, we're likely in for quite a surprise," the female announcer considered. "We've seen all but his sixth Pokemon for this match."
Okay, Master, Rei and Hikari of Light, this is all for you, Asuka and Sandabado, Shinji thought, throwing the ball out onto the field. "Come on out… Gaurdian!"
The Ultra Ball opened and unleashed his sixth Pokemon, his Eevee's substitute for this match.
Seiryu was left speechless by the new creature on the field, unable to believe his luck at witnessing such sight.
The new Pokemon was some sort of whitish-silver, draconic chimera with bluish-black spikes, plates, and a streamlined body with large wings resembling hands.
"Oh! OH!" The announcers raised their voices as the crowds gasped in excitement. "What an unexpected treat tonight, people! For his sixth Pokemon, Shinji has chosen a Lugia! Another Legendary Pokemon in his possession!"
-x-
Even though he was handcuffed and placed in the back seat of the cruiser, Gendo could still see the broadcasted Pokemon League match his son was in, and couldn't believe that the creature he had summoned just now was viewed as another type of creature of legendary proportions, meaning that it was another powerfully-considered one.
All these different creatures that are considered rare and powerful in his possession, and he can't even bother to find the two he needs to get back to this world?! He thought, losing his temper over his belief that Shinji was simply wasting his time with his own interests instead of focusing solely on returning to this plane of existence. If he wasn't so necessary, I'd cast him aside like before!
"Daddy, Daddy!" He heard a little boy say to someone near the police cruiser. "Look at how big that Pokemon is! It's bigger than a bus!"
"I know, and its wings, they look like large hands," the boy's father expressed. "And it's amazing that this young man was able to catch it, to tame it."
This was all making Gendo fume like crazy over his son's current status. The more people spoke of his adventures, the more they discussed the type of Pokemon he had obtained, the gym or league matches he had participated in, the more this father grew to resent his son. And he wanted to see him suffer at the hands of an Eva-related situation, such as facing an Angel with no aid.
"Damn you, Third Child!" He shouted out. "Damn you!"
-x-
Some of the people in the stadium had read stories about Lugia and how it was often viewed as the cause of a vicious storm that lasted forty days long ago, while others had see pictures of the Diving Pokemon, the so-called "guardian of the seas" and "beast of the sea", knowing what it looked like. And some were stunned by the mere fact that Shinji had a Lugia! It was like the boy was training Pokemon on a completely different level than others if he had some of the rarest and most unlikely of them.
"I read your profile, but I didn't expect you to use a Lugia," Seiryu said to Shinji. "Today's been a lucky day to face four Pokemon you don't often encounter anywhere in the world."
"Just as I read your profile, yet I didn't focus on some of the Pokemon mine just faced," Shinji responded. "My choice of Guardian, however, was based on your profile. No starters."
Seiryu's eyes widened before returning to normal…and he nodded in understanding.
"Not many people get it due to the fact that I don't broadcast it. I respect people that value their first Pokemon. They're the primal to our bonds with our Pokemon in the future. Even when they're no longer there, they still influence your relationships with your other Pokemon."
Shinji nodded, and their match resumed.
"Salamence, use your Dragon Claw!" Seiryu commanded.
"Mence!" Salamence roared as it took to the sky, its front left claw glowing.
"Block it with Hydro Pump, Guardian!" Shinji told his Lugia.
"Rrrrrrrrrrrrring!" Guardian roared, unleashing a stream of intense water at the Salamence, knocking it away onto the ground.
"Sal…" Salamence grunted as it got back up.
"Are you okay, Salamence?" Seiryu asked it.
"Sal!" It responded, showing its tenacity.
"Hyper Beam!"
Opening its mouth, the Dragon Pokemon charged up its new move to deal in a world of hurt for the Lugia that knocked it out of the sky.
"Hyper Beam?" Misato asked Kensuke.
"It's a Normal-Type move that's extremely powerful, but comes with repercussions," he explained to her. "After it's used, the Pokemon that used it won't be able to attack again until it rests for a while, leaving it vulnerable."
"Could a Hyper Beam…hurt Guardian?" Hikari asked.
"Not if Guardian is stronger than Salamence…and Shinji trained Guardian to be stronger than it was before he caught it."
But this was only a theory until they saw it for sure. There was always the possibility that Shinji's Lugia wasn't strong enough to contend with a trained Pokemon from a different region.
"Aeroblast, Guardian!" Shinji shouted.
Guardian opened its mouth as a bluish energy gathered around it while a whirlwind formed at its feet.
BLAST! Both Pokemon unleashed their beam attacks and they collided into each other.
An explosion came seconds later, resulting in a standoff between the two.
"Uh-oh," went Seiryu; he didn't anticipate a stalemate between the two attacks, and now his Salamence was at a disadvantage due to the Hyper Beam repercussions. "Brace yourself, Salamence!"
"Sal!"
Maybe we can end this with Extrasensory, Shinji thought, hoping to take advantage of the window of vulnerability Seiryu's Salamence had. "Here goes! Guardian, finish this with Extrasensory!"
Guardian's body glowed with a golden aura.
Oh, no! Seiryupanicked; his Salamence might've recovered some strength, but it was nowhere near full strength. If that attack is super effective, the battle will be lost.
But he had been rattled.
Guardian's Extrasensory had accumulated enough energy to envelop Salamence in the golden aura, being lifted off its feet.
"Sal…" It grunted.
"Rrrrrr!" Guardian roared as it telekinetically threw Salamence backwards at such speed that it smashed right into the side of the nearest wall at the base of the stadium's interior, resulting in a small dust cloud as it fell back down.
Once it cleared, Salamence stood with a few bruises on its back and legs, still showing that it could continue…or at least look intimidating enough for endgame battles.
"Sal… Sal…" It grunted as it slowly returned to the field. "Sal!"
"Tenacious," Shinji praised. "For a minute, I thought I had Guardian go too far unintentionally."
"Dragon Pokemon are among some of the most enduring," said Seiryu to him. "To train even just one is bitter work…"
"But the results are more than worth it in the end," Shinji cut him off. "Yes, it's all true."
The balance of power in this match definitely seemed to be in Shinji's favor. His Lugia had evaded a Hyper Beam with its Aeroblast and was still in top form while Salamence was barely hanging on with the bit of energy it had left in its reserves.
But if it's strong enough to get off at least another Hyper Beam, I have to have Guardian avoid it as much as possible, thought Shinji.
The whole stadium was silent when Salamence stood up to Lugia…and then the people gasped when it fell onto its right side.
"Salamence," it groaned, laying its head to the ground.
The referee went over to check it and concluded that it was beaten.
"Salamence is unable to continue," he announced to the entire stadium. "The victor of this match is Shinji Ikari!"
The crowd cheered for Shinji's success whilst Seiryu recalled his Salamence.
"That was quite the match, Shinji Ikari," he told the victor. "My greatest match so far. Congratulations on your victory and advancement to the Elite Four."
"The best match I've ever had since we got here, Seiryu Shores," Shinji responded. "You're a great trainer. I hope we meet again someday."
"Likewise," Seiryu told him, and gave him the right thumb gesture. "Don't you dare quit."
Shinji gestured with his right thumb as his Pokemon in their Poke Balls burst free and congratulated him on his success.
"This path I'm on only leads one way…and there's no way I can quit. Until next time we meet."
"Grrr!" The Charizard nicknamed after Asuka growls
"Rrraurgh!" His Gyarados nicknamed after Rei roars.
"Huuurgh!" The Zapdos Sandabado caws.
"Mew," chirped the Mew after Hikari. You did well, Shinji. You never faltered, never gave in.
"Well done, Shinji," added his Mewtwo.
"Hmm," finished his Lugia.
"Thank you, each of you. You all did great out there." Shinji told his Pokemon, grateful to them.
Seiryu smiled and walked away. It would be over another year before he could participate in the Sinnoh League again. Until then, he had to train his Pokemon to be stronger than they were this year.
-x-
"Shinji, that was incredible!" Toji praised his friend while at the Pokemon Center. "Your crew conquered out there!"
"Nice skill out there," Asuka confessed, truly impressed by the trainer's hard work.
"Congrats on your advancement to the top, Ikari-Kun," Rei expressed.
"Thank you, thank you," Shinji responded, "but the praise should really go to my Pokemon. I couldn't have gotten this far without any of them."
"Eevo!" His Eevee expressed, sitting on the table beside her trainer. "Eee!"
Shinji chuckled and then scratched the back of her head.
"I must be honest, though," went Misato to him, "watching you out there tonight, never giving up on winning the match, facing two of Mr. Shores' Pokemon that you've never seen before, and always trying to find a way to show the world that you're one of the best, one of the very best, in fact… It's like you've gone from being a simple person…to a god incarnate among people. You just so powerful and capable of anything."
He nodded in acceptance of her belief and responded, "Anyone who treats Pokemon with trust and love, that is willing to adapt to how they behave and put in the effort equal to their commitment bringing out their best can reach the same level as I have currently. Still, one of the best in the world, not the best in the world…is recognition I can live with obtaining."
Ding-Ping! The announcement sound that someone's Pokemon had been fully mended made itself heard, and the group were wondering if it was Shinji's that were back in top form.
"The Elite Four now, huh?" Hikari questioned. "Best of luck to you when you face them."
"Luck…and conviction," Shinji declared.
To be continued…
A/N: And here it is, people. Did any of you ever doubt that Shinji would lose? Or that he would choose his Lugia like that? Or face two Pokemon from a place he has yet to visit?