(fan art in media by WingSei)

I wiped way the sweat that gathered on my brow, my dark hair beginning to clot into groups as I breathed heavily. My hands were trembling as I held the red and capsule in my warm hand. I was currently rested up against a wall leading to the champion's chambers. I have had four straight battles of immense difficulty with no nurse in sight to tend to my team's wounds. Even though all I did was stand there and direct them, I had to come up with on-the-spot strategies and every time my team was attacked, I felt the pain they did.

Every battle I shook from the nerves I was bundling up.

If I lost a battle, it was all over. I would have to restart. That would have been horrific.

Re-fighting gyms were tough enough... Dear G--- Arceus I can only remember the feeling of how much I wanted my laptop then. Hacking to level 100 would have so much simpler.

Now, this is the last battle. The pressure was on, and my team was pretty taxed. The thoughts of having to restart snuck into my mind, causing me to bite my lip at the thought of losing here of all places.

The small pokeball on my waist trembled at the very slightest amount. I glanced down at the pokemon sitting in the five other capsules, all of them covered in scratches and bruises forming here and there. I gnawed at my plump lower lip before looking towards the door I waited in front of.

It was a grand pair of golden doors with metallic ornate trimming around it, the handles were maize Seadra statuettes with their snouts pressing into the door. Their curling tails looked as if they were going to push off their spots any moment. Inscribed at the plate above the doors read: "Champion's Chamber"

Looking back at the pokeball that rested in my hand, my wrist ached with an overcoming soreness. The ivy and plum V stuck to the rosy half began to curl at the corners, wearing away on the edges. Slowly, I lifted my arm that held the pokeball carefully and let the pokemon out.

Venusaur sprouted out in a glare of brutal white light, her French rose petals drooped with exhaustion with a rip running up here or there. Beneath her crimson eyes were dark circles, hinting at how tired she was. A smile yet came to her drooping face as her eyes fixated themselves on me, "Sauuur..." She moaned an attempted greeting. With a great step of her right leg, she teetered towards me. But her tree-trunk teal legs buckled underneath the starter's weight. Dark violet bruises forming at the knee. Her eyes cringed in pain and her voice cracked as she croaked.

I immediately ran over to her, despite my weariness, Venusaur's exhaustion was like a towering mountain above me, the shadow of her strength striking fear into my heart. My arms grappled around her side in any assistance to keep her up. My tennis shoes slipped and slid against the smooth steel flooring that glistened an occasional blue.

At some point, the both of us just collapsed, breathing like a pair of runners after a marathon. A small smirk tugged at my lips before I burst into laughter. I had to admit, our little scene there was amusing. The palms of my hands clasped around my face as I continued giggling. Venasaur, laughing in her own away, brushed her nose into my hair and tilted my hat off center.

It was funny. I started out hating my starter I received in this world. Now I am scrambling on my last leg to keep her standing.

"What's with all the giggles?" a voice said. I swung my head round, moist chocolate locks smacking to the partner I lied against. Blue was looming in the golden gateway, his arm pressed against a single open door as he smirked down at me. His ginger hair flipping into his caramel eyes that seemed endless for a brief moment. His black collared shirt seemed somewhat looser than usual, part of his right shoulder proudly bearing his peach skin. The glittering lights from the room he towered in front of lit up his figure and pushed past to brighten me with its illumination.

I simply rose my shoulder to quickly drop them in a form of saying, "Eh... I really don't know." without a sound escaping my mouth. My lips though still curled themselves painfully to withhold further laughter.

He scoffed and stared at the room behind, before fingering his almost bronze hair between his thumb and pointer finger, "Geez, such a pesky girl." He smiled with some annoyance. He rolled his head around to stare back at me. His expression suddenly became softer, calmer. More collected. "Well, looks like you made it to the Champion's chambers. Ready for your battle," he held his breath before whispering my full name with an airy tone, "Leaf Green?" he hesitated to take a step forward towards me, his large hand opened towards where I rested in an offer up.

"Ready to win," I smiled up at him and grasped his hand with both of mine, and like a gentleman he pulled me to my feet. But, bizarrely, as I came up he wrapped me into his arms to the point I felt the two of us had become entwined. "Blue...?" I questioned slowly. Quickly following, the champion pushed me away roughly that I fell back into Venusaur who was just raising. I attempted to give him a narrow glare of my eyes, just to see him already giving his back to me, striding back into the room. I wanted to protest angrily, but what's the use in it. He would have just reply with some stupid remark.

So I pursued on, hobbling on with Venusaur beside me. Once we entered the room, it was very different from the game. The entire room was like... A very clean prison cell. The walls and floors were made of a stainless steel, no windows in sight. A few light fixtures hung down from the ceiling to make the room all but dim. In the back corner of the room there was a single bed with messed up teal covers and a machine beside it. The machine I have seen constantly in Pokemon Centers, used to restore a Pokemon's health.

When I thought about it, it made sense for a champion to have that in their room. Constant challengers and all.

In the very center of the room, painted on the smooth floors were chalk white lines, like you'd see at a baseball diamond, in the perfect formation of a battle field. Blue casually strode to his box and faced me with an odd expression. His eyes were relaxed, but within it was like a wall was blocking me from seeing further. His thin creamy lips were pulled into a smolder as his right palm rested on his hip.

I've seen him use that look before. I mused before facing away, pulling out a hyper potion. Yes... He used that face with those girls back in pallet 34 days ago. The fuchsia colored handle stung my eyes somewhat as I pulled back on its handle. From the nozzle, a greyish spray shot out and fanned its particles around against Venusaur's grotesque bruise on her knee cap. "Sauuuur..." She groaned with a sharp edge to her tone as the medicinal alcohols in the spray gave her pain for a brief second before she released a heavy, earthy scented breath.

She had relaxed now.

A voice clearing itself reverberated on the metal walls. "Hey, if you want," my head snapped around to see Blue focusing on me. His smoldering igniting to a spark. "I'll let you use my personal healing machine. I don't usually let challengers use that but your spe---"

"Yeah, yeah. No," I said, continuing to heal my team, switching them out one by one. "I know you are just testing if I will cheat. Because healing my pokemon with a pokemon center machine is against the rules. I have to rely on my own supplies for this challenge. Believe it or not, my brain does function," I finished, stroking the final pokemon I had sent out. The auburn fur of Vulpix was silky smooth, the colors shining in the light as her onyx eyes blinked and glittered at me with joy.

"Vulll?" she inquired excitably.

I laughed and cuffed her one ear with my hand, "I'm taking a wild guess that you want to battle first?"

Her foxlike mouth curled into a grin as she leapt about, "Pix, pix!" her inflection was one of a chipper excitement.

"Alright then! Let's get to the battle field," I instructed as I stood, brushing off my ruby skirt. My pokemon and I took our positions in the arena as I looked over at Blue. His faces seemed crooked.

"Uh, Yeah.... I was testing you," he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, muttering to himself few words that I would never be able to understand from 10 meters away. "You ready now, Leaf?"

I nodded, giving a possibly overconfident glance to my fire type. Her six tails swayed back and forth at me as her paws were spread on the floor, ready for a battle. The champion rolled is right arm which held a pokeball. His arm flew forward as if he were a pitcher throwing the baseball and the object exploded in midair.

Tawny feathers flew about the battle field as a bird's high crowing filled the air. As the pokeball retracted to the trainer, a Pidgeot was left approximately 2.4 meters away from my Vulpix. Its gold and pink feathers that sprouted from the rim of its golden beak seemed to lie past its sunset tail-feathers. The over-grown pigeon's eyes shimmered with battle wisdom and a hint of cockiness it seemed to share with its trainer. Blue simply motioned to me with his lands, offering me the first move.

I clenched my left fist while the open hand rolled my black wrist band, "Fine. Vulpix, use Fire Spin!" I commanded with authority in my voice. The fire fox silently took the order and took a deep breath, her jaw slowly drawing open as the flames of the sun swirled at the brim of her mouth.

"Dodge it!" Blue called out to his pokemon, but it was already too late. Vulpix released her flames which swirled and unraveled like a slinky down the steps, springing out at the bird. Pidgeot attempted to fly up obediently, but once the dancing fire struck the ground, the lapping flames shot up in a spiraling column and engulfed the Flying-Normal type. Its feathers singed and the heat baked its skin. I continued to scan the field, quickly realizing our opponent was male.

I placed both my hands behind my head, "Now, Skull Bash!" I exclaimed with a grin, cutting off Blue from his next attack. Earlier during the adventure, I found the TM Skull bash and decided to teach it to the little fire bugger. Vulpix curled over herself, the furry tails starting to sparkle as her paws closed into one another.

I'm going to win. It's decided. I smirked, I'm right.

Suddenly, her tails flew out as her spine straightened, Vulpix's dark eyes glinted with determination. For barely a second, her paws pressed on the ground and her surging power shot a visible energy up into the air before she took off head first. She seemed as if she were flying as Vulpix shot across the air, into the swirling pillar of fire that trapped Pidgeot. The fox's head pointed to slam into the bird's open stomach, little specks of fire thrown here and there.

There was no way it could have missed.

"Pidgeot use Wing Attack!"

The bird's cloak-like wing suddenly lashed out around himself as a shield, lighting up a dim white. Right before Vulpix's impact, he flung out his airfoil and bashes Vulpix away in a desperate repulsion. She tumbled in midair before skidding across the steel floors, the fox's claws digging into our battlefield with ringing screeches.

Per chance, she was using her own tactic not just to slow her spin because the sounds that wanted to murder my ears, had the same intent for our opponent. Our turns that the Fire Spin lasted was up and as Pidgeot fell from the noise, the ballet ribbons of fire collapsed around him. The flames sunk in as the bird cried out, "Digeo-o-ot!" He shrilled as Vulpix staggered to her feet.

I first thought we had an advantage, but I was sorely wrong.

My pokemon swayed, the attack she had taken and the recoil of the failed Skull Bash sunk in while her eyes shuttered with pain. Crashing like a meteor into the cold floors couldn't have been any help either.

The tables suddenly turned as Blue spoke next, "Now, Pidgeot! Use Sky Attack!"

Like a phoenix, the pokemon rose from the smoldering ashes around him, a harsh light overwhelming Pidgeot. I had no time to even take a breath before the bird shot to the roof of the room, his wings seeming to keep absorbing a blue light.

The Pidgeot dove at us as a hawk for a mouse, speed of the winds at his back. "Flamethrower!" was all I could flounder to speak in a despondent tone. Vulpix angled her furry head up with the hot flames sparking at her muzzle, it was a race against time as her flames propelled up just as Pidgeot fell like bomb. The flames exploded and swallowed up the two pokemon in its savage typhoon.

I threw both my arms up as a shield when the flames came at me, brushing my bare skin with its grazing heat. My eyes trying to open so I could look at the field, in the blaze, I saw a quick flash of light, something I couldn't identify. It was gone before my mind could even register it. I cringed as the last waves of flames flooded around, dying out into embers on the ground.

"Vulpix!" I shouted as I saw the fox was on the ground, her fur smoking into the air as her flank rose and sunk erratically. Her limbs stayed motionless as I saw the long gash on her back, fur up turned and absent as a dark red liquid oozed out.

Pidgeot was thrown askew on the ground less than a meter away, his feathers were ruffled like the ones found on a hatching's. His beak painted with crimson at the tips. Pidgeot pressed both his wings against the ground in attempt to get up, but the dark charcoal burns that ran up in flame patterns cross his back caused him too much agony and he threw himself back to the floors in defeat.

Blue and I returned our pokemon, myself shooting a worried glance at Vulpix before attaching her to my belt, "Hey. She'll be okay," a voice said from across the room. Blue could read my expression like a book. "Once the battle is done we'll heal Vulpix. But I can't do anything now," he explained, tossing out an Alakazam.

The psychic type's chiffon-like mustache draped down to the floor while the silver spoons in his three fingered hands. Mocha colored armor seemed to be placed here and there on the pokemon, though it was just part of the creature.

I smiled somewhat, "Hey, I know Vulpix is strong. She probably shouldn't have been able to win that battle. She got a tie. That's good," I ran my fingers over the pokeballs and pulled out the one with the light P taped to the cap.

As the pokeball was tossed into the air, my own Pidgeot burst out. He swung head around in all directions to ruffle his feathers, his wings fluttering out as he cooed cheerfully, "Piiiiiiidd!" he didn't even seem to acknowledge his opponent as he looked back at me with a naive joy in his closed eyes. His beak was pulled open slightly in a smile of sorts.

I snorted a laugh before motioning with my hand towards the battle, "Might want to pay attention to the field, hun."

Acting upon my words, Pidgeot docilely snapped his head to the rival. His wings suddenly pulled back to puff out his peachy feathered chest, his demeanor suddenly becoming strong and dominant.

"Alakazam, Psychic on that bird!"

Alakazam's arms rolled back before shooting them forward, his spoons outlined in a violet light. It soon was mirrored around Pidgeot, lifting him high into the air. The psy powers condensed in the one spot, suffocating Pidgeot. His wings were forcibly spread out while legs pulled down towards the ground. His long trailing feathers were frayed out above him as he choked. Like a doll, the Alakazam threw Pidgeot into the four walls of the room, bashed him into the ceiling before carelessly slamming him into the ground with an echoing crackle. The creature with a higher IQ than me, Oh Arceus that was hard to admit, smiled satisfyingly at his own skills and the results.

Despite being treated like a toy of a toddler having a tantrum, Pidgeot still forced himself up. He rattled his head around before rolling his wings back to loosen his aching muscles. His left eye began to swell shut, but that gave my pokemon no pause. Not like he did when we first combatted Blue.

"Thank you," I hushed to him before snapping back to composure. "Alright, Razor Wind! And keep moving! Make sure Alakazam doesn't hit you!" I commanded with the dramatic flair of throwing my arm out to point at the psychic type with an upside down star for a head, whose right ear twitched at his name.

Winds were drawn into the room as his battered wings fluttered like my heart beat, they were in perfect sync to tell the truth. One of his golden feathers flew out and fluttered in between my eyes, I snatched it up and watched Pidgeot store up the power. White gusts began to form a twirling tower around the large bird, the rhythms of the winds power leaked out and blew my hair around the air wildly.

I observed as Blue scraped his thumbnail against his pointer finger, a subtle sign of stress, "Psybeam!" he simply called out to his pokemon, whose mustache fluttered around with a crazed disorder. The pokemon grunted and threw up a single spoon held horizontally. Purple, pink and pinking blue spiraled around his hand before coming out in an unorganized array of raw psychic energy at the growing tower of winds.

They were, indubitably, bounced off like platters tossed off at a drunkard's party, fizzling away into the steels of the chamber. Pidgeot had finally taken the time he needed, he let his body go and spin with the ballad of the winds before throwing both his wings back.

Everything froze for a moment, winds were tossed back though it was like a dancer ready to give their finale. Or maybe, it was the brief calm before the hurricane crashes with full force. His head curled down as the airfoils gave their final bat, winds like swords zoomed at Alakazam and tossed him backwards. Cuts from the invisible force raged across the Pokemon's body as he called out, "Zam!"

"Now Quick Attack! Finish this!" I smirked, knowing there was no way that victory wasn't in my grasp for this round.

As Pidgeot furled his feathers confidently, he rose higher into the room's space before steaking forward, a blur to the eye.

Blue's face stayed calm, but the constant tapping of his toe and his finger twitches differed, "Recover! Then Psybeam!" he said, his voice losing its support.

Golden orbs materialized around Alakazam, both arms outstretched downward as his long facial hairs stood on end. The metallic energy being pulled into the pokemon as his scars closed with no mark left to be seen or felt.

But it was already too late I thought. I believed we were faster, that victory was ours.

Pidgeot was already advancing at the speed of sound towards the pokemon. My smirk though crumbled away as Alakazam's golden orbs vanished, his arm shot up and gave the horizontal spoon the power of mind. The uncoordinated discs surged into one another as they flew at direct impact with Pidgeot as he was less than 14 inches away from stealing the win. Smoke erupted from the impact and sent my pokemon away. The beautiful bird was now mangled as he was thrown like a skipping stone across the battle field. Each time, he fell onto a new angle before crashing into the back wall behind me with an echoing bash. Silence was all that was left in the room.

I couldn't even turn around.

I was prettified by the instance that just unraveled. I-It should have made it... I stuttered to myself as my winding hair rested from the mess of air that had finally settled with the defeat of Pidgeot. It didn't even leave a mark on Alakazam... My throat to started to close up as I began to over think further, I have already lost so much to Blue already... Was this battle a mistake? I could just--- No... This is no longer a game where if I lose I could just pound the power button in frustration and restart. This... This is life. And I can't give up even when two are down... I have four more right? And... They are depending on me.

"Piiid..." I heard the fading croak of a bird from behind. I let out a small breath before turning to Pidgeot with a simper.

I have to win.

I held his pokeball up and spoke softly, "You were strong and brave. That's--- That's All I asked of you. Good job," I hushed before returning the pokemon back. Again, my fingers skimmed over the line of prepared pokemon, my mind raced with insignificant thoughts of who goes next.

When the decision was made, I tossed out the pokeball and let Marowak bust out. She looked at her opponent, who cocked his head curiously, and swung her ivory bone around. Her feet spread wide, her dark tail flicked once signaling to me she was ready.

I rolled both my shoulders back, puffing my chest out in pride. Hiding the fact I was going insane at the thought of the first pokemon I captured on my own was defeated... Thinking about that time now, it makes me laugh at how close I had grown to this world in that short time.

Many more months would pass before I truly realize it.

I fixed my gaze at the Alakazam, mulling over what attacks would be good, "There is that new one but... This needs the move..." I whispered before focusing on Marowak, "Alright. Use Fissure!" I called out, hiding my desperation for the attack to land.

Marowak shot both her nubby arms up and twisted her forever bone in her hands like the blades of a helicopter taking off. The baton-twirling Marowak narrowed her beta red eyes before grasping the bone in one hand, it trembled with power all around before she clubbed it into the ground. The sheer force in the attack shot her lower half into the air, but she clung to the bone which had dove far into the metal floors. Earth that rested beneath us became upturned and spit the metal with a great screech. The ground opened up and moved like a lightning bolt across the ground towards the perplexed Alakazam.

Blue was stunned motionless as he watched perilously.

Once the opening earth reached the feet of Alakazam, great rocks shot around and closed around the psychic type, crushing his bones, "Ka-a-a-a-ah...." He sharply breathed as the rocks fell back to the ground, releasing Alakazam from is crushing prison. He fell to the ground face first, his only movement was the low and shallow breaths I saw from his back.

He was done.

Blue soundlessly recalled his pokemon before speaking to me, "Wow... Who knew your pokemon knew such an advance move like that," he smirked to me, obvious that he underestimated Marowak as he sent out his next pokemon whose overly fluffy mane glittered. Soot stripes ripped across its tangelo fur, giving it a prowess on the battle field as his pearly fangs bore over his curling lips. "Arcanine! While Marowak rests, use Take Down!"

He was right, Marowak was taking her breaths by the gallon. Her eyes drooped but both her shoulders were raised close to where ears would usually be. The giant glorified dog charged at her, his white mane swaying with each running paw step. He rammed into her with momentous power that Mawowak was bounced into the open space above, her limbs flailing around in a panic.

I wouldn't expect a ground type to like flying in the air.

As she came down I knew what to do, "Bonemerang!" I ordered. Obediently, the bone keeper understood and threw out her bone with a sway of her arm. The smooth bone spun though the air with a whoo-whoo-whoo sound vibrating the air molecules around. The object seemed to circle the Arcanine who, multiple times, lunged at it like a dog for its favorite chew toy. Though, his efforts were in vain as it decided to strike the Arcanine square in the center of his back, sending trembles though his entire body before collapsing to the ground. It continued to whack any vulnerable spot on the Arcanine who whimpered like a little Growlithe.

Marowak, who was still free-falling, rolled out into a back flip as she dropped to land on bended knee, her palm open as her bone returned to its master. She glanced up with a smug glance to the fire-dog who coughed and sputtered on the ground. Obviously, not in any condition to continue to carry on with battle. Once Blue unclipped his pokeball and returned the Arcanine, Marowak turned to me with pride sparkling in her eyes, "Wak! Wak, wak! Maaaarrrow!" she cheered, not moving her joints much.

To a novice, Marowak would seem perfectly fine.

To her trainer who knew her since she was a Cubone, who also happens to be extremely intelligent, I saw though her joyful facade.

Both of her knees shivered, attempting not to buckle together. The bone she clutched in both of her puny hands was pressed close under her jaw in an endeavor not to show how her hands trembled and to cover the dark scratches that crept from the inside of her coffee tinted arms. Her corn silk belly was pulled in tight, in fear that if she let it relax she would collapse.

I pulled out my pokeball, "Good job, Marowak. Return," I asserted as the red beam shot to her. Her bone quickly leapt up and blocked the returning powers. Her gaze steadied in a way of telling me that she wished to keep fighting. "... Fine. But--- please be careful," I whispered to her. She simply turned back to look at the Ginger who waited expectantly.

"Done? Good," he declared, throwing out his next pokemon. Like the others, the pokeball exploded open to reveal the opponent. The giant tree towered over Marowak, its palm leaves reaching out past its three coconut shaped heads. The pokemon grinned, glowered and sulked as its six eyes all moved to looking at the ground type curiously.

"Exeggute," the Exeggutor drawled in three eerie voices while his two toed feet dug into what was left of the steel arena.

Marowak became as pale as her skull before snapping to realization to fight. Her paw like hands clutched her bone as she ridged all her muscles for a fight, "Bone club," I simply said, already able to predict the victor of the round.

Despite the intimidating Exeggutor, the bone keeper rolled her bone around before bashing it into his knee as if it were a gong. Chills ran up the Exeggutor before it instinctively used Stomp without order onto Marowak.

She jumped out of the way in time, but her precious bone was not so lucky.

It was smashed and grounded as the angry coconut head became dominant with the heads spinning around. Its massive foot lifted to reveal only a powder left. Marowak was entangled with two emotions sticking in like thorns. She angered at her adored bone was gone and terrified that it could be her next. I shared the same fear.

Blue's face was now painted delicately with a smug grin, his eyes have become clear windows to his hubris. His fingers gently grazed though his spiked hair as his caramel eyes continued to swirl. From his smirking lips, they formed words, "Exeggutor," his voice was clear and brash, "Barrage."

The events that happened happened next, I couldn't do anything to stop it.

I just watch helplessly as my pokemon was tortured.

The Jurassic palm swung its heads around furiously, his feet pounded on the ground below causing tremors. It sounded like death knocking on the grand gates of Indigo Plateau. Its long leaves would sometimes spin out and slice by me, the edge of their blades cutting into my exposed arms to draw ruby blood.

As the spinning monster grew closer to the Marowak whose fear became like an ocean flooding the arena. I could feel her heart racing in a way.

Bombs of coconuts shot out from the center of Exeggutor's head and flew towards my ground type. She attempted to dodge, but where ever the coco-bombs struck, a massive explosion would occur. The arrant force of one would blow her into the next wave of assaults.

Marowak, like a volley ball, was hit across the court field bounced up by the fiery plumes that never ended. The sounds were like an air raid in London during World War II. Each one came with the whistles as they fell- screamed. The explosion shoot the ground.

Marowak's pathetic sobs and screeches shilled in my ears, tearing at my heart and mind. My fingers ran though my long hair and held it in knots, I tried my best not to yank it all out. I soon lost vision of the arena as it became shrouded in a battleship grey smoke. I felt so lost.

Then came the silence.

The barrage stopped.

So did the cries.

The smoke dispersed to reveal the result.

My key stone, Marowak, lied on her right flank. Her breaths came so darkly, I could barely make out the rise of her side. Her tail was still like the rest of her body. Her entire body was burnt in a sooty char with scars scribbled around.

Over her towered, the nemesis, Exeggutor. His face became the dominant grin that stretched nearly to meet one another on the ends of the coconut head. His stone eyes seemed like they were smiling to.

Smiling.

Always smiling.

The knee Marowak had attempted to knock out wasn't even scratched.