I spoke to my team in my hotel room quietly.

"I know we took a hard loss today guys, you all fought very well. But all said and done, Dawn was ready for us."

Vigoroth didn't say anything, Growlithe merely panted and looked at me blankly, Ursaring hadn't even been knocked out like this before, even against Bayleef.

"Moving forward, I'll do as much research as I can on our opponents ahead of time. I'll work around everyone's weaknesses better, and come up with a better strategy. But I have to say, I'm really proud of all three of you."

I crossed my arms. "Against one of the best opponents we can find out there, with almost no preparation, you all managed to bring Dawn down to her last Pokémon. It was her main, but still. With more time, I guarantee you all, I can shape this team into some of the best anyone's ever seen."

I wondered if any of them doubted my words.

Vigoroth was always too emotionless and still to ever emote. If he showed anything besides trust in battle, it was a sheer amount of rage towards my enemies, people who meant me true harm like Team Rocket.

Growlithe had grown from a very sheltered pup into one a bit too cheerful, playful, and sometimes out of touch with the severity of things. We had lost a match at world championships, an informal and impromptu practice battle but still. And he looked like it was business as usual.

Ursaring's pride had been severely rattled. The news of Vigoroth's defeat at the hands of Dawn's Monferno must've made him reevaluate himself, I suppose a part of him always knew the only part of the team that was truly undefeatable was my starter.

I returned all three Pokémon to their balls and Inoru entered my room.

"So this was the first time you ever lost a Pokémon battle."

"Yup."

"How're you feeling?"

I had taken a seat down at the small table in my hotel room finishing a pack of noodles I cooked out of a pot of hot water the hotel had let me use.

I spun in the chair and faced Ino. "I don't really know how to feel."

"Well why's that?"

The more time passed, the less bad I felt about the match.

First, it was clear this wasn't Dawn from the anime, or at least, it was a far more mature version of her. She was no longer bumbling around Sinnoh like she was at the start of the anime, being no selled by wild Buneary and struggling to catch a single Pokémon. This Dawn was possibly the most competitive Pokémon trainer her age one could find around the entire world.

"Even if I can learn how battling works much quicker than most can." I shrugged. "Doesn't mean I have much more experience than people like Dawn."

"A humble way to put it."

Dawn was fourteen, from what I gathered, she had started her Pokémon journey years prior going through all the things she had in the anime. This was the result, someone far less unsure of herself and her abilities. I didn't know her well enough to determine if she was the Dawn I knew, but she was certainly the best opponent I'd found so far in Pokémon battling.

It showed in her battling, and likewise, I noticed that too about a few of the other kids.

While Gary and a couple of others tended to bicker childishly, the usual antics of chasing weaker younger Pokémon, and what I'd considered to be wastes of time when watching the original anime as a teenager were gone. Because everyone I knew here was simply older.

There were still children, and they acted like it, but they were teenagers.

"What're you thinking about?"

"I'm wondering how much I should re-evaluate my strategy when it comes to battling."

"Nico you lost one match, I don't find the need to go that far." said Ino kindly.

"I wouldn't. My team works so hard, Vigoroth fought so well. I really do think this loss to Dawn fell solely on me. I will never let them suffer for my mistakes again."

If watching the opening rounds of the World Pokémon Championships had taught me anything, it was that a team needed to be eclectic, both within the ring, and with each other. They'd need to cover each other's bases.

Should a team be split into threes, each team member had set objectives. To gauge a team's training and reflexes, or to mainly deal damage and prepare a following Pokémon to land the final blows and knock it out. Or possibly others I hadn't considered until now.

When Blue told me to not lead with Vigoroth, it made sense, but it's obvious to me now there's an entire side to battling I didn't understand yet, just behind a single decision like that.

Not only to the lineup of Pokémon when you allow them to battle, but which ones to choose. The attacks you want them to focus on, what kind of style you want to develop for them.

Dawn's team was versatile, not only in their moveset, and how well they could apply them effectively no matter what Pokémon or type they faced, but their own typing as well.

Vigoroth and Ursaring mainly battled with the same moveset and style. Until now, it didn't matter because Ursaring would just wipe the floor with teams of a lower skill level, but facing better opponents like Dawn, I could go with better options. Or at least ones that would allow the team to be much better and more well rounded.

I glanced at Inoru getting ready for bed as I continued to think.

Blue told me any team needed to be built around its starter.

I already had a fire type, another normal type would be redundant. The same forces around places like Mount Coronet and Mount Silver that made regular Pokémon much sharper and stronger than their counterparts elsewhere around the world made Vigoroth one of the best starters I could've had.

I decided to wait until the end of World Championships before making any final decisions when it came to my team.

"Who does Blue face in the next round?"

Inoru spoke calmly. "Drake I believe."

"Should be a very close match." I had only glanced at his profile once or twice, but he was a very good Trainer.

…

It was a close match. One of the closest ones, and I'd seen some good matches until now.

With each proceeding round of the tournament, the opponents just got better and better. The crowds got larger as the matches drew ever closer to Jubilife colosseum.

Drake of Hoenn's Elite Four was amazing.

Blue led with Pidgeot, a Pokémon he had been with since the days he used to battle Red in his tweens.

Pidgeot was responsive to Blue's advice, quick, adaptable, and very powerful with Air Slash and its Double Team made it so quick that I had trouble keeping track of it with my eyes, let alone being able to see it land strikes.

However, Drake knocked it out in under four minutes.

Drake Altaria fought very patiently, and the battle in the sky became a whirling dance of Ice Beam and slashes of air so powerful they reverberated against the force shield protecting the crowd making them all gasp every few moments.

I saw May from the Hoenn region cheer for a second as a huge bright flash of sky blue light struck Pidgeot when it attempted to merely Tackle Altaria at full speed.

"Oh!" Gary winced as his older brother's Pokémon went down.

The crash shook the ground, and the center judge rose a red flag to his right, Blue instantly scrambling to switch out his knocked out Pidgeot for another Pokémon.

"Arcanine! Use Extremespeed!"

For a split second I heard something sharp ring in the air, like a jet plane when it took off.

As soon as the crash of a Pokémon leaving its ball rang, a fiery blur struck Altaria.

There was a glow of red light on the faces of hundreds of people in the bleachers roaring when Arcanine blurred and caught Altaria on fire with a blindingly fast tackle attack.

If I thought some Pokémon were fast before, it was Blue's Arcanine that made me reconsider them all. The father of my own Growlithe fought with a tenacity, precision, and power that had Altaria scrambling to stay in the air.

Arcanine convinced me to what I thought was true before to arise again. While Arcanine was certainly quick, quicker than the vast majority of Pokémon I'd ever seen, what made its speed hidden, was its positioning.

Arcanine was constantly moving around the ring, pressuring Altaria back and back with Flamethrower and by dashing forward, it seemed to have boundless energy and speed. But unlike a puppy, when Arcanine did strike, it was with a sense of timing that was brimming with confidence.

Arcanine never doubted, not even for a second, that his blow would land, and his opponent's wouldn't. Altaria's Ice Beam had knocked out Pidgeot in one shot, and Arcanine erased it with Flare Blitz.

Arcanine jumped off his legs into the air, striking as Altaria's Ice Beam materialized.

There was a massive explosion in the air as a glowing red blaze shaped in an outward spiraling X flew from Arcanine's maw. When the dust settled, Arcanine had used Crunch, snapping his jaws tightly around Altaria's nape. The ground cracked when Arcanine struck the floor using the Dragon type Pokémon to disperse his fall.

I applauded with the rest of the crowd, cheering with the rest of the folks who had come out from Kanto to support Blue.

What an incredible performance. Arcanine was on the level of Leaf's Espeon, if not even higher.

Drake recalled Altaria, muttered something to it, and released Salamence.

Drake's Salamence was gigantic, and I finally understood why Dragon Pokémon were so feared. Dragon Pokémon, were well, Dragons.

They had the size, strength, and durability in their hides most Dragons did. Arcanine's Flamethrower could probably melt directly through solid steel or something and Salamence through off multiple direct strikes as if they were nothing.

Arcanine could counter on a dime.

Salamence would move in one direction, cause a massive impact right near where Arcanine stood to create a Rock Slide, an explosion of earth directly where Arcanine stood. And Arcanine had already angled out, blasting the entire side of Salamence's neck with Flamethrower as it evaded.

Arcanine would take a fully powered Dragon Claw to the snout, blowing through a combination of Extremespeed with Flare Blitz to blast Salamence at long range, as Salamence flew towards it like a fighter plane.

I hadn't seen this happen yet, but Blue had actually yelled for a moment, with a tinge of anger in his voice to Arcanine. I couldn't discern his words, but his tone was there.

And thirty seconds later or so, Salamence, a Dragon type feared throughout Hoenn, was blown to the other side of the ring with a fiery Body Slam, and Salamence fell like a meteor.

When Salamence landed, Arcanine literally pounced on it.

Salamence struggled for a moment, I saw a bit of Dragon Breath fly into the sky, narrowly missing Arcanine's head, and I could hear Drake yell something through the crowd's roar.

Even through the force field, I could feel just how hot Arcanine's Overheat was. Similar to Flamethrower, Arcanine was building up a torrent of flames from its jaw and breathing it onto Salamence, but this was more like a small volcano erupting directly in front of hundreds of spectators.

Drake's Salamence, which normally would've had a very strong resistance to Fire type attacks, had simply taken too many hits, and had been overpowered by the degree of aggression Arcanine possessed.

Salamence was burnt to a crisp, and I could tell from afar it couldn't move. Not even an inch.

Drake solemnly drew a Pokéball and switched out Salamence.

And oddly, Blue switched out his Pokémon as well.

"Why did he do that? Forfeiting one of his best Pokémon after it only took one hit?" asked Gold as the crowd kept cheering around us.

"I doubt Salamence hit Arcanine that hard." Inoru said, holding his Bellsprout on his chest and in his arms in the seat next to me.

"He did."

Crystal and Ash seemed confused, but unable to ask for clarification, Blue and Drake were down to their last Pokémon.

Salamence had actually hit Arcanine hard enough to make Blue speak desperately. I knew him well enough by now, he wouldn't have done that unless he was convinced Salamence possessed the ability to end the match a hit or two later.

Only by landing enough damage to seriously shake both Arcanine and Blue could something like that happen.

Drake sent out Flygon next, and had the most intense match I've seen yet with Blue's Blastoise, which was saying something.

I also learned how PP from the games worked exactly.

Pokémon possessed near limitless stamina, but their capacity for very powerful moves like Hyper Beam and Flare Blitz was finite.

Blastoise was being very careful with how it used Ice Beam, mainly it stuck to Hydro Pump, Withdraw, and Rapid Spin.

Drake's Flygon knew Fly, Dragon Rage, Crunch, but above all it tried Dragon Pulse. As quick, powerful, and accurate as these attacks were, Blastoise was spending almost the entire match within his shell.

Only during select moments could Blastoise position himself in the ring to slice through the air and score decisive Water type attacks to slowly but surely weaken Flygon.

Flygon was landing hit after hit, right against Blastoise's shell as it flew around the ring, spinning non stop like a top. But no matter what it tried, Flygon couldn't deal enough damage cleanly to pierce Blastoise's shell.

In a single hit, Flygon was almost completely frozen.

Flygon was about to zero in and use Crunch on Blastoise's neck when he looked like he was going to reposition and attack but was able to mislead Flygon, juking him out near the corner of the ring.

Flygon tried to slip away and flutter off but Blastoise released the strongest Ice Beam I've seen yet from his mouth, landing straight on Flygon's neck. Freezing its entire eye, left wing, and left side torso.

Flygon shook in the air and fell straight to the ground, weakly about to breathe fire on its own body to unfreeze itself. The moment Blastoise looked ready to release a Hydro Pump, I saw the red laser from Drake's Pokéball recall Flygon.

Everyone cheered, including myself.

"Great battle," I admitted.

"Amazing." Ash agreed.

Drake and Blue soon shook hands, and then Blue was in the quarter finals.

…

Cynthia won her match 3-0 to proceed to the quarter final round as well, in one of the most dominant displays I've ever seen. Her opponent's Pokémon struggled to land a single hit at all, and it wasn't like they didn't belong in the world championships, they just weren't nearly as good as Cynthia.

I was expecting Clair versus Leaf to be a lot more competitive than it actually was. Leaf's Venusaur ended up no selling every single one of Clair's Dragons and their attacks.

All she did was spam Synthesis to recover the bits of damage Clair dealt inbetween landing Sludge Bomb, Razor Leaf, and even Vine Whip.

I was a bit disappointed that the only representation Johto had in the World Championships lost in the fourth round of the tournament, but I did see what people meant when they said Johto had to step it up in competition.

The next day was a bit of a blur.

For the next twenty four hours all I could think about, speak of with Ash, Gold, Crystal, and Gary, even Inoru, was this tournament, everyone in the brackets, and the resulting matches.

Blue, Cynthia, Leaf, and Lance all battled it out in the quarter finals against other trainers, some I'd never heard of but were still amazing. Only Lance faced someone I'd heard of before, Drasna, from Kalos' Elite Four, who Lance was able to defeat narrowly due to his slightly superior understanding of Dragon Pokémon, who were the basis for both teams.

…

Following the quarter final round, was a sunny, warm afternoon on a Saturday in Jubilife City Stadium.

Tens of thousands of people were in the stands, applauding as Blue, Leaf, Cynthia, and Lance all bowed in before competing.

There was only one judge present, and everyone was about to face off in a giant ring, the classic flat earthen terrain with rectangular white boundaries painted on the edges.

For a split moment, everyone stopped cheering when Blue and Leaf prepared to send out their first Pokémon of the semi final round.

Despite everything going on, Blue had secluded himself from everyone around him after the quarter finals. He had needed time to get focused, his head clear, and his strategy in order knowing he'd face the current World Champion in the semi final.

Professor Oak, Gary, Crystal, Ash, everyone important and close to Blue were standing in the finals waiting for the match to begin.

Blue was on the center judge's right, on the red side, Leaf, on the blue side, his left.

Blue led with Arcanine, and Leaf with Ninetails.

Leaf's Ninetails was one of, if not the most beautiful Pokémon I'd ever seen.

Ninetails was a female fox like Fire Type, with nine sharp yellow red tipped flowing tails, and some of the most gorgeous yellow fur I'd seen a Pokémon have.

The rules for the match were simple, knockout elimination only, withdrawing a Pokémon meant its forfeit, and for the first time, all six Pokémon on the standard team could be used.

Arcanine and Ninetails went to war.

I now understood why there were Psychic Pokémon used to this degree to shield the spectators from battles, even more so than the earlier rounds.

Ninetails and Arcanine were like two miniature suns battling it out.

I remember in my old life what it was like spending the day outside on the average summer day in California, and the sunny atmosphere certainly didn't help here. Ninetails and Arcanine were making the entire stadium glow so hot it made me miss the days of my past life.

All attempts Arcanine made to use super effective hits like Dig were rebuffed, and even the fighter jet like Extremespeed Arcanine had was being countered by Flamethrower.

In the end, Arcanine barely eeked out a win in the first round. Ninetails and Arcanine ended up clashing both with Flame Charge, a high intensity Quick Attack with both Pokémon lit on fire trying to tackle each other.

Arcanine was lucky enough to break Ninetail's leg with Crunch as they both escaped the struggle, and Leaf requested a short timeout to determine if she was going to withdraw her Pokémon or not.

Leaf's Dragonite easily rivaled the best Dragons I'd seen on Cynthia or Lance's team. Arcanine was able to catch his breath and shake of Ninetails blasts in the prior round well enough to give Dragonite a great match.

And Leaf and Blue went back and forth.

It was today where it truly cemented for me how good of a trainer Red was.

Not only was able to inspire what was the protagonist of the anime series, the boy sitting next to me, Ash Ketchum. But for Red's entire childhood and even after forming the World Competitive Pokémon League.

In the crowd, people roared, cheering each time Dragonite landed a hit, or Arcanine did. When Arcanine was switched out instantly, Blue proudly and loudly sending out his Machamp, I felt a rushing degree of adrenaline and fun I never had before.

Not even during my own battles.

I felt like history was being made, that these battles were part of a story.

Specifically, the chapter of a person who left most of it behind.

For the fact that Red never lost to neither Blue or Green, trainers as amazing as the ones I were witnessing battle in the years, that he spent battling competitively against the best in the entire world, also in tournaments like this, made sense why he'd have the prestige to form something like the WCPL.

Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

Blue and Leaf were competing better than they ever had in the previous rounds, impressive considering I think their battling was flawless since World Championships started.

"Dragonite is unable to battle!" the judge said after Machamp panted, barely breaking a sweat from countering Hyper Beam and Outrage with nothing but four furious fists and sheer technique and muscle. "The winner of the round goes to Machamp!" he raised a red flag to Blue.

"Yeah!" Gary cheered.

I applauded as did Inoru, as Gold, Ash, and Crystal were roaring with the rest of the crowd.

Leaf looked troubled, glancing at Dragonite in her Pokéball before taking another one out of her bag.

This semi final round was unlike any other. Because Leaf and Blue were using their full team of six Pokémon, including several they hadn't used yet a lot, or at all in some cases, they had to adapt to each other quickly.

Leaf went with Nidoqueen, hoping to capitalize on her resistance to Fighting type moves, but it didn't matter. Blue's Machamp was poisoned after three minutes, raising her attack with Guts.

Machamp countered beautifully with Earthquake, timing Nidoqueen perfectly as she tried to strike with Poison Jab again.

"A stunning attack!" I heard the announcer say over the cheers, as Leaf quickly withdrew her knocked out Poison type Pokémon, scrambling to strategize. "How will the reigning champ respond now?"

Leaf sent out a Wigglytuff next.

"Ha!" Gary scoffed. "Like that's going to do anything! That means Machamp will have taken out three of Leaf's team instead of just two now!"

I wasn't so sure about that.

Espeon would've been a no brainer to stop Machamp's momentum, there was no way Wigglytuff's Type advantage alone would be enough.

It wasn't, but Wigglytuff's training and Leaf's coaching certainly helped.

With simple but very strong moves like Dazzling Gleam, Leaf was able to maximize Wigglytuff's type advantage and keep him in the fight. Machamp was being Charmed too, much to Blue's frustration, and Wigglytuff was quick and skilled enough to avoid a lot of Machamp's moves, despite the Pokémon being much faster than its other counterparts from what I've seen.

With plenty of attitude, Wigglytuff waved to the crowd when using Play Rough to split right through Machamp's Focus Punch.

"And that returns the ball to Blue's court! The score is four four, who will break the tie next?"

It was Blue, decisively.

Blue sent out Blastoise, who wiped the floor with Wigglytuff.

Wigglytuff had no answer to Blastoise's Hydro Pump, it couldn't outrange or evade like it could Machamp in the previous fight, and Blastoise actually completely bodied the smaller Pokémon.

One shattering Body Slam out of Blastoise's spinning shell and I felt the wall of the arena shake when Wigglytuff struck it and comically slid down it.

"Go Venusaur!"

The arena was silent for a moment after the cheers and applause from the previous round.

Starter to starter, the first Pokémon these two ever used. A crucial round. Every round was crucial, but this meant a possible turning point, or more bad news for Leaf.

Leaf's Venusaur had a notoriously slow start to this tournament, but Clair had been just what Leaf needed, but everyone was wondering if she had what it took to bounce back completely.

"Seed Bomb! Follow it up with Petal Blizzard!"

Venusaur launched a huge seed out of the plant she had on top of her body, flying right into the air, and it exploded with a sharp bang. Dozens of tiny glowing bullet like pieces of razor sharp bark began to coat the sky, falling right towards Blastoise.

"Counter Blastoise! Get outta there!" yelled Blue into his microphone near the Trainer's box.

Blastoise spun into his shell, using Rapid Spin and Ice Beam to become a flying tornado of frost and shell.

All of Leaf's otherwise super effective Grass type attacks were blocked by whizzing beams of ice, the few ones that made it through simply were not numerous or powerful enough to pierce Blastoise's shell.

Blastoise pinged off the edge of the arena wall, its strategy continuing to freeze away anything Venusaur threw close to it.

Blastoise's Ice Beam had been so continuous, that all Venusaur had to do to dodge was merely step out of the way. Likely a move her Bulbasaur was used to since evading Squirtle's Bubblebeam during Blue and Leaf's youth.

"Why don't you stop running around and fight me like a man!?" asked Leaf, tauntingly. "Or are you going to hide in your little shell all day!?"

While the crowd reacted loudly I realized something. Leaf and Blue's rivalry likely stemmed since childhood, since they both had to keep up with each other and Red since their journey started. Leaf was doing something, touching a nerve within Blue that I gathered likely had been there for over a decade within Blue.

Whatever she tried, it didn't work, as smart as it seemed.

"Go for it Blastoise!"

Blastoise knew there was something hidden up Venasaur's sleeve the second he attacked, and I proudly watched as Blastoise spun out of his Rapid Spin to leap over Venusaur's Solar Beam.

Leaf saw Blastoise jump and shouted. "Dodge i-"

When Blastoise struck the ground, he seemingly combined Dig and Earthquake into the same attack, digging into the ground with his spinning shell of death sending Venusaur tumbling away. Venusaur's typing allowed the move to have regular effectiveness, and her counter was soundly interrupted.

She caught her footing, but was staggered well enough to give Blastoise a solid opening.

Contrary to what I expected, Venasaur could still fight fine after launching Solar Beam, but it didn't matter.

I stopped cheering, shivering for a split second before a huge white glow of light flashed before me.

The air through the force fields WCPL Psychic Pokémon had set up heavily chilled for a tiny moment. The sky became darker. Blastoise leaned back, and then stomped, roaring at the top of his lungs. The arena itself seemed to shake, almost the air too, everything was shaking.

The sheer amount of ice Blastoise sent Venusaur's way blinded my view of the battle for a moment.

Blastoise's Blizzard attack froze Venusaur solid. She tried to use Vine Whip, any sort of the tools she had at her disposal to dodge, block, or counter, but it didn't work.

The Venusaur-cicle upon the ground dripped for a moment and the judge proclaimed loudly. "This round goes to Blastoise!"

The digital scoreboard screen marking each of Blue and Green's Pokémon sang for a moment, as Arcanine and Machamp were out, and Leaf's Ninetails, Dragonite, Nidoqueen, Wigglytuff, and now her Venusaur were knocked out.

Blue was up five to two in the semi final. One more Pokémon and he'd have beaten Leaf by four Pokémon.

However, everyone knew Leaf had saved the best of her team for last.

Espeon had quite the battle on her hands, but managed to pull off a stunning upset, and the greatest performance of the tournament so far.

Blastoise went down swinging, and hard.

Blastoise pierced Espeon's hyper intense Barrier psychic shield with a single Ice Beam, sticking her right front paw to the floor of the ring as she evaded just in time.

As Blastoise rushed forward to finish Espeon, his jaws outstretched with Crunch, Blastoise took a back kick right to the chin. Likely injuring her own foot in the process breaking through the ice, Espeon foresaw the attack, twisted around and used Double Kick to knock Blastoise away.

Blastoise hid in his shell but it didn't matter.

Espeon jutted him to the other side of the ring with a ringing Psychic blast that actually tore through the floor of the ring.

I winced, watching as Blastoise struggled to his feet.

The crowd cheered when he retreated back into his shell.

Blastoise was yet again sent crashing straight into the arena wall, and now, one time too many. Espeon knocked out Blastoise with repeated Psychics.

Blue's Exeggutor was an absolute beast, dealing sharp amounts of damage to Espeon's flank and tail with repeated Leaf Storms and quick mid-range Grass type moves. But it too was overpowered by how strongly Espeon could attack with Psychic as well as predict and counter his attacks.

Blue only had two Pokémon remaining, and for his next choice, he went with Alakazam.

Contrary to what I was expecting, two Psychic Pokémon battling was not a very boring stall fest or a staring contest. Alakazam and Espeon were doing their very best to blast each other to the other side of the ring with constant special attacks.

Espeon knew Psystrike, and when I saw how powerfully Alakzam could dodge and counter by levitating himself around the ring, I knew the match was soon over.

As quick and powerfully as Espeon could strike from practically any range, her leg was injured from battling Blastoise in the round before last. Alakazam was damn near matching even her ability when it came to special attacks.

Espeon seemed to be approaching her last breaths with how much Alakazam was driving her, making her dodge constantly, sending her this way and that around the ring. Firing off a Psychic, flying through the air to then somersault beneath Alakazam's counter attacks.

Espeon summoned a great deal of energy and released another Psystrike.

A great big pink beam of Psychic power centered from her forehead, lasering directly towards Alakazam.

He merely parried it off both of his spoons expertly, likely with great help from his Barriers.

Alakazam grunted loudly, and began to form a great dark ball of energy in front of his chest. In under a second, he flung it outwards towards Espeon.

The following moment replayed in my mind over and over.

Blue defeated Leaf with two Pokémon left able to battle.

Espeon was trying to deflect the incoming Shadow Ball, likely by forming another Psychic shield which didn't work this time. Alakazam's strike exploded right on her nose, making her head whip back before reeling away.

Espeon tumbled across the ring, kicking up a giant dust cloud.

Everyone cheered for Blue when Espeon's eyes remained blank, the Psychic type merely laying there unconscious.

"Blue from Pallet Town defeats reigning Champion Leaf, and proceeds to the final round! What a stunning performance by Blue!"

Gary was yelling, jumping up and down in his seat, even hugging Ash.

Oak was applauding calmly along with the rest of the crowd.

…

I had a feeling Blue was going to win in the next round, and I was right.

Cynthia soundly defeated Lance and proceeded to maul Blue's Exeggutor, and narrowly defeat Arcanine and Pidgeot.

She gave a great fight, even managing to go toe to toe with Alakazam and Blastoise, but both Pokémon knocked out her entire team.

I think overcoming the greatest rival Blue had since Red and knowing he had the best chance to regain his crown lit a fire in him unlike anything I've ever seen. He turned what should've been a match he had a solid chance to win but still quite difficult for him, into one that was a bit tough for him here and there but he always remained in complete control of.

During the award ceremony, Blue stood on the podium with Cynthia to his right, and Leaf and Lance to his left. Everyone who participated in the tournament, like in the anime, were given some sort of recognition for having competed.

The director of the entire WCPL took a bronze medal laid on a special cushion and placed it around Lance's shoulders, and Leaf's. Cynthia was given a silver medal, and then.

I heard something I might not ever be given the opportunity to be invited to hear by the man himself. Looking on alongside tens of thousands on the greatest stage of all, in the middle of Jubilife Stadium.

"Your new Pokémon World League Champion, for his third year in history. Blue! From Pallet Town!"

…

Despite him dedicating himself to competition more than anyone else I'd ever met, since he never even left Viridian City with how much he desired to train. Blue was a very humble person.

He refused most interviews after winning the title, and I found him quietly visiting the Pokémon Center, or its equivalent in the Jubilife Stadium.

"The champion wishes to see you now." Nurse Joy invited me towards her infirmary.

Gary, Oak, and a few others were a bit surprised he wanted to speak to me first, as well as alone, but they said nothing. Inoru didn't budge either.

I smiled to Blue as his Pokémon were being all healed up in front of him. "Congratulations."

The same six Pokéballs that likely had been submitted to the Hall of Fame many times were sitting in their Healing Station while Nurse Joy viewed the results through her computer.

"Thank you, the last time I won at Worlds was." Blue chuckled, crossing his arms. "I think five years ago. I truly wonder if I'll have an opportunity again."

"Seriously?"

Blue nodded grimly. "My team never slackens, neither do I in the gym but. The game keeps changing, even with the same Pokémon, different trainers keep popping up with newer and better strategies. Even for me, it can be tough to keep up."

"Why did you want to talk to me?"

"I couldn't tell you this without my brother around, or anyone else. Can you, give us a minute?"

Nurse Joy smoothed out her skirt. "I'll be back in five minutes to make sure the last of my scans clear your team."

Blue smiled, watching her walk off and then leave through the sliding doors. "Standard League rules, any match after the quarter finals require a full rundown of your squad before you can leave. Anyway, what I wanted to ask you, was this."

I was quiet, looking at what was now, the most respected man on the planet, his calm brown eyes and calm complexion.

"Why do you think I won?"

A very complex question, even tougher to answer.

Cynthia made a few mistakes with her coaching and lineup, likely under great pressure knowing the roll Blue was on coming right from one of his greatest victories ever. But even still, she should've made the match tougher than it was.

Leaf however was the deciding factor, from very early on in this tournament, I think Leaf alone was the only person who could've been able to beat Blue, no matter by how close of a margin.

Then I remembered the most critical thing Blue ever taught me. Your starter meant everything.

"Blastoise beat Venasaur, all said and done. Your strategy was better, because your starter fought better."

Blue nodded. "I was pretty sure you were going to say that. Of course, in some cases, a starter can still lose but the trainer can win the match. But in my opinion, no team is solid if its not entirely built around their starter. What helped Blastoise win?"

"You. Venusaur has beaten Blastoise several times in the past, but I could tell by how he listened to you, obeyed all the drills you put probably put him through constantly. To fight how he was supposed to, his trust in your strategy, his calm in the ring. You can only get that when fighting under a trainer you've known pretty much your whole life."

Blue smiled strangely.

He reached into his black jacket and pulled out a badge. "Here."

I looked at it after he handed it to me.

I recognized it, it was the Boulderbadge from Pewter City's Gym. Judging by the date on the back, this badge was quite old. It even used the physical serial and record number the Pokémon League used to use before everything became digital.

"This is something quite special to me. Your Growlithe is improving, one day I hope it can surpass Arcanine in the ring at some point. But I wanted you to know the start of my Pokémon journey was spent doing the wrong things."

He pointed at the Boulderbadge. "And it all started with that badge."

"Why are you giving me this?"

"To remind you that you're a very perceptive kid. Much more mature and understanding then I was when I was your age. I won that badge much earlier than I was honestly ready for, think I still have footage of that match with Brock. I managed to beat him but, even then it should've been much cleaner."

I got his message. "You were rushing yourself. To, to stay ahead of Red?"

"Exactly," he said in his smooth voice. "To this day I've never beaten him, some matches were closer than others. But I've only been able to win at Worlds when I came to terms with the fact I'd never be able to."

"So, you're giving me this badge to, to remind me to not rush myself?"

"Among other things. Mainly that I'm proud of your growth, I see how you're building your team. And above all, that you get the most important connection and true victory you can have."

Blue smiled lightly. "The connection to your starter. The trust in the process."

"Thank you, Blue."

"I also wanted to tell you that I'm sorry."

"Oh. Why?"

"I can't train you the way I can train Ash and Gary. Even if you lived in Kanto, I wouldn't want to intrude on your growth. However you continue competing, please, don't let anyone change your path."

Glad to hear this again. And if Blue, the new World Champion told me I was doing something right.

"Your instructor, the one who trains you in the ways of the monks," said Blue. "He told me how you placed the blame for your loss against Dawn squarely on yourself."

I said nothing.

"Nico, your compassion for your Pokémon is immense. For that, you'll have my respect."

…

As I slept that night, I was visited by someone I hadn't seen in a long time.

The Espeon. He was back.

"Up for a game of shogi?" I asked.

I was in a schoolhouse, one I didn't recognize, sitting down at a desk opposite the quiet spirit.

Suddenly, one materialized in front of us, and he moved first.

I smiled, playing with him.

It was the closest game of shogi we ever had, refreshing as I hadn't seen him for a very long time. As the game neared the end, I realized something.

He was letting me win.

Subtly, but he was. There were small opportunities he didn't take advantage of, certain times he let me put my pieces in better spots.

I squinted, looking at him, wondering if he knew what I knew.

"No." I shook my head.

The Espeon tilted his head at me a little.

"I'm not winning like this, you have to give me your best," I said. I stood up, waving my hand aside. "I forfeit."

The Espeon slinked down from his spot in the chair opposite mine in the schoolhouse, and then approached the front door.

He looked back at me, and I heard a voice in my head.

"That was all I needed to hear."

I was shocked. I knew I was in a strange dream of sorts, but I think the Espeon just spoke to me. His mouth didn't move, but I could tell it was trying to say something.

"You can talk?" I asked.

"Some much more coherently than others, but all Pokémon can communicate with humans to some extent. At least they have the will to do so," Espeon said in my mind, with a masculine, calm, and smooth voice.

"Yes but, how, who are you?"

"Follow me."

I walked with the Espeon outside the school house, then I looked around.

I had no earthly idea where I was, but I was definitely somewhere I could tell was…fake. Or plastic.

The cars were all made of tin, the people cardboard cutouts, it was one adorably small town, except I was just as miniscule as everyone around it. Then I noticed the train tracks, and a few engines. They were actually life size, but the problem was, they were clearly made to be toys or models.

Judging solely from the material they were made from.

"Where, am I?"

Espeon's tail flicked in the air as he began to lead me through the town. "This is Mew's Playground. You actually waited here for a bit, even if it was too quick for your memory to process."

"Mew has a playground?"

"Mew is the youngest of Arceus' children. He created the Gods of Time, Space, every God in existence. Finally, he made the God of Spirits, Mew, from which, the spirits of every living Pokémon are connected to."

So in the grand scheme of things, despite being a deity that saved humanity, Mew was a child compared to how long other God or Mythical Pokémon lived.

I nodded, looking around the train model town, fake barbershop and billiard hall above it. "So Mew's real?"

"Very real. Thousands of years ago, I was the house pet and sigil of the first lords in the Johto region. Before my spirit passed from this world, lord Mew gave me a choice. To forever carry out his will and be humanity's guide back to the spiritual, or pass into the Eternal Plane."

I looked around, realizing where I was. "So this is, limbo?"

"Of sorts," said Espeon.

"And you're Mew's…ward?"

"An extension of his will, to do his work while he rests. For gods, a month passes as quickly as a second to them, so a quick slumber, or nap, for Mew would be the equivalent of decades in your time. I was initially set to guide the Elders and their monks for centuries, I mostly guided heroes throughout time as well. Great Trainers, those whom humanity's fate relied on. Like Red."

"You'd rather spend eternity helping humanity rather than pass into the spirit world?"

"All spirits have a purpose. Humans blunder their fate so often, I decided to take Mew's duty for him since he would have to work so much. Mine is to make sure Mew must never need to awaken again and let humanity reach the point they'd need his help again."

I shook my head, laughing. "What the hell do I have to do with any of this?"

Espeon slunk up to a nearby toy mail truck, large enough for him to sit upon its hood and still be at eye level with me. "There are two points on your planet that directly connect to the Distortion World. Mount Coronet, and Mount Takujimi. Mount Coronet's protector became one of the first Umbreons, I, Mount Takujimi's protector."

I remembered my first day in the Pokémon world. The Torii, said to be a symbol of passing into the spirit world.

"So, that gate at the peak of the mountain was a real gate?"

"Yes. I needed someone with a deep connection to Pokémon, one who truly understood the sanctity of their connection to mankind. Who'd be patient, one who'd." Espeon chuckled, closing his silver eyes and smiling in a way. "Never turn their back on those who needed him."

I remember telling Inoru that at the foot of the Great Mountain to help Mikey Richardson's family.

"So then, why am I here?"

"I initially was going to let you figure that out. And while it seemed you were on the right path, you needed some stronger guidance."

I watched Espeon open his eyes, and for a moment they glowed white.

The model train town melted away, and everything around me was white as well for a moment. Small screens of sort began to appear and Espeon explained.

"All Pokémon and humans possess aura. Monks like yourself are the only humans with the ability to manipulate it directly."

Espeon showed me a graphic of a Pidgey, inside a glowing white circle.

"Thousands of years ago, Giratina, the protector of the Distortion World, grew envious of the connections humans made with Pokémon. When a Pokémon's aura is fully connected and bonded to that of humans, they possess psychic connections, happening more often than not in those times."

The Pidgey, and a dark silhouette of a Trainer who also had a white circle, glowed, a line appearing between them glowing just as white.

Espeon likely showed me his own memories of those times, with Pokémon possessed by Giratina running rampant and destroying towns. Their eyes were glowing bright red, with a shadowy glow above their bodies.

"Some claimed humanity was being purged of its sins. Others believed no Pokémon deserved the complete respect of humanity after this. Eventually, lord Mew saw humanity's connection to Pokémon as sacred and worthy of sacrifice."

I saw a castle, similar to those I knew from the Shogunate era of Japan under siege, burning as possessed Pokémon ran rampant. Pokémon who were knocked out…or worse, had their eyes glowing red as well when they woke up.

Espeon was battling alongside his master, an old lord fighting with a katana alongside his attendants. I think they were fighting to the death, soon to be completely overwhelmed.

Suddenly the fighting stopped, and a very grim fate for the fortress was paused.

Espeon saw a huge pink beam arc outward and wipe away the dozens of Pokémon attacking the castle. Their eyes stopped glowing red, and they seemed to wake up. Espeon closed his eyes, and I saw his master looking upward, above the highest tower in his castle.

Both knelt, bowing their heads to a strange glow.

I couldn't see it well at all, I think because I was watching most of the battle from Espeon's perspective, but it was likely Mew.

"With help from other spirits, Mew saved humanity from extinction."

"I already knew that. Well not that it actually happened until now, but I knew besides that, I knew that"

Espeon showed me a different kind of screen. "What you don't know, is that civilization is approaching a different kind of fate."

A small board meeting between the agents of Team Rocket, and other groups in a large conspiracy.

"Secret societies of great and evil power. Angered spirits. What lord Mew tried to teach humanity long ago, and what your teachers within your Order try to teach, is that what can be given, can be just as easily taken away."

A gigantic fire seemed to be hitting Ecruteak City. A massive jet of flames was striking buildings so strongly, that entire towers within the town were falling over. People were running, scared for their lives.

From what Espeon implied, Ho-Oh was punishing a town.

"But, I thought Pokémon spirits or mythical Pokémon were supposed to protect humanity."

"Some do, others protect Pokémon, others merely react to how humanity as a whole is acting. Only you can save humanity."

"Why would Ho-Oh attack innocents?"

"Mew, despite being immortal, was willing to risk everything based on what was seen through the bond humanity held with Pokémon. The opposite can be done if humanity is doing the opposite."

That sunk in. If humanity was openly violating and abusing Pokémon, spirits could turn against humanity just as easily as doing the opposite might mean spirits saving civilization.

"But even if Team Rocket captures legendaries and uses them. Somehow. How could that reflect on all of humanity?"

"It matters not. If these abuses continue to happen, the spirits will see humanity as a failure. People like you need to fight for the spirits."

I was confused. "How am I supposed to do that? Professor Oak and the League beat Team Rocket before, they could do it again."

We returned to the model train town.

Much like a cat, Espeon licked the back of his paw, yawning widely and showing his fangs. "That was before Rocket was able to develop technologies and power to harness the spirit of the mythical Pokémon."

That raised the question. Was Mewtwo a thing? The ability to do such a thing would indeed pose astronomical problems if Rocket hadn't done so but now could.

If you could gather a DNA sample from pretty much every species of Pokémon in existence, as tough but, ultimately do-able as that would be to do. You could theoretically produce Mew's genetic matrix.

"You could."

I was surprised. "You can read my thoughts?"

"All of this is taking place within your head Nico. Espeon are, after all, Psychic Pokémon." his forked tail waved and flicked in the air. "But for lack of better terms. Yes, I can read your mind."

"Look I'm just one person, and even Professor Oak and the Pokémon League had help from Red in taking down Rocket and groups like them."

"That is correct." Espeon mumbled, blinking at me. "Which is why I can teach you how to manipulate Aura."

"You can-. I'm sorry what?"

"The monks wisely considered you too young and too new to develop such abilities. But with the proper training, especially you can use Aura. You will need it moving forward."

"Why me?"

"Because your spirit has already crossed between universes. And you possess an abnormally high amount of altruism, for others, and especially for your Pokémon. That is crucial in the bonds and trust a Pokémon's aura can connect to a Trainer's."

"All I did was not blame them for my loss to Dawn."

Espeon nodded. "You raised Slakoth as if it was your own child. His growth is a testament to that. Against forces like Rocket, and even when you faced Mikey's father, Keith. I've seen you possess the character necessary to truly be worthy of my teachings."

"So then, how will-"

"Goodbye Nico. I'll see you tomorrow night."

"Wait-"

…

When I woke up, I was back in the hotel room I shared with Inoru, for our last day in Jubilife City before we returned to Johto.

During breakfast, I was in deep thought.

Espeon's spirit resided in limbo. But it was so powerful, and Mew had trusted it with the ability to see directly into our world, and he'd been following me ever since I came into the Pokémon world.

But limbo was a playground of sorts, Mew was a deity that by sheer comparison to Arceus and other Pokémon like it, was an infant. How Mew was able to determine a model train set was the most appropriate place to play in, I have no idea, but when I was an infant that stuff was fun for me too.

Eventually, when we were on the bullet train ride home, I spoke to Professor Oak who sat in the aisle across from me.

"Professor, what can you tell me about Espeon?"

He put his laptop away. "Well my boy, I can't tell you much more than what little is known about them. Espeon are the strangest of the Eeveelutions, and among the most strange Pokémon in existence. While they possess all the basic qualities of Pokémon like Alakazam, telekinesis, aspects of mind-reading, and possibly mind control, they're among the few Pokémon which share traits with Pokémon of myth."

I was even more curious. "How so?"

"Only Pokémon such as Mew have been said to possess as much psychic energy as Espeon, at least the Espeon of legend which disappeared thousands of years ago. Espeon's biology and physiology have been studied extensively, but all we've found is their eyes seem to see things we can't."

Spirits. Aura. They could see them, and were the few Pokémon able to manipulate them.

I can't believe I didn't realize it sooner.

"Leaf's Espeon is one of a kind, but it does not have the same characteristics or degree of power older Espeon did. From what we can gather, only when a bond between an Eevee and a Pokémon Trainer becomes unlike any other, can an Eevee evolve into an Espeon."

The aura connection the Espeon from my dreams told me about. That made sense.

Oak chuckled. "I'm not surprised a young trainer like you wants to know more about Espeon. As Leaf has proven, they make for some of the most valuable partners one can have."

Inoru shrugged, looking at the Professor. "Nico was like this back at our temple. He tore through every scroll we had on old legends about Pokémon and the spirits."

"Strange." Oak scratched his chin as the Sinnoh countryside flew by our window in the train compartment. "Most nowadays don't believe in such things, least of all teenagers like yourself Nico. Pokémon from the stories haven't been seen for centuries, some believe they never existed at all."

"Do you think they existed Professor?" asked Ash as Gary, Crystal, and Gold talked nearby sitting around him.

"I've asked myself that many times." admitted Oak. "From a scientific standpoint, it's not entirely impossible for mythical Pokémon to govern entire aspects of our existence. Characters humanity has, time, space, other dimensions, it's clear some Pokémon like Espeon do stretch beyond our purely physical interpretation of our world. However, there is one part of mythical Pokémon that separates them from all others."

"Which is?" I asked.

"Their single quality that makes them impossible to consider as Pokémon." Oak smiled. "Being Pokémon."

"How?" Ash was just as confused as I was.

"One of the first common qualities Pokémon were known to possess were that they were tameable. They could be caught, taught to battle other Pokémon, and even ten year old children could make them do their bidding. It would be laughable to consider Mew, the supposed savior of humanity and the spiritual guardian of our planet, considered as a child's pet."

I know right? Wait.

That made me think.

How did I explain to Oak that I needed to face Team Rocket alone? That they already had the ability to seriously put the entirety of humanity in jeopardy? It was hard even for me to understand.

Did I tell him? A part of me knew I needed help, but on the other hand. I was chosen for a reason right?

…