Chapter 28

Red was wracked with nervous energy, unable to stop shaking violently. Red gripped the handrails of the ship tight enough to hurt his hands. Everything he experienced after meeting Blue today was enough to shatter his self confidence in himself. But not in the same way that he felt inferior in Blue's presence.

Was this all Blue's fault? He thought.

It had never occurred to Red that Blue was the main reason he had become the person he was. His driven ambition to become a world class Pokemon trainer he felt was more so from every person around him. Green, Oak, his mother, his father and other classmates…Blue was just one piece that made him filled with self hatred.

But now it occurred to him that Blue specifically was the biggest culprit to pushing Red into his military training career. His lowly opinion of Red combined with always beating him in Pokemon battles and getting Green's affections were what spurred him on. Every defeat Red faced he thought of how that would affect Blue's opinion of him. Now he was beginning to see Blue's true role in his own life and psyche.

Blue's opinion of me is what strung me along so long. He thought. His hatred of me…it manipulated me into venturing forward into Kanto as a trainer. It drove me to sacrifice every Pokemon I've caught to feed my own ego. Like Cinder said…but…but now I see it was only so small because I was trying to please Blue. Blue's opinion mattered more to me than anything. Cinder was right…Blue was the reason behind me doing everything I did.

He now felt inferior and had no more confidence due to Cinder making Red realize that. Red now understood something that he couldn't before Cinder faced his childhood bully with the threat of death. Blue, an enemy, had more control and influence on his behavior than Cinder, his only friend, did.

That's why Cinder wanted to kill him. Red said. He was the true reason I went on this journey in the first place. The reason I became the arrogant, greedy, power-thirsty monster I morphed into.

He looked down at the sea below him, a Seaking swimming at the very front of the SS Anne. The Water-type's trainer rode on it, the young woman smiling. It reminded Red of when Cinder rode on his back as a Charmander.

All I wish now is that I never went on this power trip in the first place and just stayed in Pallet. He thought. Who cares about my dad's expectations…or anyone else's for that matter? My dad disappeared and never came back and everyone except Cinder just wanted me to be Lance 2.0. I should have left Pallet Town with Cinder to form a new life, just between the two of us.

Red sighed, tears forming in his eyes.

Friends. He thought. I should have listened to Cinder from the start.

The Seaking below him was blasted by a jet of water at such high pressure it looked like a blue blur at first. Red gasped at the sight as the Hydro Pump rocketed the red and black, fish-like Pokemon several feet forward from its side. When the volley of water dissipated, Red saw a whole bored through the Seaking as it's gaping cavity filled the sea with blood. The trainer riding it was as equally lifeless, floating on top of the sea's surface.

He looked to see that a Golduck with its trainer riding near the Seaking was jettisoned away by a Hydro Pump, the trainer swimming next to it dead. Red whirled his head around as he leaned forward to find it coming from a Blastoise, its brown shell and rocket launchers the only thing visible as the rest of its body was hidden by the sea. A trainer riding a Poliwhirl came circling around the ship in a hurry to scout out the incident, only to be instantly killed by the Blastoise's Hydro Pump.

Red gasped in shock before hearing a huge THUD behind him. He turned to see every trainer on the deck scared at the sight of a bloodied Fearow lying dead on the ship's deck. Red shook in fright.

What on Earth-? He thought.

Razor Leaf and Flamethrower filled the ship's deck. The Grass attacks instantly took the heads off many Pokemon and trainers while the Fire-type move incinerated even more. Red shouted in confusion as he watched not only Selven and Cinder attack the trainers but Hurzer charged straight into a surprised Doduo, his horns spearing its chest.

The Nidoking then took his horn out from the corpse of the Flying-type to then rip its trainer into with a single blow. Blue's Raticate chomped down on the necks of humans by jumping into the air while his Alakazam's invisible blasts flung Pokemon and humans alike into the air and ocean. Death was all around Red, his own Pokemon and Blue's killing everything weaker and slower quickly.

He then saw Captain Cut stumble forward out of the cabin, looking around at the chaos. He turned to see Blue with a wide smirk on his face, killing intent in his eyes. The captain shook his head.

"What on Earth-?" the captain asked.

Blue's Pidgeot swooped down from above to dig its claws into the captain's chest, ripping through his skin like a knife would through soft meat. He let out a yell before falling down, the Flying-type Pokemon perched on top of him and eating away at his flesh. Red had to resist vomiting, the sight was so disgusting and shocking.

As his and Blue's Pokemon mowed down the remainder of the trainers and their Pokemon, Red ran forward. He called out to them to order them to stop. By the time he shouted at his Pokemon, Selven had slashed in half the final trainer with a Razor Leaf. Red had tears in his eyes, crying in sheer shock at what he saw.

He was about to shout out to his Charizard to ask why before he saw many different Pokemon emerge from below deck. Running up the stairs were various small Pokemon of different species including Oddish, Poliwag, Charmander, Voltorb and others. With the deck cleared it became filled with small Pokemon that looked happy.

Red had never seen a group of Pokemon this large that had smiles on their faces or otherwise happy expressions. The dozens on board that were this way made his tears dry up and feel warm inside. Something awakened in Red that he had pushed down, like a boiling pot whose lid he was always trying to keep pressed down.

Happy Pokemon. He thought. Happy faces. They…they're all happy. Not a frown to be found on any of them.

Red was no longer running forward in fear and panic, telling them to stop. He was slowly approaching the group of Pokemon with Blue at a casual pace. He then walked up to his Charizard who had an expression Red had almost forgotten. An expression of satisfaction.

He no longer looks angry. Red thought. In fact…he looks relieved.

Cinder was no longer giving his trainer an evil expression, one colored with disdain and loathing. He was now meeting Red's gaze with a soft, accepting look that looked as though a large burden had been rolled off his back. Cinder appeared so peaceful that it imparted some amount of serenity into the trainer as well. Red began tearing up with tears of happiness and bliss rather than anger and frustration.

The young man took his arms and wrapped them as much as he could around Cinder's round body. Red began sobbing so loudly it overshadowed all the chatter of the freed Pokemon behind him. His tears ran down his face as well as the Fire-type's stomach. He couldn't stop himself from crying even if he wanted to. Red was so overwhelmed with positive emotion and happiness it was impossible.

Cinder wrapped his arms around his trainer, his strong limbs a comforting, protecting gesture. The Charizard knelt his face down to Red's right shoulder as he sobbed into his stomach. The warmth of Cinder's body felt like a campfire on a cold night, a soothing, comforting kind of heat rather than the blazing inferno that Charizard were known for.

Red no longer saw Cinder as the beast of unmatched flames that he could use to overwhelm his opponents. He now could only see him as that tiny Charmander he was given as a ten year old boy. The one that just wanted to be Red's friend and nothing else. The one that wanted to battle for him out of a desire to see his trainer's dream come true.

"Are you happy now, Red?" Cinder asked. "Is what we did okay?"

He tried talking but all he could do was gargle on his own tears. Red's throat felt like it was muffled with the sound of his sobbing. He lifted his head up to the Charizard craning his neck down to look down at his trainer, smiling as he allowed Red to form the words aching in his throat.

"Yes!" Red said. "Yes! Yes it is! I-I-I wanted you to do this! This and more! Y-you guys! You're the good guys! And I'm one of the bad ones!"

He then planted his face squarely into the upper part of Cinder's chest again as he began to sob again. He didn't want to stop crying at this point. Every emotion that he ever had began flooding out of Red at once.

Years of repression, hatred for himself and everyone around him escaped Red all in one moment. His hatred that he could never live up to his father's expectations, Blue's, that Green never liked him and his mother saw him as a disappointment flooded forward. The loneliness he endured in his childhood and the fact that he would have killed himself had it not been for Cinder being there for him.

The memory of his Pokemon dying for his ambitions as a trainer stung in himself. The sorrow that he repressed because he viewed them as nothing more than stepping stones for his way to move forward escaped Red in that moment. He couldn't stop himself, screaming in joy that his emotions he'd kept hidden were now out. The love he felt for Cinder came crashing down in nothing but sheer noise as he squeezed the Charizard to death.

"I abused you," Red said. "I abused you all. And it was for the sake of my own ego. If I had never taken Blue's criticisms to heart…if I'd never acted the way I did…"

"It's okay now," Cinder said. "It's okay. We…we all make mistakes. I'm just glad…you could see the truth."

He then turned to see Selven approaching him from his left.

"I was the one who suggested freeing the Pokemon from their cages," Selven said. "We healed them with potions while the other captured Pokemon in Pokeballs will be released once we've landed. Not enough room for right now."

Red sighed in relief before a whoosh of air ruffled his jet black hair. He let go of Cinder and looked up to see Leta flying down toward him. The Butterfree looked worried.

"What happened?!" she asked. "I saw-!"

"It's fine," Red said. "We just decided to free the Pokemon trapped below deck. It cost the lives of some trainers but…if they were doing something this evil then they deserve to die."

"Well," Leta said. "Okay. I just…I just wonder where this boat's headed now."

Red's expression hardened as he turned his full body towards her.

"Good question," he answered. "Where is this boat headed now? I mean…I assume the ship's on autopilot since we haven't crashed yet. But…where should we take it?"

"That," Blue said.

The young man stepped forward with his Alakazam and Raticate following him. As he left the group of Pokemon both owned by trainers and those not, he carried himself down the deck of the SS Anne while his Pidgeot perched beside him. Red saw Blue's Blastoise climbing up the hull of the ship, the young man surprised at its arm and leg strength could do such a thing, before plopping itself over the handrail of the SS Anne. It walked up to Blue's side with a cocky expression on its face.

"Is a very good question," Blue continued. "That will be decided between the only trainers left on this boat. Feel up for the challenge, Red?"

The trainer glared at his rival, his happy mood gone as Blue confidently swaggered forward.

"Alright," Red said. "All bite. What's your real plan here, Blue? I know you didn't free these Pokemon out of the kindness of your heart. You have some agenda going on that you're playing at. And I need to know right now."

Blue laughed, his arrogant smirk driving Red mad with fury.

"Red," he said. "Do you know what happened to both our fathers?"

"Sure I do!" Red answered. "When we were both about…five was it…your father died in battle…defending us against a brutal assault against Johto. Grey Oak died a hero! Not only that but…when I was around twelve my father disappeared after fighting against a terrorist attack on the Kanto mainland. No one knows what happened to Lance Drake but…while some suspect he's dead…others think he's still alive. What of it?"

"Well," Blue said. "I'd like for you to know that both of those are lies. Lies meant to hide the truth from the general public."

"What?" Red asked. "What-What are you talking about?"

"I'm telling you the Kanto government has lied in order to maintain the delusion of moral superiority over their ignorant populace," he said. "My father didn't die defending Kanto…he died fighting against Kanto and was killed by your father."

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

Red looked on at him in disbelief. He shook his head, wondering why the young man would make up such a lie. The trainer wanted to say how stupid Blue was to think Red would fall for something so stupid before Cinder stepped forward.

"Is that still a reason to hate Red?" the Charizard asked. "Even with Lance's actions…it doesn't mean Red is responsible."

Red turned to Cinder in shock.

"What?" he asked. "Y-You…you believe him?"

The Charizard looked down at Red with a bit of pity and sorrow. He shook his head as his expression softened even further. He then turned to look on at Blue before Cinder's eyes averted to Blue's Blastoise.

"So I guess what we suspected was right after all," Cinder said. "Especially you…Tulvir?"

"Certainly was," the Blastoise said. "Being closer to Oak than you were…I heard things he'd never say in public."

"What are you guys talking about?!" Red asked. "My father would never kill anyone! I mean…never anyone who didn't deserve it!"

"So my father deserved to die?" Blue asked. "How thoughtless of you, Red."

"I don't understand!" Red shouted. "What are any of you talking about?!"

Tulvir and Cinder seemed to wait with baited breath to speak while Blue flashed a horrid smile, a tense silence following.

"In Professor Oak's lab…" Cinder explained. "Some of the Pokemon he rescued and used for research helped out to do chores around the living space. We were…his friends."

"Oak treated us well," Tulvir said. "Better than how most would have…however…about a decade ago when we lived with the professor…he got a call. Apparently his son had died in war…but the professor was…was more angry than distraught."

"What do you mean?" Red asked. "Anyone would be angry that their son died to leave his widow and grandchildren fatherless! Blue's self-righteous tirade makes no sense!"

"It wasn't normal," Cinder said. "It wasn't normal sorrow…apparently…apparently it wasn't a usual official who called to note the professor of his son's death. It was your father himself. Lance Drake."

"What?!" Red shouted. "Why would my father-?!"

"Me," Tulvir said. "Who was closer to the professor than anyone else…suspected foul play. Something…something wrong had happened to Grey when he died. The professor would never quite tell me what would happen but…Professor Oak was angry at the Kanto military the way Grey died."

"Yeah," Cinder said. "It was after that phone call he received from Lance that…that the professor pulled all aid to the Kanto military. He doesn't even like helping the Kanto government unless it directly aids civilians."

"What are you talking about?" Red asked. "Oak's not a traitor to Kanto! He-!"

"Red!" Cinder interrupted. "How long has it been since you've heard Oak mention helping the Kanto military?! Or even just the government in general?"

He was about to yell at his Pokemon for being so stubborn but shut his mouth before going on. Red thought long and hard about how many times Oak, the greatest researcher of Pokemon in the world, talked about aiding the military. He thought about every encounter he had with the professor and Red couldn't think of any time Oak mentioned helping the Kanto military or directly aiding the government.

His work was solely for the purpose of creating and protecting habitats for Pokemon as well as using Pokemon to help the wellbeing of humanity. Red was sure he remembered Oak saying something that contradicted what Cinder and Tulvir were saying but the more he thought, the more he found them to be correct. It was uncanny how the professor seemed to carefully state his neutrality towards Kanto's government or military. Oak never talked about helping anyone except Pokemon and civilians.

"Well…" Red said. "Th-That…doesn't mean anything-?!"

"Yes it does," Tulvir said. "Because I overheard the professor's full conversation with Lance. I heard that Lance admitted he killed Grey, Blue's father, in battle. It was the reason I requested to be Blue's Pokemon when the professor was wondering who to give away. I…I felt so sorry for the boy that…that I wanted to help him."

"So what all of us workers in Oak's lab was true," Cinder said. "There was more to the story than was told to the public. I remember Oak cutting off all ties to the Kanto military soon after that."

"You can't be serious!" Red shouted. "Lance…my father…he'd never do anything like that!"

"Not even if it came from Oak's mouth himself?" Blue asked.

Red then turned to the young man to leer at him.

"What are you yammering on about?" Red asked.

"Do you remember what happened to my mother?" Blue asked. "You remember how she was found when I was five…not long after my father died?"

"She…" Red said. "She was found dead by your sister, Daisy. With the words… 'Curse the Drakes' written on her left hand. It…it…apparently…apparently…an enemy of the Drakes killed her out of…revenge or whatever."

"Another cover story meant to keep the general public unaware of the truth," Blue said. "Do you think it makes any sense for someone to get back at your family by killing mine?"

"It does!" Red shouted. "Grey Oak and my father were good friends! War buddies! So killing the wife of his best friend would not be out of the ordinary! It was strange but…it was the most likely explanation."

"No it isn't," Blue said. "Why not kill you or your mother? Besides…public information of where the families of the Greys and Oaks aren't even available. There's only one real explanation of what happened to her."

"And what's that?" Red demanded.

"Suicide," he answered.

A sudden shock was sent through Red, hurting him in a way he couldn't fully understand. Not only did it seem to hurt but what Blue said was perfectly sensible. It doesn't make sense as to why Blue's mother would be killed by those trying to get back at Red's family of all people. It just made too much sense.

"B-BUT-" Red said.

"Yeah," Blue said. "I can see it all in your expression. You realize the story doesn't make any sense and now you know the only way that could happen is if my mother killed herself. Because she knew what happened."

"B-But-" he shouted. "H-How–did she find out?!"

"Because Oak told her," Blue answered.

"What?!" Red said. "That doesn't make any sense! Why would Oak disclose this information from everyone else but tell your mother of all people?!"

"Because he thought she deserved a proper explanation of why her husband is dead," Blue said. "I remember the day so vividly…my grandpa stormed into our house angrier than a Tauros. He demanded an audience with my mother and yelled to get my sister and I all out of the room. However, Daisy and I ran out of the living room before hiding behind a door, listening to everything."

"You can't be serious," Red said. "You-You knew it from the age of five?! You've known about it for more than ten years and told no one?! Until now?!"

"Hey?" Blue said with a shrug. "What can I tell you? The only other proof I have is…why have I hated you for so long otherwise?"

Red glared at him, his hands balling into fists.

"Jealousy?" he asked.

"Yeah right," Blue said. "I heard it all. You see Red…Johto never went to war with us out of imperialistic conquest. We attacked them first and they merely retaliated. The gym leaders of this region merely lied about who started the conflict first."

"That's impossible," Red said. "It…it can't be! What about the attacks they deployed against us?!"

"Not as many as we deployed against them," Blue said. "Just look at who rules who now. The Elite Four of Kanto supplanted the strongest trainers of Johto and now rule both regions almost as if they were one. Are you going to deny that fact?"

"Whether I believe it or not," Red said. "That still doesn't explain why my father would kill your's. Both are war heroes and have been for decades, not to mention friends."

"Yes it does," Blue said. "It does because my father did the right thing while Lance continued expanding the territory of Kanto into other nations. You're nothing more than the son of a puppet deployed by a tyrannical empire. And for that you deserve to be punished."

"And why would Lance kill your father?" Red asked. "I know he would never take a life unless he thought it was for a good cause."

"Well that good cause was wiping off the map Mahogany Town," Blue said.

Red stared at him, shocked at the words he just spoke.

"The old ninja village of Johto?" he asked. "Why…why would Lance-?"

"Want to destroy an entire city?" Blue asked. "Because…due to the amount of hiding spots it gave foreign soldiers, the Kanto military wanted it utterly vaporized. And Lance would have done it too…had my father not intervened. You see…from what I remember from the day Oak explained what happened…both Lance and Grey objected to the war against Johto."

Blue's expression darkened, his smile gone.

"Both of them began citing reasons to stop fighting," he continued. "Their conscience began to bother them and the amount of civilians being killed weighed on them. They felt their home region was unfairly battering a weaker country just for the sake of conquest. Apparently…Grey had talked to Oak about what Johto was doing and the things he'd seen…they hurt his soul."

"So you're saying that Grey was a better man than my father?" Red asked. "Is that the reason you think it's justifiable to hate me until the day I die?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying," Blue said. "Don't twist my words, it weighed on Lance's conscience what wrongs he was committing but…for whatever reason he didn't have the same conviction as Grey. This came to a head when not only Grey refused to obey orders but also decided to confront Lance himself. And not only did he give Lance the fight for his life but…also lost his life saving the lives of those in Mahogany Town. It gave the citizens enough time to evacuate before being wiped from the face of the planet."

"Fat chance I'll believe that," Red said. "I don't know what you heard but-"

"Red," Cinder said.

He turned to look up at his Charizard to meet his gaze. Cinder's expression was clearly telling him to be silent and listen to Blue. It was clear just by looking at him that Cinder had no real issue with what Blue was saying.

"I heard Oak curse the Kanto military and government throughout my stay at his lab," he said. "He would do it randomly, for no reason…he'd even curse Lance occasionally."

Red recoiled at his Charizard's words, unable to handle what the Fire-type was saying.

"If you remember correctly," Blue said. "When Lance returned from one of his many military campaigns when you were still five…remember his Pokemon were gravely injured. That's unusual for the strongest Dragon-type trainer in the world. Probably from one of the few trainers that could rival Lance's power."

"I doubt that!" Red shouted. "I don't know if your father was good enough to hold a candle to Lance!"

"My father was the gym leader of Viridian City before he died," Blue said with an arrogant smirk. "He was the strongest gym leader at the peak of his power, right before he died and was next in line to become a member of the Elite Four in case one of them died. I think if anyone could give Lance a run for his money, it would be my father."

Red balled his hands into fists, crying.

It just makes too much sense. He thought. Everything Blue's saying…it's not only backed up by what Blue's Blastoise and Cinder are saying…it all adds up.

"After my mother was told this, gramps went home," Blue said. "My mother could be heard screaming so loudly we thought she was dying in pain. Daisy and I ran to go get our grandpa for help but by the time we returned…she'd hung herself. While telling us to curse the Drakes."

Red's eyes were stained with tears, his vision blurry as he couldn't see more than ten feet in front of him.

"I-I-I-" Red said.

"And that's the day my hatred of you began," the young trainer seethed. "A prodigy who not only was unskilled and unfocused before having proven his worth but also the spawn of a bloody tyrant responsible for thousands of innocent deaths and my parents' as well. Your father betrayed mine by not only committed unspeakable actions but went against the trust of his closest friend in order to do so. And that Red, is why I hate you. Because not only do you deserve no credit for being born into the privilege state you have…you also deserve hatred for being born to that tyrant."

"Stop calling him a tyrant!" Red shouted. "Y-You don't know anything."

"And that's not the only thing," Blue said. "When I was old enough, my grandpa told me something else. When I was twelve he told me that your father had abandoned his position as Elite Four but is now fighting against Kanto. By that point, he knew that Daisy and I were aware of the true reasons for our father's death and wanted to tell us something that would make us forgive him."

Blue laughed as Red wiped his eyes.

"But all it did was make me angrier," he said. "It only made me angrier that he abandoned his post so late. Why not sooner? Why not join Grey and fight against Kanto together? But no…it took him seven years to realize what he did was wrong and attempt to make up for it. If he'd done that sooner then my parents wouldn't be dead and the world would be a better place."

"So is that the reason you agreed to free all these Pokemon?" Red asked. "Was because you wanted to undermine the Kanto government? Is that the reason?"

"Sure is," Blue said. "But that's only the tip of the iceberg. I plan on destroying the Kanto government from the inside out. Everything I do I'll do to destroy this evil empire and bring peace to this world. I'll work my way up to kill it, dismantling it a piece at a time while gaining their trust. But that's not all I want."

"You want to bring me down with you?" Red asked.

"Certainly," Blue said. "I'm not jealous of you or your father's reputation. I hate that you get glory just for being related to the man who made my life hell. That everyone expected you not only to live up to that tyrant's reputation but expected you to be a soldier of evil just like he was. I plan on not only destroying the Kanto government but your family legacy along with it. I'll find Lance and bring him to justice…but first off I have to bring you in."

"Me?!" Red demanded. "What did I do?"

"You mutinied aboard the SS Anne, killed several trainers including the renowned Captain Cut and freed Pokemon meant for otherwise useful purposes," Blue said. "You're in a lot of trouble."

"I didn't do any of that!" Red shouted. "You did!"

"Yeah," Blue said. "But who are they gonna believe when they find this ship full of dead Pokemon and trainers and I haul you in? With your Pokemon dead it takes care of all the witnesses and I can say you mutinied rather than me. That way I'll earn the Kanto government's trust while killing their valued training mentor in Captain Cut as well as convicting the spawn of that tyrant for Lance's crimes."

"S-So-?" Selven shouted. "You planned all this?"

"Yep," Blue said while smiling. "I saw an opportunity when Red was on board as well as his nitwit Venusaur and took it."

"And what of the Pokemon we rescued?!" Cinder shouted. "What do you plan on doing with them?!"

"Train them to be my own personal army of soldiers in my fight against Kanto," Blue said. "This way I won't have to take the time to find rare Pokemon. With these guys all here I have more than enough ammo to launch against the military of this region."

"As if I'd give you the chance!" Selven shouted.

He stepped forward, angrily glaring at Blue.

"I couldn't save the Bulbasaur I grew up with from being slaughtered for food!" he shouted. "But I can stop you from abusing these Pokemon any further! Now…back off or die."

Blue merely shrugged.

"Selven," he said. "Did you honestly think I was going to do this without planning on defeating Red in battle?"

Red could feel his chest tightening up again.

"What?" he asked.

"Yeah," Blue said. "I need your Pokemon's help in killing all these worthless terrorists on their mission to advance the most evil government in the world. However…I relish the idea of defeating you in battle. It seems we both have four Pokemon. I say we handle this in a civil way…with a double battle. You face me with your Pokemon two at a time…not only for the sake of your own Pokemon but those you just rescued."

"Blue," Red seethed in anger, wishing he could choke the young man to death with his own hands. "You-you monster…"

"You win," Blue said. "You get off scot free. And get to steer this ship anywhere you want to go to start a new life. You also get to free these Pokemon and do whatever you have with them. I win…I kill your Pokemon, capture these Pokemon for myself saying they were lost in the process of your mutiny and bring you in alive. What do you say?"

"What do you think of this, Tulvir?" Cinder asked. "You like this? You want to fight me and my friends?"

"I don't have any more loyalty to you after I left Oak's laboratory," he said. "My loyalty is to Blue and Blue alone now. He's treated us well…I can say with confidence I respect him more so than you."

The Charizard breathed a flame of angry fire, glaring at the Blastoise.

"Yes," Blue said. "A two on two battle. The most Pokemon a trainer can control without his attention being diverted. Just like how Lance killed my father. I'll replicate that…but with a different outcome than my father had."

Red began panting, sweat wetting his clothes as he felt as though he was crashing to the ground. The idea of facing Blue in a battle was terrifying to him but the idea he was fighting not only for his life but innocent Pokemon frightening as well. Red had no confidence that he could defeat Blue, but what other choice did he have?

"Fine, Blue," he said. "You want to play this game? Then so be it! I challenge you to a Pokemon battle!"

Blue smirked.

"May the best man win," he answered.