Chapter 8

Gym Leader, Scientist, or Rocket?

Cinnabar Island Gym-

            The atmosphere inside the Gym was hotter and thicker than Red remembered.  Of course, they were on the ground level now, far below the camera booth where he and his friends watched Green win the Volcano Badge.  They sat in a little waiting room reserved for the challenger’s friends and family not unlike the one where Blue sat during Red’s first challenge in Pewter City.  It had a few couches and some desks looking out of a wide, long window behind where the challenger would stand. Even though the room was air conditioned, it was never enough to make Red sit comfortably. 

            “Talk about home field advantage,” said Blue.  “If it’s this hot in here, just imagine how it’s going to be out there.”  She wiped some sweat off of her brow.

            Red already knew, and he had a sudden realization of just how truly impressive Green’s win was.  He had made short work of Blaine’s Pokémon, winning hands down.  Now Red understood that the convincing win had taken place in a hostile environment not only with a rabid crowd of spectators, but in a place where the air itself seemed to be your enemy. 

            He was looking down at his Poke-balls, trying to decide which Pokémon he would start with.  I’m going to save Wartortle for last to use the type advantage to finish.  Just because Green was his rival, it didn’t mean that Red couldn’t learn from him and adopt his strategies.  He weighed his options and finally placed the one he was going to use first in place on his belt.

            Both trainers were surprised when the door they entered opened again, and their friend walked in followed by his trusty Golduck.  Not surprisingly, they each had an ear of the pop-corn-on-the-cob in their hand.

            “I was going inside to sit in the stands when I saw you guys walk in the other way,” he said through a mouthful of popped corn.  “I told some security I knew you guys, so he called the Gym Leader dude and then they let me in here.” 

            “Give me one of those!” laughed Blue as she grabbed one of the ears of corn.  “Hey, Red, since Blaine is a Fire-type Gym Leader, maybe Tony would let you use Golduck, or if you ask nicely, I can let you borrow Poliwhirl.”

            She batted those big brown eyes at Red, while Golduck gave the thumbs-up. He smiled and shook his head.  “Thanks for the offer, but I need to win with my own team.”

            Blue rolled her eyes and took a seat looking out across the battlefield floor.  Suddenly, an automated voice came out over the intercom. 

            “Challenger please step out into the battlefield.” 

            Red silently stood up and made his way out of a little tunnel and into the arena.  He heard Blue tell him good luck, but he was focused now.  This was what Pokémon Training was all about.  This was why he suffered through all those years of school: for moments like this.  During his Gym Battles, he could feel himself get in the zone and become a different person.

            He emerged from the tunnel and the heat took his breath away, but he dare not show it affecting him.  Red had almost forgotten the feeling of seeing a raucous crowd jumping up and down and cheering (albeit, against him).  All but his first Gym Battle had taken place in private.  He felt his blood rushing and his adrenaline flowing. 

            The crowd cheered even louder and started chanting “Blaine! Blaine! Blaine!” when he saw the old scientist emerge from his own tunnel across the glass battlefield.  The hot suffocating air itself seemed to be radiating off of the glass.  Down below the glass floor, he saw nothing but rocky darkness, lit up only by a little river of lava that made the glass itself seem to glow. 

            “Welcome to Cinnabar Island,” Blaine called from across the way, “the greatest stadium in Kanto.”  The crowd liked that statement and they cheered even louder.  “The match is two on two, with first trainer to defeat two Pokémon winning. Call out your first! I choose Magmar!”  The fiery duck-billed Pokémon emerged from the ball.

            Magmar’s feat seemed to disappear because of the heat radiating through the glass floor.  The mirage made its lower body dance like flames to the naked eye.  Red grabbed his first Poke-ball.

            “Machoke! Let’s do it!”  Machoke came out and bowed to Magmar.  Strangely, the grey fighting-type Pokémon was adjusting its feet along the glass, constantly shifting them. 

             Blaine crossed his arms.“You must have forgotten about how hot the floor is.  Somebody forgot to do his homework.”  Red frowned was the crowd started a slow chant of “Tooooooo hot! Tooooooo hot!”

            Red knew he had a limited amount of time with Machoke.  “Let’s end this quickly! Hit it with a Cross Chop!” Machoke raised its arms in an X across its face as it dashed towards Magmar who stood its ground.  The fiery Pokemon’s fist began to glow with flame.

            Machoke anticipated the fire punch, and used one arm to quickly and strongly block the flaming fist.  Machoke spun and sliced with its other arm, landing the chop right on Magmar’s head.  Blaine’s Pokémon stumbled backwards, gripping the pain it had on its face. 

            “Good job, bud!” Red called to his Pokémon. It seems like its sparring with Scyther is paying off.  Not only did Machoke get stronger and more experienced the more it sparred with Red’s other Pokémon, but that spinning chop was eerily reminiscent of one of Scyther’s sword arms.

            Machoke shifted its feet and kept them moving like a boxer would do, trying to keep the hot glass from affecting it.  Red saw Blaine frown and call out to his Pokémon.  “Hang in there Magmar, you know how this is going to end!”  Red didn’t understand as he used his hand to wipe the sweat under his hat.  His hair was soaking wet by now.  All he knew was that this battle needed to end fast.

            “Don’t let up, Machoke!” Machoke leapt at Magmar, spinning in the air with its arms out.  Magmar raised its arms in defense. Machoke stuck out one of its legs with a Low Kick attack and knocked Magmar to the glass.  Red smiled, he knew Machoke had the upper hand now.  Machoke kicked Magmar into the air and began punching it swiftly with its arms.  The fire Pokémon didn’t have time to react as whenever it tried to land again Machoke kicked or kneed it like a soccer player would do to keep a ball in the air. 

            Red was about to congratulate his Pokémon on a win in this round, when Machoke’s punches began to fly less frequently.  The crowd cheered as Magmar was able to adjust to the pummeling in the air and land a fire punch right in Machoke’s gut, knocking the Fighting-type backwards.  Red now saw that Machoke’s arms and legs were blackened as if they were covered in soot. 

            Magmar was noticeably tired, too, as it held the side of its jaw in pain.  “An impressive display of combat,” called Blaine.  “But Machoke isn’t used to the heat here in this stadium, the heat on the floor… the heat that radiates from Magmar’s own body.  You’re Pokémon is burned and tired.” 

            Red now noticed Machoke was sweating profusely.  It stumbled around on its feet trying to avoid to heat from the glass floor.  I should have brought some extra shoes, he thought.  Every move Machoke made, Red saw his Pokémon wince in pain as if it had a terrible sunburn all over its body. 

            Magmar raised its arms as they set themselves on fire, readying the fire punch that would surely knock out his Pokémon.  “Machoke, return!” he called.  His burned fighter was sucked back into the Poke-ball in a flash of red light.  He may not be knocked out yet, but if Wartortle can’t win he might as well be.  He knew that if Wartortle was defeated, he would likely have to forfeit the battle so he could better prepare for a rematch.  “It’s all up to you, Wartortle!”

            The turtle Pokémon appeared and flexed its little biceps.  The crowd seemed to laugh as they cheered on the tired Magmar even more.  They might witness a 2-0 victory for their local Gym Leader. 

            Red noticed that Wartortle didn’t seem to be bothered by the hot glass as much as Machoke did as it stared down its opponent with a mischievous grin. 

            “Magmar, hit it with Flamethrower!” commanded Blaine.  Magmar breathed a stream of flame out towards the little blue turtle.

            “Counter it with Water Gun!” coached Red.  The two attacks met in midair, colliding in a burst of steam.  The water attack won, and shot back towards Magmar.  However, Red and Wartortle lost sight of Blaine’s Pokémon in the little area of steam.  Suddenly, Red saw a little blur of flame.  “Withdraw, Wartortle!” 

            Just in time, Wartortle pulled into its shell as Magmar emerged from the steam and struck the hard shell with a fire punch.  Blaine’s Pokémon winced in pain and Red knew he had him. 

            “Skull Bash, now!”  Wartortle shot its head out of the shell, knocking the still-tired Magma Pokémon away with a hard hit below the chin.  It followed up the attack with a quick, powerful spray of water before Magmar collapsed to the ground, steaming and hurt from the combined beating of Machoke and swift sure hits of Wartortle. 

            The crowd let out a collective “Awhh” as Blaine recalled Magmar.  “Looks like this will decide it!”  Blaine called to Red as he took out his second and final Poke-ball.  “I recognize your Wartortle as the Pokémon that Professor Oak used to have.  How fitting!”  He released the majestic Arcanine.  “The first Pokémon you ever had, versus the first Pokémon I’ve ever had! Extremespeed attack!” 

            Wasting no time, Arcanine shot forward and rammed Wartortle with its head.  The furry eared turtle had no time to counter with its ranged Water-gun as it flew backwards into one of the rock walls.  The shell made a noticeable dent in the wall, as Wartortle gingerly picked itself out of the wall and shook off the hit.

            Red was glad his Pokémon wasn’t injured too badly from the ferocious hit.  Wartortle grinned confidently at Arcanine, not letting the huge dog Pokémon know how bad it was hurting.  Red knew, however; he could see through the façade his partner Pokémon was putting on. 

            Without warning, Wartortle made a brake straight for Arcanine.  The big dog stood its ground and Red could see a fire ball forming in its mouth.

            “A brave companion you have there,” said Blaine, “but rash! Just like its Trainer, I suppose.”  Red frowned, this was not going to end well. 

            Wartortle was within six feet of Arcanine when the big dog sent a fire ball at it at point blank range.  Red pulled out the Poke-ball, ready to recall Wartortle in case the attack was a direct hit.  He was relieved to see the attack fizzle out on the glass.

            The crowd was silenced for a split second as they tried to figure out where Wartortle had gone.  Red smiled as he heard the sliding sound of shell on glass.  His turtle had slid on its belly right under Arcanine’s legs and emerged behind it. 

            Arcanine realized this too late, and before it could gather itself to bound away or turn around, Wartortle shot a Water Gun at the beast.  Arcanine felt the water hit its body, and its newly damp fur seemed to make it weaken a little bit.

            “He’s a slippery one, Arcanine!” called Blaine.  “Time to use our special technique!  Trap it with a Fire Spin!”  Wartortle stood its ground, bracing itself for anything.  Arcanine was a blur as it raced around the turtle in circles, breathing flame.  Soon, a swirling pillar of fire burned in the air all around Wartortle. 

            The swirls of flame began to constrict closer to Wartortle and Red began to lose sight of his partner. He cried out for him as he raised the Poke-ball to recall it and forfeit.  At the last second, he lowered the ball, he wasn’t going to give up.  I’ve got to let him finish this.  “I believe in you, Wartortle!”  His turtle gave him a grinning nod just before he pulled into his shell and began to spin around on the floor. All Red could see was swirling flame now.

 Arcanine was briskly trotting around the Fire Spin, adding more fire here and there to keep it burning so as to finish the job.  Red heard the building rumble as the crowd was jumping up and down, already celebrating.  Come on, buddy.

Nobody knew what happened as the pillar of flame became a blinding steam that radiated outwards.  In a few seconds, the whole battlefield became a sauna.  The air was even stuffier now, and Red had fan the steam away from his mouth to breath.  He could imagine how low the visibility would be from the observation room as those windows steamed up.

Red heard Arcanine growling and pace back to stand by its master. 

“Your little turtle can’t hide forever,” Blaine called out.  “Sooner or later this steam will clear out.”

“Wartortle, you should use this opportunity to attack!” He called out to his Pokémon, hiding in the sauna that was the Gym.  He heard two clicking sounds and a boom.  The glass floor vibrated violently.  What was happening?  He heard panting, and could tell Arcanine was moving.  Was Blaine’s Pokémon moving in for a final attack?  Was it using Wartortle’s strategy against him?

Red’s question was answered as he heard two more clicks, another boom, and loud yelp followed by a cracking sound.  Thankfully, visibility was slowly returning, and nothing, not even the previously impenetrable steam, could hide the smile on Red’s face. 

The steam cleared and a gigantic, six foot tall, round turtle stood menacingly facing Blaine.  It had royal blue colored arms and legs, and a shell that had to have been harder than concrete.  It let out a low, rumbling sound as it could see all the way across the battlefield.  Red couldn’t contain himself, fist pumping and jumping up and down in excitement as he saw Arcanine unconscious, resting against the rock wall that surrounded the battlefield.  The wall was cracked just where Arcanine lay, and there was another large, perfectly round hole in the wall nearby. Blaine quietly recalled Arcanine and went to examine the hole in the wall. 

Red opened his Pokedex to read about his newly evolved Pokémon.  Blastoise: this Water-type Pokemon’s shell is built like a tank.  It swims at blinding speeds, and can shoot water from its cannons hard enough to punch through thick steel.  He ran up to his new Pokémon, and gave it a high-five.

“Good job, partner!” he said as he locked eyes with his friend.  Blastoise roared and flexed its muscles, which were absolutely muscles now, and the two clicking sounds were heard again as Blastoise’s shell opened around its shoulders to reveal two barrels made out of what seemed to be shiny bone.  

He felt something run into him, taking him off guard.  Blue was there.  She had knocked Red out of the way to check out Blastoise herself.  She smiled as she admired the huge turtle.  “Welcome to the Evolution club, Red. Now I can ride back across Lapras comfortably by myself, and you can ride this guy.”

He heard the slapping of webbed feet and saw Tony and Golduck arrive too.  “This thing is a BEAST,” Tony said excitedly as he made his voice lower to emphasize “beast.”  Golduck quacked and gave the thumbs-up to Blastoise, who returned it with a smile. 

“There couldn’t be a finer way to earn a victory,” said a voice behind him.  Red turned to see Blaine standing there, hand outstretched with a flame-shaped red badge: the Volcano Badge.  “This Trainer won with his trust in his Pokémon. Let’s all give Red a round of applause!” As rabid and passionate as the fans were, they politely stood up and clapped for Red.

Red took the badge and smiled.  Blue, however, hadn’t forgotten the deal made previously.  Blaine stopped her just as she was about to speak.

“We can talk back at my place.”

Red recalled Blastoise as he and Blue followed Blaine back to his private quarters.  Tony and Golduck lingered behind in the emptying stadium to try and gather up uneaten popped corn.

An awkward silence followed as the Trainers went back to Blaine’s apartment.  When they got there, Blaine put his Poke-balls on the healing machine, and Red followed suit. 

“First things first,” said Blaine as he sat down on a couch. “You have my journals?”  Red watched Blue take the folded papers out of her bag and reluctantly hand them over.  Blaine shuffled through the papers before he set them down on a little coffee table between him and the couch where the two young Trainers sat.  “They’re all here… Now, anything you want to know?”

Red looked at Blue.  Where do we start?  “When you said ‘revive Pokémon’ in your journals, what does that mean?”

Blaine looked a little livelier and upbeat.  “I’m surprised you don’t know.”  He picked up a little remote and turned on a video screen on the other side of the room.  A picture of Blaine standing by three Pokémon appeared.  The first two were small: one had stubby yellow arms under a hard brown body, and the other had a spiral shell with a blue face and tentacles coming out of it.  The third was a baby, yet fierce.  It had greyish purple skin and big wings to go with ferocious sharp teeth.  “These are Kabuto, Omanyte, and Aerodactyl.  I was the first scientist to figure out how to use their faint traces of DNA preserved in fossils to revive long extinct Pokémon.”

Red studied the pictures with wonder.  How could he have forgotten? There was a unit on this he had studied in Trainer’s school. 

“That explains the fossil Moon Stone,” said Blue.  “You revived a fourth Pokémon, though.  You did it for Team Rocket.  Why?”

Blaine sighed and rubbed his head.  “You must understand, I had no idea what Team Rocket was planning to do.  I thought they wanted to do it in the name of science.  And plus, they had lots of money.”  He lowered his voice, “I was making money to revive a legendary Pokémon.  Who could turn down that opportunity?”

Red was confused.  “But the Pokémon mentioned in your journals wasn’t one of the birds.  It wasn’t Articuno, Zapdos, or Moltres.  It was-”

Blaine cut him off as he clicked his little remote a few times and an old cave painting appeared on the screen of a cute, pink Pokémon with a long tale.  “Mew.  Mew is said to be the original Pokémon.  According to the legends, all Pokémon are Mew’s children.  Of course, it has been seen from time to time, but the sightings are never taken seriously.” He clicked the remote again, and the fossil Moon Stone appeared on the screen.  “Team Rocket took me to Mt. Moon, where we found the cave painting, and we carefully excavated this stone.  The bone didn’t match any known Pokémon species.  Regardless of whether or not it was Mew, it was a major discovery.  Are you okay, Blue?”  She was staring intently at the screen, still. 

“I’ve seen that pink Pokémon before,” she said.  “At Silph Tower, in the room with all the computer screens.  Team Rocket was after that? Why would they look in Saffron City for it?”

Blaine studied her face before responding.  “I don’t know.  Unfortunately, I broke off my ties with them once I realized their Leader’s true colors…” His voice trailed off.

“Somehow, this has something to do with the Phantom,” said Red, breaking the silence.  “I read about the man in chains. Team Rocket experimented on him.  That’s the Phantom, right?”

Blaine looked up, surprised.  “Oh… yes.” He finally said.  “I was briefly re-assigned to oversee the experiments before I… resigned.” 

Blue had her arms crossed.  “So we know that Team Rocket was conducting experiments on the Phantom.  Who was he? Did you see his face?”

Blaine sat back.  “Yes, but I had never seen him before in my life.  His face is horribly changed now, that’s why he wears that bandana I gave him.  Those experiments… they were so evil.”

Red interrupted.  “So what happened when you broke up with Team Rocket?”

Blaine brought his eyes back to meet the Trainers.  “To understand that, you have to hear the whole story… the truth.  You must be prepared for what I am about to tell you.  You can’t even tell Lance, please.  I am sorry for all that I have done,” he reached up and wiped a little tear from his eye.  “You must understand, you must promise me.”

The two Trainers nodded.  When Blaine began to tell the story, he could feel the emotion in his voice. 

“Mew had been successfully cloned from the fossil in the Moon Stone, but it was different than the cave paintings would suggest.  I theorized that this was because the Moon Stone must have affected the DNA, much like it causes certain species of Pokémon to evolve.

“Anyways, Mewtwo was still a beautiful, fascinating creature.  It was taller than the reports and sightings of Mew, even as a young, freshly birthed creature.  Its arms and legs were longer, about the same proportion of a humans, but there was no mistaking that it was indeed a Pokémon.  I could go on and on about the biological differences, but that’s another discussion.

“Mewtwo exhibited wondrous powers, so I called the Rocket Boss to let him know of the experiments success.  He said he would be here soon, and in the meantime he reassigned me to monitor another experiment the Rockets were conducting in my old lab.  The Psychic torture of the man you know as the Phantom…  A few days later, he came into my lab and examined Mewtwo himself.  For some reason, the readings on the Pokemon’s power were not high enough for his taste, so he demanded that I clone another.” A single tear fell down Blaine’s cheek.

“Of course, I had no problem in wanting to do that, except for the fact that he didn’t want the other Mewtwo around.  As soon as I agreed to clone him a second and allow the original Mewtwo to live with me, he spoke to one of his associates who…” The Gym Leader was noticeably crying now as he tried to speak between his sobs. 

            Blue walked over to sit next to Blaine and handed the old scientist a tissue.  “It’s okay, just keep going, it’s not that bad.”

            “Oh but it is,” Blaine gathered himself.  “He told his associate to- to eliminate the failure.  I was about to grab my Poke-ball to stop them when I was grabbed and forcibly dragged out of my bunker.  I tried to stop him as his minion pointed a loaded gun at the young, innocent Mewtwo. 

            “‘Let it live with me,’ I pleaded with him. I then knew that he wanted to be the only one with a legendary Pokémon. ‘If it’s secrecy you want, just let it live with me, please.  Just let it live.’ ”

            Red could feel his heart began to break.  He looked at Blue, silent tears were now in her eyes.  “Go on,” she said with a shaky voice.

            “My pleas for mercy fell on deaf ears.  As they dragged me out of the room, I heard the Rocket Boss say one last thing: ‘It’s too dangerous to be kept alive.’  They tossed me out of the bunker, and I heard a gunshot, followed by a horrible cry.  Then, at least five more before the Rocket Boss and his goons emerged, covered in blood.  ‘You will follow my orders and get paid,’ he said, ‘or you’re next.’  I’m sorry… I’m so sorry I didn’t stop them.  But I did try…

            “Later that day, while the other Rockets had left for a lunch break, I snuck into the room where they kept the Phantom man, and I freed him.  Together, we burned the lab to the ground.  Then, the Phantom and I went back into the bunker… they had left Mewtwo’s lifeless body.  We buried it just outside the lab.  From that day forward, the man you call the Phantom swore in anger and hate that he would stop at nothing to ruin Team Rocket.”

            Red and Blue sat in silence as Blaine stood up and walked back into a bedroom.  It must have taken a lot to confess all of this to somebody after all this time. “I think we should go,” said Red.  Blue nodded at him blankly.

            “Pallet Town is just north of the sea by here,” she responded.  “We can stop by your house and see Professor Oak?”  Red nodded. 

            Before they took their leave of Blaine’s apartment, Blue wrote Blaine a letter, stating that they understand and that their secret is safe with them.  They went back to say meet with their friend who had come with them from the Seafoam Islands with heavy hearts.

            They took a second to say good-bye to Tony, who was still in the Gym area.  Their new friend had decided to stay on Cinnabar Island and start a beachside concession stand.  When they finally got to the northern beach of Cinnabar Island, Red’s spirits were slightly lifted as he released Blastoise and Lorelei’s Lapras from their Poke-balls.  Red hopped on his fully-evolved turtle, and Blue sat comfortably on Lapras as they cruised back on the open water to where his journey began.  Back towards home.