Everyone has been quiet on Route 7, all of their cheers and shouts dying out as the battle came to a standstill.

They all waited patiently as they watch for the smoke covering the field being dispersed, observing for anything from the aftermath of Alakazam's Lightning Shadow Ball.

"Heh. I wonder what your next pick is now since Dusclops is done?" Blue put his hands on his hips with a mischievous grin.

Red waited for a while as the smoke cleared, his eyes widening when he saw Dusclops ingrained on the floor.

"Hey, get your next Pokémon already."

Red crouched on the ground with a troubled look on his face which did not go unnoticed by Leaf and Erika. What no one saw is the dark aura oozing from the crater from Dusclops' body which concerned Red as he squinted his eyes.

Alakazam also noticed the aura as it was concerned and went on its guard which Blue noticed. "What's the stitch, Alakazam?"

The dark energy then swirled around the place, creating a strong breeze that pushed back everyone, surprising them.

"What's this wind?"

"Did he already send out his next Pokémon?"

Kim looked at the field with wide eyes as she saw Dusclops rising from the ground with part of its cracking. "What the?"

Erika and Tony stood alert as they watched Dusclops who levitated from the ground before it unleashed an overwhelming pressure that stunned Alakazam.

"You felt that, Tony?" Erika said with a serious expression, getting a nod from Tony. "Yeah. Let's hope that it does not act like how the Pokédex said it would."

After a while, the winds started changing as everyone felt a strong force pulling them towards the phantom. Everyone started to panic as Dusclops' eye glowed intensely as it watched Alakazam being pulled towards it.

"Dusclops, stop it!" Red said but Dusclops would not listen to him which made him worried as some of the Pokémon were being pulled towards them, they were being captured by Erika's Roserade.

"Dusclops, c'mon!" Red said in a panic, his eyes glowing intensely when he noticed Leaf and the other being pulled towards the ghost, all of them holding onto a pole.

'No...' He thought, veins appearing on his head. 'Not again...'

"Dusclops! Control yourself!" Red shouted, his eerie voice resonating through the route and causing Dusclops to stop.

Everyone was surprised as the force has subsided, all of them got up around the place in confusion. All eyes went to Dusclops who was starting to recover, its eye started to dim before it looked around the place in confusion.

'Wha-What? What happened, young master?' Dusclops said as it droopily looked around the place. 'What in the Distortion World took place here? Everything is in disarray.'

"You don't remember, Dusclops? You went crazy a while ago." Red asked worriedly, seeing the ghost's body fully recovered despite the damage it took. 'Went crazy?'

"Yeah, I-dodge!" Red said, Dusclops quickly went into the ground to dodge a stray lightning bolt. It then ascended out of the ground. 'What on earth was that? Seriously, what recent events took place here?'

"We'll talk about it later. Let's not keep them waiting." Red looked up to the sky, Dusclops turning to see a huge Lightning Shadow Ball coming towards it.

"Nice job, Red for surviving the Lightning Shadow Ball!" Blue grinned as Alakazam threw the attack, laughing cockily. "What will you do about a second one?"

"Of course, he can shoot another one of those." Kim let out a breath at Blue's Pokemon's strength. Erika nodded when he saw the boy's display of strength. "He reminds me of Lance. Just pure power and strength along with intelligence."

"Yeah." Tony nodded. "And your little student reminds me of that old man ninja dude and that old ghost lady?"

"Tony. Their names are Koga and Agatha. Please try to remember their names."

Hearing the names, Leaf was surprised when she thought about it. "So he fights like the fifth gym leader and the Phantom Lady of the Elite Four? That's...terrifying to be honest."

"Yeah. Is Red trying to be some gym leader or something?" One of the gym trainers said which made Kim wonder. "I dunno what's going on in that head of his."

Meanwhile in the battle, Red thought quickly as the attack went towards him, an idea quickly popping up in his head.

"Shadow Punch barrage!" He commanded.

Dusclops launched a barrage of Shadow Punch that hit the incoming Lightning Shadow Ball in order to slow down the orb. This failed which made Red worried as he made Dusclops envelop its hands with black energy before it struck the orb. As the phantom struggled against the attack, everyone can only watch in awe and pure silence as both Pokemon pushed themselves to the brink to win the battle.

"Come on, Dusclops." Red mumbled as he watched his Pokemon struggle against the attack. Meanwhile, Alakazam focused its power into the move as its eyes glowed, the sphere getting bigger while Dusclops held its own against it. "Don't you dare hold back, Alakazam!"

Charging another Shadow Ball, the Psychic-type was about to shoot it at Dusclops but suddenly it felt a wave of pain coursing through its stomach which made its attack explode on the Psi Pokemon.

"What just happened?" Everyone was surprised by this, including Erika and Leaf as they turned to Red who had a confident smile on his face. "Now, full power Shadow Punch and Payback!"

'As you command, sir.' Dusclops' eye started to glow, the Pokemon pushing against the Lightning Shadow Ball before it pummeled the orb with all its might. Despite the pain it felt, Alakazam did not falter as it pushed back against its opponent, much to Red's surprise. 'Even after the Future Sight surprise attack, it's still going strong. Dusclops, how are you doing?'

'Dispersing this attack is proving rather troublesome. I may need more in order to provide a counter to the move.' Dusclops said which surprised Red whose eyes widened. 'He can read my thoughts.'

Seeing no response from the ghost, Red could only raise a brow before he focused on the battle. "Hold on, Dusclops. Use Shadow Punch to push back the move."

Struggling to push back the move, Dusclops' eye began to glow intensely as its hands turned pitch black before it stopped the shadowy projectile. As the clash continued, Red tried to think of a way to get out of the situation before he noticed Dusclops' body unleashing a black and purple aura that travelled to its hands. "What is that? That's not Shadow Punch."

Red noticed the black lightning coming off the phantom's hands and travelling throughout the Lightning Shadow Ball.

Watching the spectacle, Leaf squinted her eyes at the battle before she noticed something. "Is...Alakazam's attack getting smaller?"

Kim looked at the blast before she spoke. "Yeah. What's happening?"

During the battle, the Lightning Shadow Ball started to get smaller, the attack dispersing into several dark particles. Everyone was surprised by this, Blue as well as he stood dumbfounded by the sheer power and skill of his opponent. "What the hell…just happened? That's none of the moves that Dusclops knows and even if I try to fight, there is that weird attack that keeps stunning Alakazam."

Red, on the other hand, was confused when he saw the orb being destroyed but he could not get the chance to think when he noticed Alakazam dashing towards Dusclops with a Shadow Ball in its hand.

"Shadow Punch, shoot!" Red made a gesture, Dusclops fired a barrage of projectiles which the Psi Pokemon evaded before hitting Dusclops with the Shadow Ball.

"Payback!" Dusclops retaliated by slamming Alakazam into the dirt with Payback before phasing through the ground and using Shadow Punch to hit the Psychic-type from behind. Not wasting time, the phantom grabbed the Psychic-type by the neck and choke slammed it into the ground, keeping its hold unto the Psi Pokemon until it was pushed back by a Psyshock.

"Take him out, Alakazam!" Blue shouted as his Pokemon started to push back the Ghost-type with Shadow Ball. "Use Psyshock to control the Shadow Ball!"

"Future Sight! Try to find some weakness!" Dusclops' eyes glowed intensely before a dark aura enveloped its body which surprised Red. 'Did it find a weakness that quick?'

As the two fought against each other, Dusclops' hands started to glow black as lightning crackled from them.

"It's that energy again." Leaf said, noticing a wave of energy expelling from the phantom's hands. 'That's not Future Sight.'

Within an instant, a ball of black energy swirling around Alakazam, the Pokemon trying to Psyshock that failed before the energy electrocuted it, much to Blue's shock." Alakazam! Get out of there!"

Red's eyes widened when he saw the scene in front of him, the boy taking out his Pokedex and scanned Dusclops before a smile came across his face. His smile turned to a smirk as he outstretched his hand and voiced his next move. "Shadow Ball!"

After a while, Dusclops generated a huge black ball of energy trapped Alakazam before it shot the move that traveled across the field until it exploded into an explosion of black lightning. Blue could not believe what has happened as he watched the smoke disperse, revealing Alakazam who was covered in wounds. "Seriously? How is he so strong? I know he has a type advantage but this shouldn't."

Seeing the situation, Red quickly noticed Dusclops barely able to keep itself on its feet which made him concerned. "We need to wrap this up quick."

'Indubitably.' The phantom stated before it levitated into the air. Everything felt like slow motion as everyone patiently waited until they saw Alakazam started glowing intensely.

"Oh boy…seriously?" Leaf bit her fingernail as she saw the Psychic Pokemon creating blades out of its spoons that it shot towards Dusclops who shielded itself from the blades with Shadow Ball. Seeing the battle raging on, Blue crossed his arms with a serious expression. "Alakazam, Shadow Ball!"

Alakazam flew towards its opponent with a Shadow Ball charging in its hand, hitting the Ghost Pokemon with the move before Red noticed the Psychic-type still on the offensive as it continued to attack with Psyshock.

"Grab him with Payback." Red said, Dusclops charged through the move until it grabbed Alakazam by the arm and throwing it over its shoulder and slamming it to the ground which knocked the wind out of the Psychic Pokemon. Alakazam tried to use Thunderbolt but it was interrupted by a Shadow Punch that sent it across the field.

"Alright, let's try your new move. Shadow Ball!" Dusclops lifted its hands into the air and charged the move, shooting the projectile. Alakazam took off towards the ghost and attacked it with Ice Punch before having to dodge a Shadow Ball. The Psychic-type was able to score a hit unto the phantom with Thunderbolt and Shadow Ball which knocked it back before it barely avoided a Shadow Punch that came out of the ground and followed it.

"Damn it, come on!" Blue said as his Pokemon destroyed the shadowy projectiles chasing it with a Thunderbolt.

"Hit him with a lariat!" Red voiced his command as his Pokemon went on the move and vanished. At that moment, Blue could not be able to react quick enough when Dusclops immediately appeared in front of Alakazam and then struck its neck with Payback, the ghost dragging it across the field before slamming it into the ground, creating a huge crater.

Everyone could only watch the situation in anticipation before they saw Alakazam on the floor, its body covered in wounds as it twitched uncontrollably. Everyone watched in silence as Julia inspected the Pokemon, Dusclops falling unto one knee due to exhaustion before its eye stop glowing. After inspecting both Pokemon, Julia made her announcement.

"Alakazam and Dusclops are unable to battle! It's a tie!"

Hearing the announcement, everyone started cheering loudly as they spoke about the match. During the applause, Blue gritted his teeth who returned his Pokemon. "This is getting annoying. We're evenly matched."

Red looked at Dusclops' state before he made the Pokemon return to his shadow, taking out a capsule from his belt. The two trainers made their next move as they threw out their Pokemon.

"Pangoro, let's take them out!"

"Aero, it's your turn."

Both Pokemon came out into view, Pangoro stomping the ground while Aero unleashed a powerful pressure through its screech before taking into the air. Seeing the fossil, Blue could not hide his surprise before he let out a smirk. "So you finally decided to put some power on your team?"

"…" Red stayed quiet as his Aerodactyl let out a chuckle at his trainer's calm composure. 'Good.'

"Dude. You know you can answer, right?" Blue crossed his arms, some of the spectators agreeing with him. Red let out a sigh and nodded before he outstretched his arm. "Wing Attack."

Aerodactyl dashed forward with Wing Attack which Pangoro blocked, the Pokemon letting out a red aura before it landed a strong blow to Aerodactyl. The panda continued its assault with Bullet Punch but it was blocked by Aero's Steel Wing, the two clashing with each other until they pushed each other back. As Pangoro dashed towards its enemy with Bullet Punch, Red made his Pokemon use Ancient Power to trip the Fighting-type before smacking it with Wing Attack.

'Adequate. Keep up the work.' Aerodactyl commented as it dodged another punch from Pangoro. Blue, on the other hand, was surprised by the sheer strength and power of his opponent before he saw his Pokemon being knocked back again by another Wing Attack.

'He's much stronger than I expected. In that case...' Blue decided to return Pangoro, surprising some of the people as some of the spectators spoke their minds.

"Why did he return it? He had Bullet Punch. He could just spam it and that fossil is toast."

"I mean, Pangoro is a bad matchup against Aerodactyl. That's smart thinking."

'What's his next Pokemon?' Red just went on his guard as Blue took out his next Pokeball with a smirk on his face. Throwing his Pokeball, he sent out an Electabuzz who let out a roar as lightning burst from its body.

"Don't be shocked, Red." Blue said which caused everyone to be quiet out of shock, Red's eyes widened open before he squinted his eyes and raised a brow questioningly. Leaf and her Zorua could not hide the shock that they have before she muttered. "Was that a pun?"

"Heh. I guess he needs to be pun-ished." Kim joked which made Leaf let out a disappointed groan. The bluenette looked around with a huge smile only to receive a light smack on the head by her Mawile.

"Electabuzz, Thunderbolt!" Blue commanded, his Electabuzz unleashed a Thunderbolt that Aerodactyl quickly dodged which surprised Blue. "It's fast!"

"Nice!" Leaf cheered on, seeing Aerodactyl blocked the electric move again by creating several stone pillars before it ascended into the air. As the battle continued, Electabuzz fired several Thunderbolt which Aerodactyl evaded before the Electric-type changed its tactic and went for an Iron Tail that was blocked by the fossil's Steel Wing.

"It's an even match." Julia commented as she watched the strength of the two combatants.

"Not quite." She heard Erika say, turning to the gym leader who gestured her to continue watching the battle. Noticing that the fossil starting to overpower his Pokemon, Blue made his Electabuzz use Thunder Punch which knocked back its Rock-type opponent, going for another one but it dodged and grabbed the tiger by its neck before it flung it into the air.

"Alright, let's show him how we do it in the air, Aero. Ancient Power!" Red voiced his move.

Not wasting any time, Aerodactyl surrounded its body with energy Ancient Power before it tackled Electabuzz multiple times in the sky, getting faster as it continued its assault until Electabuzz exploded by using Thunderbolt which hurt Aerodactyl which made Blue smile. "Nice! Thunder Punch!"

"Roost." Red voiced his counter.

While the fossil was falling, Electabuzz rushed towards it with Thunder Punch as Aero closed its wings and endured the barrage of punches until it retaliated by firing an Ancient Power blast that sent it back. The electric tiger recovered quickly before using Iron Tail that clashed with Aerodactyl's Steel Wing as the two traded blows as they fought throughout the battlefield. After a while, Blue noticed his Pokemon being pushed back by the fossil's strikes as he made Electabuzz unleashed a Thunderbolt which was stopped by a wave of rock spikes.

"Man. Those two are at each other necks." Kim said as she and the onlookers watched the fight, seeing both combatants aggressively fight other.

Aero unleashed another wave of stone spikes that knocked back the tiger who recovered quickly as they continued the fight. As the battle continued on, the grandson of the Oak family could not hold back the smile on his face as he fought against Red. He doesn't find himself being frustrated as his Pokemon was hit by an attack as he went for his turn. Everyone could not stay silent as they saw the two Pokemon go at it, their blows echoing throughout the route.

Blue could not hold back the smile on his face.

'He's making this...fun.' He thought as he continued the fight, able to find an opening on the fossil which Red noticed. "Hold on. Stop, Aero!"

'Hm?' The Rock-type raised a brow before the ground underneath it started to unleash a bolt of electricity that stunned it. 'W-w-what's this?'

"Thunder Punch, Electabuzz!" Electabuzz unleashed a barrage of Thunder Punch that pushed back Aerodactyl which made Blue smile. After a while, it started to use Steel Wing to block the pummeling but it was not able to use the move which made Red click his teeth when he noticed the situation. "Darn it."

Erika and Julia's expressions changed as the latter spoke aloud. "It's paralyzed. That's not good."

"It could have been worse." Erika smiled as she looked at her student, seeing a look of determination and focus as he quietly observed. Red took a deep breath before he turned his cap backwards as he saw his Pokemon falling to the ground. "Aero, we need to play it safe."

Aerodactyl looked at the situation with a look of anger before it perched in front of him. 'What do you have planned?'

"Not sure yet." Red thought about the situation before he made a smile. "You can go on with Steel Wing for now. I'll tell you what to do when I see a chance. We just need a simple…trap."

Everyone watched as Red was speaking to his Pokemon, some of them used to it while the others were whispering. "Does he know that humans can't understand what Pokemon says?"

"It's a normal thing. You'll get used to it."

"Yeah. When he's like that, just know one thing. It's going to get better from here."

"Ok. That's a load of barnacles."

Aero immediately went on the offensive, dodging one of Electabuzz's strike before smacking it with a Steel Wing. Electabuzz then created a Barrier to block Aerodactyl's attacks as it was being pushed back by the fossil's strength, much to Blue's surprise. 'Even though it's paralyzed, it's still strong.'

"Ancient Power! Continue fighting with the aura!" Red quickly made his command, Aero nodding as it used the move and continued on its assault. Everyone watched the battle, some of them noticing the barrier starting to crack as Aero started to get faster. After a while, Blue noticed there was a change in Aerodactyl's body, seeing rocks being formed on its wings and tail which made his eyes widen in shock. "What the? It's changing."

"Is Aerodactyl Mega Evolving?" Julia thought aloud which surprised some of the people in the crowd as some of them started to connect the dots and wonder amongst them.

"It's not possible." Erika said with a smile before she let out a giggle. "He needs a Mega Ring and Aerodactyl's Mega Stone to do that. He's playing it smart."

As the fight continued, Aerodactyl continued its fight against Electabuzz, the two fighting for a while until Electabuzz knocked away the fossil with a Thunderbolt but the fossil recovered and flew into the air. Leaf watched the fight, noticing Aerodactyl was slowly being overpowered until she noticed the smile on Red's face. 'I wonder what's going on in that mind of his.'

After a while of battling, Aerodactyl was sent to the ground, trying to get up but it failed when it was affected by the paralysis, Blue let out a confident smirk. "I guess this is at the end of your rope, Red! Thunder Punch!"

Electabuzz prepared its move, about to attack as it channeled the electricity in its arm, Aero turning to his trainer to notice a smile on his face. 'What is going on in that mind of yours?'

Electabuzz swung its fist with all its might, the punch only bumped Aerodactyl's face, doing nothing to the Rock-type which surprised everyone on the route. Erika smiled as she saw the scene in front of her, barely able to hold her giggles which made Tony let out a sigh and massaged his temples. "Seriously…this kid…"

Blue, on the other hand, was perplexed before he voiced another move. "Thunderbolt!"

Electabuzz tried to use the move but it failed, Aerodactyl realized what happened before he made a grin. 'So this is what you were doing? Kid, your intelligence sometimes frightens me.'

"What happened?" Kim said as she saw Electabuzz tried to use its moves but they both failed, Leaf also confused as she scratched her head. Julia wondered before her eyes widened in realization when she looked at the situation. "Aerodactyl's ability, Pressure…"

"Exactly." Tony said as he leaned back in his seat which caught Leaf and Kim's attention. "Pressure?"

"Pressure allows it that you require more than usually in order to use a move. Every Pokemon has a limit to how much power that they can exert but Pressure makes it that you have to use more power than usual. And if you use it indiscriminately…"

"That happens." Tony pointed to the field, seeing Electabuzz unable to use its Electric-type moves. Blue was completely dumbfounded as he checked what were the other moves it can use. "How the? Has it reached its limit?"

During this, Red made a smile as he and Aerodactyl sharing a grin. "Go wild."

'With pleasure!' Aerodactyl dashed forward with enthusiasm, about to hit Electabuzz but its body was stunned by paralysis. Taking advantage of the situation, Electabuzz landed an Iron Tail onto the fossil's face which did nothing as Aero grinned.

"What the?" Blue was surprised but he kept his cool when Aerodactyl grabbed Electabuzz and flung into the air. "Barrier now!"

Electabuzz quickly created a shield which Aerodactyl went through before slamming it with a Steel Wing which surprised everyone. "Woah! What a hit!"

As Electabuzz was falling down, it noticed Aerodactyl speeding towards it, trying to hit it with an Iron Tail that missed before it was smacked across the field with a Wing Attack. Blue tried to make his command but it failed when his Pokemon was knocked around the battlefield like a pinball. "Damn it. Create a Barrier to push it back and use Iron Tail!"

Electabuzz used a barrier that failed when the fossil broke through the veil with Steel Wing before it grabbed the tiger as they ascended towards the ground. After a while, the two descended towards the ground, Electabuzz struggled against its opponent's hold by smacking it with Iron Tail. 'Let go of me, you damn old coot!'

'Ahh, amateurs.' Aerodactyl chuckled before he gave Electabuzz a terrifying glare. 'Young people should learn to show respect or else…'

"Get out of there!" Blue shouted, seeing Aerodactyl increasing its speed.

Red watched as both Pokemon descended towards the ground like a speeding bullet until they crashed into the ground, creating a huge crater as the collision shook the area. Everyone watched as the smoke cleared, Aerodactyl barely able to lift itself from the crater, leaving an unconscious Electabuzz on the ground.

"You still kicking?" Red said as he crouched in front of his Aerodactyl who let out a grin as he glared at his trainer. 'Don't mess with me, boy. A warrior must be ready for combat at all times.'

"Yeah but you need to rest." Red said as he heard his victory, seeing an irritated Blue returning his Electabuzz. The raven-haired trainer recalled Aerodactyl before he watched Blue. The spiky-haired teenager clicked his tongue before he enlarged his Pokeball.

"You got lucky but not this time! Pangoro, let's crush them!"

"Beedrill, it's your turn."

The two of them threw their Pokeballs into the air, their Pokemon coming out of their capsules and clashed with each other. Pushing back each other, Pangoro dashed towards Beedrill with Bullet Punch which the bee blocked with Pin Missile.

'They're both evenly matched.' Erika thought as the two Pokemon pushed each other back. Blue saw Red's Beedrill, a bit annoyed that his opponent still has Pokemon. "You still have a Beedrill? Why haven't you switched it out for a stronger 'mon? It's weak."

"Why should I?" Red said with a calm manner as Beedrill hugged him which caused everyone to laugh. 'Cute.'

"Alright, let me show you how weak it is! Crunch!" Blue said as Beedrill went onto the field.

Pangoro went for a Crunch which the bee dodged before retaliating with a Poison Jab that knocked back the panda. Pangoro immediately recovered and attacked with Revenge that Beedrill avoided.

"Woah! Beedrill's fast!"

"Was not expecting it to be that quick?"

"Hell yeah!" Leaf cheered with a smile as both Pokemon fought against each other. Red and Beedrill stayed still as they waited for Blue's next move, the spiky-haired teen let out a chuckle. "Alright, your Beedrill has gotten stronger, Red. Still no match for me though."

Red stayed silent as he took a deep breath which made Blue a bit irritated. "Bulk Up."

Using the move and flexing its body, Pangoro gritted its teeth and then rushed forward with Bullet Punch which was blocked by Beedrill's stingers until it shot a string of silk that grabbed the panda's arms. Beedrill did not waste time as it pulled its opponent towards it and landed a Poison Jab.

Both Pokemon traded blows with each other, Beedrill landing speedy strikes as it had to fend off against Pangoro's heavy attacks. As the Bug-type was being pushed back by Revenge, Beedrill shot two strings of silk to the panda's arms before flinging it towards a tree.

"Don't just sit there! Up and at 'em!" Blue yelled, Pangoro getting up and cracked its knuckles before dashing towards its opponent. "Bullet Punch!"

The panda's fist turned into metal as it moved like a speeding bullet towards Beedrill who blocked its attack by creating a shield out of silk.

"What the?" Blue could not get the chance to retaliate when his Pokemon was wrapped in String Shot before Beedrill unleashed a barrage of strikes unto the Fighting-type. Red watched the situation and looked at Blue, his eye widened when he saw a smirk on his opponent's face. "Great, now let's show them your strength. Revenge!"

Surrounded by a crimson aura, Pangoro ripped out of its bindings and dashed towards its opponent but Beedrill dodged its moves. Not missing a beat, Beedrill retaliated with a Poison Jab which knocked back the panda before it rushed forward and hit the Bug-type with a Revenge lariat to the ground. The panda then pummeled the bee with Bullet Punch until the Bug-type hit it with a ball of silk that blinded the Fighting-type before knocking it further back with a combination of Assurance and Pin Missile.

'He's not making it easy.' Blue gritted his teeth as he watched the battle continued, his Pangoro being knocked to the floor but it quickly recovered and retaliated with an uppercut. Quickly recovering from the strike, Beedrill shot two String Shot onto the Fighting-type's hands before pulling itself towards the panda and landed a powerful Poison Jab to its opponent's abdomen that made the bear clutch its stomach in pain.

'Stay calm and keep my head in the game.' Red thought as he noticed Pangoro using another Bulk Up. As the battle raged on, he noticed that Pangoro is starting to shrug off Beedrill's attacks until he made the bee shoot a barrage of String Shot onto the ground to get some distance.

'Find his weakness.' Red thought as he watched Pangoro's movements, making his Beedrill dodge its attacks while retaliating with Poison Jab onto the panda's leg which made it lose its balance.

'Capitalize on the weak points.' He thought as he made his Beedrill jabbed Pangoro in its weak points, the attacks doing more damage than expected. The battle continued between the Pokemon as they traded powerful blows with each other, everyone watched as the two combatants fought aggressively against each other. After a while, the two used their most powerful strikes which knocked them back to their respective side of the field.

"Get the hell up!"

"You can do it, Beedrill!"

Both Pokemon lifted themselves from the ground, Beedrill using Assurance while Pangoro surrounded itself with Revenge. Red and Blue shouted in unison, their Pokemon readying their attacks. "Go!"

"Oh boy. It doesn't look like they can go on after this." One of the gym trainers stated as she hugged her Skiploom. Kim nodded as she took a recording of the match, exciting to see how the battle will end. "Yeah! This is going to be it!"

Able to stand on their feet, the Pokemon rushed at each other at full speed that used their strongest attacks, Beedrill swinging its stingers with all its might while Pangoro charged forward with its arms out. The two attacks collided with each other, both Pokemon letting out all their strength as the clash continued.

Red immediately knew what was going to happen before he made his move. "Prepare your other stinger!"

Beedrill did as told, the Pokemon being overpowered as it went for a lariat but the bee was ready, quickly evading the strike before unleashing a strong Poison Jab to its opponent's gut. The strike that Beedrill did caused more damage than expected which caused the bear to step back in pain with a sickly expression on its face, much to Blue's shock. 'The hell? It got through with the poison.'

Before Red could celebrate or react, his Beedrill was suddenly hit by a Revenge that slammed it into the ground, creating a huge crater which surprised the raven-haired trainer's shock "Oh no! Beedrill!"

"Ha! You see? No matter what, you will always be we-" Blue could not continue his sentence when his Pangoro collapsed to the ground, its eyes swirling out of exhaustion and unconsciousness. The referee checked on both Pokemon before they made their announcement. "Both Pokemon are unconscious and unable to battle. It is a tie!"

"Another tie..." Leaf mumbled as she watched the two teenagers returned their Pokemon. Kim had to wipe the sweat off her face as she saw both trainers glaring at each other. "It's their last match."

'I know you got this, sweetie.' Leaf thought with a smile. As both Red and Blue readied their next Pokemon, they threw their capsules.

"Charmeleon, let's go!"

"Luxio, it's your time."

Both Luxio and Charmeleon appeared on the field, Charmeleon immediately making the first move by unleashing a powerful Flamethrower that surprised Red.

"Discharge! Beam!" Luxio's mouth crackled with electricity before it unleashed its own beam of lightning that clashed with the flames, the two blasts which created a shockwave of electricity and fire.

"Evenly matched." Kim commented, Erika shook her head along with Tony smiling. "Not quite."

Leaf and Kim raised a brow before they turned to the battle to see Charmeleon's attack starting to overpower Luxio's. Seeing the flames coming towards his Pokemon, Red made his Pokemon change its attack into a shield that protected it from the fire.

'Well, obviously, he's stronger.' Red checked the situation on the field before he heard Blue's snickering. "Red. Why are you even surprised? Of course. I'm stronger but I know you have some tricks up your sleeve, huh? Power-Up Punch!"

"Night Slash!"

Luxio and Charmeleon lunged at each other, the fire lizard unleashing a flurry of punches that Luxio blocked with Night Slash. As time went on, Charmeleon's punches started getting stronger which made Red worried as he could not find a way to stop it from using the attack. 'That isn't good.'

After a while, Luxio took a punch to the face that knocked it across the field until it slammed its claws onto the ground to stop itself. Red then noticed a stream of flames coming towards his Pokemon, the Electric-type used Discharge to ward off the flames.

"Charmeleon, Fire Fang!" Blue made his command, Red smiling as Charmeleon rushed towards Luxio before he spoke. "Now!"

Luxio dashed forward in a burst of speed, tackling Charmeleon across the field before it bit the lizard's tail and slamming it to the ground.

"Slam it again!" Luxio obeyed as it continued to slam the Fire-type around the field until Charmeleon unleashed a Flamethrower that burnt the lynx. The Electric-type endured the flames, using Thunder Fang to electrocute Charmeleon before the lizard retaliated with a Power-Up Punch to Luxio's face, sending it back.

"Dragon Pulse!"

"Discharge! Beam!"

Both Pokemon shot their respective moves that clashed with each other, Charmeleon starting to overpower Luxio which made Red click his teeth. "Alright, change of plans! Aim at the ground!"

Luxio did as told as it aimed at the ground, erecting rocky spikes that weakened the flames.

"Lightning Claws." Red whispered, the Electric-type used Lightning Claws which surprised Blue as he saw the attack. "What the hell is that? He has a combination move as well? Block it with Power-Up Punch!"

Charmeleon immediately went on his guard with Power-Up Punch as it awaited for Luxio but within an instant, Luxio shot himself forward at a burst of speed with Discharge and smacked its opponent in its face with the Lightning Claws. It was about to go on the attack again but Charmeleon unleashed a wave of flames which the lynx dodged by leaping into the fire.

"Hmm. The kid's got moves." Tony said as he saw Luxio unleashed a Discharge beam which Charmeleon was able to cancel out with a huge fireball that created a shockwave. "The Blue kid is no pushover either."

"Yes, the two are exceptional trainers." Erika said with crossed arms as she saw them doing another clash that caused an explosion of smoke. "One is a complete natural in Pokemon battle while the other has used his experience to better himself."

"So basically talent versus hard work." Kim said as they all watched the fight still ongoing.

Looking into the smog, Red tried listening for any signs of sound until he noticed a light within it. He then heard a collision, hearing Lux's whelp before he took a deep breath and think.

"Use your eyes, Lux!" He shouted as he heard another hit as he tried to think about his next step.

Within the smoke, Lux was looking around the smoke, its eyes started glow before it noticed Charmeleon running towards it which it avoided. Charmeleon went for another attack which the lynx dodged before it bit unto the lizard's arm and used Thunder Fang, electrocuting the Fire-type. Not missing a beat, it followed up with a Night Slash that slammed Charmeleon to the ground.

"Flamethrower!" Blue said, his Pokemon's nostrils letting out embers before it unleashed a Flamethrower that blew away the smoke, Luxio unable to block as it was hit by the attack, surprising Red and everyone when it was being sent away by the move.

"Lux, you ok?" Red asked, seeing smoke coming from the lynx's fur. Luxio slowly lifted itself off the ground, the Pokemon being on shaky legs as Red saw Charmeleon walking towards it with glowing fists.

"Lux, c'mon. Go ahead." Red said, a sweat coming down his face as Charmeleon got close to it. Blue simply scoffed as he saw the state of the Electric starter, snapping his fingers as Charmeleon was about to attack. "Take him out! Dragon Pulse!"

"C'mon, Luxio! Discharge to push it back." Red said, Luxio's body started crackling with electricity which made Charmeleon retreat. Everyone watched as the Pokemon tried to attack but it failed when the electricity died down and it started panting.

"Heh! Your Pokemon is outta juice, Red!" Blue folded his arms with a grin, everyone agreeing with him as some of them were telling for Red to return his Pokemon and go for another one.

"You did good, Lux. Take a break!"

"Hey, kid. I would go for another Pokemon."

"His Aerodactyl is still kicking so he should be fine."

"Yeah, barely. His Aerodactyl took a lot of damage from its fight. One attack and it's done."

Despite their thoughts, Red decided to believe in his Pokemon before he noticed Luxio's fur being singed which made him cringe a little at how painful it looks. The Pokemon struggled to keep on its feet which failed as it fell to the ground.

"This isn't good." Leaf said worriedly. "Luxio doesn't look like it's going to sur...vive..."

"What's wrong?" Kim said before she noticed something wrong with Luxio. "Woah!"

The lynx's fur started to point up as a crimson aura surrounded its body, much to Red's surprise. "Lux?"

Luxio bared its fangs at Charmeleon, the Pokemon positioning itself as its eyes started to glow. Red then noticed Luxio's muscles starting to bulk up and flex before he smiled, deciding to stay quiet and watching the battle.

"Night Slash." Red whispered to Luxio who went off at a burst of speed.

Blue could only watch in surprise before he noticed Luxio in front of Charmeleon, landing a Night Slash that sent it skidding back. Quickly recovering, Charmeleon let out a Flamethrower that was dodged before it received another blow, this time to the gut before it received a kick to the face that knocked it into the air. Seeing flames sprout from the lizard's mouth, Red thought quickly. "We need to keep our distance and dodge."

Charmeleon unleashed a barrage of fireballs that Luxio avoided until it retaliated with another Night Slash that knocked away the lizard, Kim being surprised by its strength. "Umm. Is Luxio using its ability Guts?"

"Yep! That last Flamethrower burnt it…talk about some bad luck." Tony smirked as he watched the battle, seeing the lizard suffered a Discharge before it was hit with Lightning Claws, letting out a sigh.

"Hmm. If Red plays his cards right, Blue's going to experience a bad time." Erika commented with a serious expression.

Recovering quickly, Charmeleon shot a Dragon Pulse fire bullets that Luxio dodged, some of them hitting it but it persevered until it clashed with its opponent's Power-Up Punch. The Fire-type let out a Flamethrower that was shielded by a Discharge, Luxio tackled the orange lizard but its opponent retaliated with a Dragon Pulse.

"Red! You know you can't win, right?" Blue said as his Pokemon was able to land another blow unto Lux who bit its arm and threw it away.

'Damn it! It's so aggressive! And Blue's not giving me the chance to think.' Red thought as his Pokemon unleashed a Discharge to stop a Flamethrower before hitting Luxio with a Power-Up Punch.

After a while of battling, Charmeleon found itself being overwhelmed by the lynx's attacks until it exploded into a pillar of flames that pushed back Luxio, creating a heat wave that made Red have to shield himself. "This is different. Is the flames getting hotter?"

Leaf noticed something as she looked within the fire, her eyes widened when she started speaking. "Something's going on in the fire."

Within the flames, everyone could see an intense light within it, Red's eyes widened as he noticed what is happening. "Charmeleon is...evolving."

Blue smiled as his Charmeleon glowed intensely, sprouting wings from its back and getting bigger. Two horns came out of Charmeleon's head as its tail got bigger and the flame increasing in size. Red and Luxio tried to attack the Pokemon but it could do anything as the flames protected Blue's Pokemon against their electric moves.

After a while, Blue's Pokemon finally emerged from the fire, revealing a Charizard that let out a powerful battle cry.

'A Charizard...'

Everyone thought in unison as they were surprised from the power that the winged lizard's roar.

"Oh boy. This won't be easy." Kim said in a worried tone. Leaf cannot brush off the uneasy feeling she felt upon hearing Charizard's roar. "Yeah. Charizard is powerful and fast. I hope Red knocks it out quickly."

"It evolved, huh?" Blue said in realization before he noticed Red's smile which made him confused. "What the hell? Shouldn't you be scared? My Charizard is now stronger."

Putting his cap over his eyes, Red simply crossed his arms as his smile grew bigger. "It's simple. An evolution isn't always a good thing, Blue. You know that."

Blue was wondering what he meant until he commanded his Pokemon to use Flamethrower which hit his opponent until Luxio hopped out of the flames with an electric shield.

"Get into the air." Blue said, Charizard doing as told but it tried to use its wings, able to move them a little as it jumped into the air.

Luxio did not wait as it brutally smacked Charizard with Lightning Claws before slamming into the ground.

"That's the problem. Charizard's not gonna get used to its body or its new wings immediately, Blue." Red explained with a smile. Still on the offensive, the lynx wrapped its tail around the dragon's neck and flung across the field. Blue could not hide his shock as he tried to get his Pokemon to fly which failed as it was slashed by a Night Slash.

"This is why it's best to evolve after a battle. A power up is nothing but a power up." Red explained as Lux landed another strike unto Charizard. Charizard fired a Dragon Pulse which is much powerful than before, Lux unable to block the blast which made it resort to dodging. Despite his Pokemon able to get a slight upper hand, Red noticed the burn weakening it as he looked at his opponent. 'I need to wrap this up quickly.'

"Take him out, Charizard!" Blue shouted, his starter able to hover into the air before it dashed towards Luxio who stood still, electricity surging around its body. Red waited for his opponent to get closer as both him and his Pokemon share a nod as he spoke again. "Plus, there's one last thing you need to know. It's simple really."

The electricity charged around the lynx as its eyes glowed intensely, Charizard's mouth went ablaze as the flame on its tail grew bigger.

"You're a flying type. And do you know what electricity do to flying types?" Red said with a smirk. "Discharge! Armor Charge!"

Blue's eyes widened as lightning burst from Luxio's body and surrounded it, creating an armor of electricity before it rushed at Charizard who breathed a wave of bright flames. Everyone watched as the two Pokemon collided with each other, unleashing a shockwave of lightning and fire throughout the battlefield which made them cheer loudly.

"Woah! This is awesome!"

"Why is he so creative with his attacks?"

"The two of them are strong but I'm surprised Luxio is able to hold its own."

Erika watched the battle with a smile, Julia noticing the expression on her face as she spoke her mind. "This is getting very interesting."

"Indeed. Such an elegant display of power..." Erika said as she eyed Blue before she turned her gaze to Red. "...and brilliance."

Seeing the flames surrounding the battlefield, Red felt a weird, stinging sensation going through his mind.

"What the? Ow!" His eyes started glowing intensely as he grabbed his head. Blue, on the other hand, his eyes started to glow a purple color as he started smiling. "Now this is fun! This is a battle. C'mon, Charizard! Crush them!"

Veins started to appear on Red's head as his vision begun to get blurry, a dark aura surrounding his body as he felt a terrible headache. "What's…happening?"

'Are you alright, young master?' Dusclops asked as it slowly came out of Red's shadow. Red nodded before he continued the fight as best as he could. "Block the flames…with Discharge!"

Luxio did as told as it blocked a Flamethrower with Discharge, the fire travelling towards Red and hitting him.

"Oh crap." He braced himself to be burned as he shut his eyes tightly. Feeling nothing, Red was surprised before he opened his eyes to see flames around him which surprised him.

'What's happening?' He thought as he outstretched his arm to the flames only to feel nothing which confused him even more. "So I don't feel the fire...I don't know if I should be scared or glad."

The flames around him started to get bigger, burning him as he tried to get his Pokemon.

"Aero! Let's blow away thi-huh?" He touched his belt only to see no Pokeballs which surprised him as he saw his hands being engulfed in flames.

"Ow! Ahhhh!" He screamed as his body was completely engulfed in fire. Seconds felt like hours as he was burning, his skin feeling like its melting as all of his senses were overwritten with pain. He fell to the ground on his knees as he had to wait for the sweet release of death to relieve him from the scorching pain that he was feeling.

'Red.'

"Huh?" Red said in confusion as he found himself under a starry night sky.

"What?" He thought aloud as he felt his body, realizing that he does not have his red vest or cap. He looked at his hands to see them burnt and bloodied, several splinters in them. "What the? Where am I?"

He looked around the place only to realize that there was no fire around the place, his hands touching grass and dirt. He however still smell smoke, looking in front of him only to witness something that made his eyes widened in shock.

"No..."

Before him was Pallet Academy, the building engulfed in flames while falling apart. As the scene unfold before his eyes, Red began to panic as he clutched his racing heart.

"Nonono..." He shook his head as he stepped back until he tripped on something.

"Ouch! What was..." His eyes widened in shock, retreating quickly when he saw several bodies beside him, all of them showing to be students from the Pallet Academy.

"What the hell is this?" Red asked, breathing heavily as he looked at what seemed to be his dead classmates. "Wait. What is happening?"

Red tried to calm himself before he went towards them, checking if they were alright until he heard voices from the distance.

"What happened? Is there a fire?"

"I felt an explosion but how? I didn't hear anything."

"Oh my God! Pallet Academy…it's on fire."

Red could barely get the chance to turn before he felt an immense headache, veins appearing in his forehead before he noticed two glowing eyes staring into his soul.

'Red…I'm sorry…' The voice said before flames burst from the ground, covering Red as he started to lose consciousness. 'But I have to do this…'

"Wait! What are you doing? Why are you doing this? We're friends, aren't we? I'll help you get away from them even if I have to die!" Red said as he found himself walking towards the voice, tears coming out of his eyes. "We can get through this, Deus! You don't have to do this!"

'What am I saying?'

'I'm sorry...take care...' The voice said which made Red start to cry as he ran towards the Pokemon. "Wait. Don't leave! I don't want you to go! Please! I don't want to be alone again!"

'I felt this before. It feels so familiar yet not.'

Suddenly, everything around the teen turned black, the boy seeing nothing but darkness as he tried to search the place.

"Ok. I have so many questions." Red said, feeling an immense relief at his headache subsiding. "At least my brain does not feel like it wants to break my skull."

His eyes stopped glowing before his pupils turned back to its original color.

'Red…'

Red's shadow started to move sporadically before hands came out of it as his aura swirled around his body and grabbed him. He then took a deep breath before he let out a sigh, the aura dispersing immediately. "Calm down…"

'Red...'

Red's vision started to get blurry, his heart feeling the anger, animosity and pain from the shadows entangling him. Taking deep breaths, Red tried to calm himself as more unstable emotions seep into his body.

"You're nothing but a monster. A monster that bring misfortune to everyone around him."

Hearing the voices from the shadows, Red felt himself bounded to the ground as the hands turn into chains.

"These again." Red said as the shadowy chains went around his body. "I'm getting tired of this."

"Now die!"

"No." Red said, his eyes glowing intensely which caused the chains to be destroyed. Taking a deep breath, he calmed himself down before he closed his eyes and meditated.

'Stay calm.' Red thought as the place began to fade away, his shadow starting to return to its original form as his consciousness began to waver. 'Stay...calm.'

'Red.'

"Huh?" Red suddenly came to his senses as he looked around the place, seeing that he is back at Route 7. "What?"

'Are you ok, young master? You were out of it for a minute.' Dusclops asked in a worried tone which knocked its trainer out of his stupor. "Oh...I'm ok. I'm...ok."

"Power-Up Punch, Charizard!"

Red realized that he was still battling Blue, his Luxio holding its own against Charizard as it dodged a Flamethrower and knocked back the orange dragon with a Night Slash. Being knocked back by the move and hit by a Discharge, Charizard unleashed a powerful roar that created a shockwave, the fire on its tail growing in size as it took to the skies.

"Nice. It's getting better. And now Blaze is in effect." Blue said with a smirk.

His Charizard unleashed a Dragon Pulse that Luxio dodged before firing several more that the lynx avoided before using Discharge that electrocuted the orange lizard and made it fall to the ground.

"Dragon Pulse again, cover the field with it!"

"Discharge, shield!"

Charizard got up and shot a Dragon Pulse that covered the area, Luxio hopping out of the purple flames with an electric shield before it bit unto Charizard wing with Thunder Fang and then flinging it towards the other side of the field.

"Damn it! Fire Fang!" Charizard quickly recovered and rushed towards Luxio with Fire Fang, Red noticing the move being stronger than it was previously. Thinking quickly, the Electric-type dodged the attack but it was stunned by its burn which made it get hit by a Fire Fang that sent it skidding on the ground.

"Lux!" Red called before he noticed Charizard not wasting time as it flew forward with its mouth erupting in flames, the fire surrounding its body as it charged towards Luxio who could barely stand.

"Stand your ground! Lightning Claws!" Luxio roared loudly, its ability, Guts, unleashing a powerful crimson aura ooze from its body which caused its muscles to get bigger as it began to look more feral. Lux then ran forward, its claws brimming with electricity as its movements became that of a lightning bolt.

"Full Power!" The two trainers yelled at the top of their lungs, everyone in the crowd cheering loudly as both Pokemon used all their strength.

The two Pokemon collided with each other, fire and lightning bursting from the battlefield as they struggled against each other. Everyone watched in anticipation as Charizard started overpowering Luxio who stopped itself from being pushed back by stomping its hind legs into the ground.

"Ha! You're about to be down for the count! Take him out Charizard." Blue said with folded arms as he closed his eyes. "Good riddance."

"You can do it, Luxio. Don't hold back! Charge!" Red shouted during the clash.

Charizard's flames got bigger as it started pushing back Luxio but the Pokemon stood its ground, baring its fangs as it began to use Charge which caused its attack to be brighter and stronger. After some time and the Electric-type gaining power from Charge, it started to stomp the ground, a wave of electricity being unleashed from its body as it started to push back Charizard.

"This is the last stretch!" Leaf said as she watched Charizard starting to get overwhelmed by Luxio, the ground cracking under the shockwave from their attacks.

Fire and lightning erupted from the battlefield which made everyone have to shield their eyes from the flying debris. Everyone watched as the two Pokemon battled each other across the field, not letting up as they made their battle cry. Charizard fired a barrage of fireball which was stopped by Luxio's Discharge before it used Lightning Claws to fight against the orange lizard's Power-Up Punch.

"Go, Charizard!"

"Lux, you got this! Give them a shock they will never forget."

Erika could only smile in silence as the two trainers fought on until their Pokemon unleashed their powerful moves. After a while, the battle was covered in a huge cloud of smoke as the battle resumed. Using their last strike, Charizard and Luxio traded blows with each other, the power from their attacks creating smoke and dust.

Everyone could only watch in silence as the smoke spread throughout the battle raged on until the two Pokemon make their final strike which caused an explosion. Everything came to a standstill as the explosion occurred, minutes felt like hours as they waited for the smog started to clear.

"T-this is...I'm so anxious on what's going to happen next!"

"Are we sure these two kids only have four badges?"

Murmurs were spoken between the people within the crowd until they noticed that the smoke has subsided, their eyes widened as both Pokemon are still standing on the field.

"Woah! Seriously?"

"They're both…still standing?"

Luxio tried to move but it slowly fell to the ground, panting heavily as it struggled to lift itself which surprised everyone. Charizard grinned as he stood up straight, surprising everyone as Blue grinned. 'As expected. Charizard can't lose.'

'Heh! I won.' Charizard grinned as he approached Luxio which made Red very worried as he looked at his Pokemon who could barely move. Tension rose as the winged lizard walked towards the lynx, fire sparked from its mouth as it got closer to its opponent.

"This is it for Red, huh?" Tony said before he noticed how silent Erika has been.

Being in front of Luxio, Charizard was about to attack, Red quickly taking out his Pokeball and Julia about to make an announcement of the conclusion of the match. 'It seems that is it-'

Suddenly, the flames disappeared, much to everyone's surprise before they saw Charizard's body hitting the ground which created a loud thud. Everything was quiet as Julia inspected both Pokemon before she made her announcement.

"Luxio is still conscious however Charizard is unable to battle! Luxio wins this battle! This means that the victor of this match is Red Fires from Lavender Town!"

Everyone celebrated at Red's victory as the teen went to his Luxio and hugged, the two share a grin. "Nice job, Lux."

'It's...no problem.' The lynx smiled as all of them have a big Pokemon hug, Leaf immediately joining the hug pile by tackling Red to the ground.

"You did it! You won!" She said with a huge smile, kissing him which made some of the people in the crowd to make teasing noises at the boy, much to Red's embarrassment.

Meanwhile, Blue was shocked by his loss as he returned his Pokemon, the teenager feeling frustrated. However, despite all the frustration and rage he felt, he can't but feel another emotion when he looked around the place.

He had fun.

He had fun battling but usually it was when he was beating up someone else. Never in his life has he ever had fun being on the losing side of a battle but something about his battle with Red made this fun. Was it because of Red's battle style? Was it because he wanted a fight with difficulty? He fought a lot of battle that were difficult and none of them were fun.

Was it because it had its highs and lows?

Blue could not understand why he enjoyed the battle but he found his anger to slowly dissolve as he looked at his Pokeball but he still felt a bit annoyed by his loss. He looked at Red who was getting congratulated by everyone, including Erika which made him smile a little. Red noticed his opponent's demeanor as Blue approached him with a serious expression on his face.

Red got up from the ground as he and Blue stared at each other, the latter putting his hands in his pocket. "Nice job...at the battle. You should be glad that I went easy on you."

Blue looked to see Kim, Leaf, Red and his Pokemon giving him judgmental stares which made him rub his neck. "I see you're getting popular, aren't you?"

As everyone left the route and Leaf and Kim were talking to each other, Red adjusted his cap before he let out a sigh. "Yeah…I guess I'm a bit of an icon since I got awarded for saving the city."

"Hmm." Blue turned around and looked at the sky, trying his best to think about his next words. "I passed Devin the other day. He was pissed as hell. You know he hasn't forgiven you for that, right?"

"Yeah..." Red said solemnly as he lifted Togepi while he looked at his Pokemon being healed by Erika. "I know...he hasn't made me forget...that's gonna follow me until I know what happened."

Blue raised an eyebrow at what Red said. "What happened? Didn't the news say what happened?

"The news didn't explain enough. In fact, they don't know enough. It's still an open case." Red said as his expression turned serious. "I need to get to the bottom of this. I'm regaining some memories from the incident but everything is still fuzzy. That's why I'm going to Saffron."

"Hmm. Sabrina, of course." Blue said with his fingers on his chin. "She could unlock your memories. That's smart. I'm surprised you haven't caught a Psychic-type and let them unlock it for you."

"It's much harder than you think. Last I tried, it felt like my head was gonna explode." Red said while holding his head, shuddering at what happened at Leaf's house with her father interrogating him. "But I need to know what happened. No matter the pain."

Blue hummed at Red's decision, crossing his arms before he saw some of the trainers congratulating Red.

"Well, you've gotten stronger so I'll give you that." Blue raised a brow as he grinned at Red. "You better get stronger and get better moves along with evolving your Pokemon. Or else I'll win next time."

"I thought you learnt from this battle. Evolution does not mean that you'll get the win. You need to treat your Pokemon better and be better at understanding them. You always have a problem with understanding your Pokemon which although you're strong, it makes you better at pulling a clutch in battles." Red made an advice which made Blue a bit aggravated before he scoffed. "Smartass..."

"Say what you want but it's true." Red made a rebuttal before he lifted his arm towards his neck, Blue noticing the scar on his neck. The young Oak scratched his hair before letting out a sigh. "I've been an asshole, haven't I?"

Red nodded as he answered honestly. "A big one. At least you noticed. In record timing too. Just need an apology and we got a Guiness record."

Blue gave him a confused look along with everyone around him which made the raven-haired boy slap himself in the face. "Seriously, is it that weird that I can sometimes be brutally honest?"

"I think Kim and I are rubbing off you." Leaf said in pure disbelief which got a groan from Red. "Anyways, you were saying. Blue."

"Yeah...my bad." Blue put his hands in his pockets. "Sorry for lashing out at you at the Lavender Tower. I don't know what came over me."

"Your bad temper and frustration combined with the emotion controlling powers of a Ghost Pokémon." Red explained matter-of-factly. "But I accept your apology. I just want this all to be behind me. I think you need to focus on apologizing to another person that you hurt."

"Yellow..." Blue looked to the ground with a look of guilt in his face. Red glared at Blue with a judgmental glare. "She deserves a bigger apology from you. She has been with you through thick and thin."

Blue looked to the ground as Red said that, looking at his reflection from his Pokeballs. "Yeah...I hate it when you're right. What about you?"

"I don't know if Yellow would forgive me and I don't blame her for it. I just want to know what happened. The truth. For my own good. Whether they want to believe me or not is their choice."

Red then walked away after saying that, Blue was shocked by Red's change in attitude as he raised a brow. 'Damn...what the hell happened to him? Whatever happened must've really changed him. A lot.'

Blue was about to turn around before he noticed a chain on Red's waist, showing half of a Pokeball which surprised him. Blue then made a grin before he turned around with his hands in his pockets. 'Hmph! He hasn't changed all that much. He's still that same weird kid. Stay safe, man.'

"Hmm. They both have learnt something from each other...although the Blue kid doesn't want to admit it." Tony said with his arms crossed as he saw Blue walking towards the gate to Saffron. "He has a good head on his shoulders but he just needs to work on that cockiness."

"Well...they have both grown in their own way and they will have much to learn as well." Erika said as she looked at both Red and Blue. She then turned around to Leaf, watching all of the trainers speaking with each other as Leaf hugged Red and pecked him repeatedly on the cheek. "I'm very interested in seeing how they will grow as their journey continues. We have seen their nature now let's see how they will nurture."

During their celebration, Red noticed Blue leaving with his hands in his pockets, Red noticed him holding out a piece of a Pokeball which made him let out a sigh. Red was happy about his victory as he took out his capsule with a smile on his face.

'Thanks...'

Red heard a voice, looking around the place to see Leaf and Kim speaking with the other trainers. He heard the voice again which made him surprised, his eyes started to glow before his eyes turned to the direction of where Blue was going.

"No way..." He mumbled with his eyes widened at what he saw.

Right at the gate beside Blue was a fleeting ghost. What surprised Red the most was the Pokemon being a Raticate who was walking with Blue, the rodent turned to him with a smile as it squeaked at him.

'Thank you…'

"Hmm. This is troubling." Lance said as a stack of papers were slammed on a huge table, the man sporting a concerned expression.

Within the building of the Pokemon League at the western section of Kanto, Lance and the other Elite Four members read the documents that was provided to them about the Celadon incident. They are having a meeting about the state of Kanto due to the recent events.

"The recent news about the Celadon with Team Rocket was very unexpected." Bruno said as he read the article.

"Hmm." Lorelei said before she checked the articles for the other Team Rocket attacks. "This is their biggest attack yet in recent times."

"Do you know of the reason that they were so aggressive in Celadon?" Agatha asked as a hand came out of her shadow and grabbed the piece of paper she had.

"From what the information shows, their target seems to be a young man by the name of Red Fires." Lance explained as he distributed a picture of Red amongst the other members. Seeing the picture and hearing the name, Lorelei's eyes widened in fear before her hand went over her mouth.

'It can't be. Why him?' She thought as she saw the raven-haired boy within the photo. As she was panicking, Agatha noticed the red-haired woman's behavior before she asked a question that was on her mind. "Do you know on why they want him?"

"Not sure. The officers are checking into this. Apparently, he's apart of some experiment." Lance explained with a concerned expression while he was looking at the teenager's photograph. "What it was for or the reason is still unknown. They are still checking into the documents they received from the accident."

"They're still checking? What is taking them so long to read them? They can't be that damaged." Agatha said while tapping her fingers on the table. "You'd think that they would get it immediately."

"Team Rocket suspected this and despite them getting the information, they made it very hard to access the information." Lorelei said, drinking her juice.

"Anyways, we need to check more into this. Especially since the police is doing an extensive investigation of the region." Lance stated with his arms crossed. "The police require our assistance during this trip this time to avoid unexpected attacks and help safeguard Kanto better. Our help will be most needed."

"Oh, I see. Basically, you want us to provide 24/7 surveillance to certain parts of Kanto, right?" Lorelei speculated, the red-haired man nodding which made her sigh. "This is...an interesting development."

"Pretty annoying if you ask me, four eyes." Agatha said, getting a glare from the bespectacled woman.

"Well, our next step is to spread our protection throughout the region." Lance said before he took out a map of the region, the other members of the Elite Four looking at it as he asked a question. "What section of the region would you like to choose to protect?"

'We need for the best for the region.' Lance thought as they continued their meeting.

Their goal being the safety of the Kanto region.

I was not expecting to go all out with the battle but I enjoyed writing this battle much more than I expected. Well, that wraps up our adventures in Celadon. We're going to be changing places soon so look forward to it. Please stay safe, guys.

Enigma out!