Gamebrain (Tommy): I can just see that how that scene starts.
"Because of what I'm about to say, I know I've gone off the deep end and really do qualify for a Myneo (The homebrew region for the campaign) Gym Leadership. But. What the hell. Red, let's battle."
Red: "..." *Nods.*
Tempest (John): *Raises hand* "I'm just here to witness, and cart home his ashes afterwards. Don't mind me."
Red: "..." *blinks at the word "Ash"*
Tempest: As an aside to Tommy. "You realize your mom is gonna murder me when she finds out I let you go through with this, right?"
Gamebrain: *Tosses a dirty look at John, shrugs* "That's your issue. Not mine."
Red's Pikachu: *looks ready to leap from Red's shoulder, but stopped by a look from Red*
Tempest: "You've got your will made out, right?"
Red: "..." *reaches for a Pokeball on his belt. Tosses it, a Squirtle comes out. It's wearing sunglasses.*
Gamebrain: "Shut up, John. Vinyl, lets do this." *Metallic colored Pikachu jumps off Tommy's shoulder.*
Tempest: "Aaaaaaand that's my cue to make like a Duosion and *split*."
Squirtle: *Slams foot into the ground with Mega Kick. Earth shakes. Squirtle raises hands slightly, tidal waves' worth of water flies from a crack in the ground behind Squirtle.*
Red: *As waves diminish* "... Hydro Pump."
Tempest: "Fuck this, time to take an aerial observation post!" Releases an Aerodactyl and obtains liftoff as fast as possible.
Gamebrain: O.O "Wow. Thunder, girl."
The sky darkens gradually, and lightning strikes down, hitting Squirtle. It looks... surprised.
Red: *Returns Squirtle, then looks at Pikachu. After a few moments, actually smiles.*
Tempest: "ooooh shit. More altitude Ginsu!"
*Pikachu hops off of Red's shoulder. Blinks, and skies darken INSTANTLY.*
Tempest: "LESS ALTITUDE! LESS ALTITUDE!"
Gamebrain: "Double Team!"
Gman (Playing Tyson, a psychic.): *I should just teleport out but ah well...I can phase*
Red: "... Thunderbolt." *Five lightning bolts drop at once*
Tempest: "BAD-DAY-BAD-DAY-BAD-DAY!!" *Is frantically dodging arcs of electricity.*
Gamebrain: *Attacks are sucked in by Lightning Rod* "Knock Off!"
Red: *Smile grows. You notice that his Pikachu doesn't even HAVE a Light Ball.*
Gamebrain: *Jaw drops* "Holy shit man. Iron Tail!"
Red: "... Brick Break."
The clash is titanic. Glorious, even.
Tempest: "SWEET ARCEUS ABOVE, HIT THE DECK GINSU!"
Red's smile grows, and his hand twitches, towards his head. Towards his hat.
Tempest: *Peeks out over remnants of hillock* "Okay, I think we're a safe distance away now."
Red: "... Signal Beam." A wave motion cannon of energy fires from Pikachu's tail.
Tempest: "ALTITUDE! NOW!"
Gamebrain: "Light Screen!"
The beam hits a mountain, and when it fades, there is a large indent in the mountain. The Light Screen flickers, cracked, but not destroyed.
Red: "Brick Break."
Gamebrain: "Oh hell. Double Edge!"
Tempest: "CLIMB MOTHERFUCKER! *CLIMB!*"
The clash is even more glorious. And the dust clears, Vinyl has collapsed to the ground.
Red: "... Not many would have lasted that long..." (Longest stream of words you've ever heard him speak.)
Tommy runs out and gathers her up in his arms before returning to his position.
"You did amazing Vinyl. Good job."
"You might have some potential." The smile on Red's face is huge now. "Let's see if you can be strong... Like no one else is." He turns his hat.
Tommy nearly swallows his tongue.
Tempest: "AIM FOR THE LITHOSPEHRE GINSU, IT'S OUR ONLY HOPE!"
Gman: *John's high strung today...* Continues to watch quietly.
Tommy nods dumbly, and puts on his headphones. He tosses another pokeball out. an Exadrill appears. "Alright Faultline. You're up. Drill Run."
"Grass Knot." A field of grass flies across the battlefield, tripping Faultline. Then they start wrapping around him, slowing him down. "NOW! Brick Break!"
Gamebrain: "Stealth Rock!"
Pikachu dodges through the rocky field that appears, taking a few nicks and scratches, but still lands the hit.
Faultline looks shaken, but is still standing. Just.
Gamebrain: "Earthquake."
Pikachu jumps into the air, landing on Faultline.
"Cha... Cha..." Pikachu's smiling now, a huge grin.
Red: "Surf!"
Gamebrain: "...oh come on."
It's like the entire ocean is dropping upon the battlefield.
And Faultline goooes down. Pikachu pats Faultline before he's brought back.
Red: "Good. You've obviously got skill. And a great deal of spirit, too!"
Gamebrain: "Nice try big guy. You did good. Alright Moog. Your turn. *Tosses Pokeball* Bullet Punch!"
"METAGROSS!"
Pikachu hits the ground, and gets up, blood from his lip.
Tempest: "Oh. Oh shit."
Red: "I think you've had enough fun, for now. Pikachu, return." he pulls out a Pokeball. "Let's let someone else have some fun. Charizard! Let's GO!"
Tempest: "He made one of Red's Pokemon bleed their own blood. CrapcrapcrapcrapCRAP."
Tommy's got a crazy grin on his face now. "Thunderpunch Moog!"
The dragon-like mon takes the hit.
Red: "NOW! SEISMIC TOSS!"
Tempest: "Evasive action!"
Gamebrain: "Iron Defense!"
Charizard grabs Moog, flies straight up.
Past the still clearing clouds.
Almost to the edge of the atmosphere.
And then down.
There will be a crater where it hits, and in the future, legends will be spoken of meteorites hitting there long ago.
But for now, there is only the battle.
Tempest: "Brace for shockwave!"
"MetzzrtMeta. Metagrzzz."
Moog's lurches, sparking, literally 1 hp from being out, and only that thanks to boosting his defense.
Gamebrain: "Alright buddy. Give it one, last blow! Meteor MASH!"
Red smirks as Charizard tanks the blow. "It's been a long time since I've seen fit to use that! Hit him with another. Gently, so he doesn't die."
Tommy pulls Moog Back and shakes his head. "I'm not going to put him through that again. He gave it his all. That's all I can ask."
"Good! Then you know where and when to stop! A trainer should know his limits! Otherwise, he can't push them! You might actually be..." Red stops himself.
"What kind of partner would I be if I didn't?" Tommy pulls out pokeball number 4. "Kuruk? Lets do this."
"Poleon."
"Aquajet."
Charizard takes the hit, and actually falls to one knee.
Gamebrain: "Swords Dance, then Waterfall after that!"
"Charizard, return! Let's see what Ivysaur can do! SOLAR BEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMM!!!!"
It's almost instant, due to the item he's holding. Another wave of energy, and this time, the mountain behind you is destroyed.
Gman: *Why is it always the mountains that suffer?*
Kuruk is still standing, wings crossed in front of him, steam roiling off him as he drops to one knee to.
(No super effective solar beam one hits on this guy. No sirree.)
Gamebrain: "Metal Claw!"
Red: "Now! Take Down!"
The earth crumbles under the clash.
Gman: *I should figure out how to levitate*
Red: "Good job, Ivysaur! hit him with Leech Seed!"
Gamebrain: "Avalanche!"
At this close range, there is no evasion.
The icy rocks crush Ivysaur, who comes out worse for wear.
Red grins. "Sunny Day! Solar Beam!"
The clouds part, almost as though by divine influence.
Gamebrain: "Aquajet!"
The jet hits... just in time for a Point-Blank Solarbeam. This one fires into the sky.
Tempest: "PROTECT!"
When the dust settles, both mons are out. However, there's a content smile on Ivysaur.
Tempest: "ARCEUS ABOVE, WOULD YOU TWO MANIACS WATCH THE FRIENDLY FIRE?!"
And Red looks joyous. "Heh. Heh... Hahahahaha! This is a battle! I actually see it! A smidgeon of a challenge!"
Tommy shakes his head. "Holy crap man." He recalls Kuruk. "You are the man, Kuruk."
Red pulls a Pokeball. "Let's see what else you have! Go, Squirtle!" Squirtle emerges again.
Gamebrain: "Alright. two more. Scratch, lets go." Scizor bursts forth, hovering in the air.
"Sciz. Scizor."
"X-Scissor!"
Squirtle dodges as Red gives his order: "MEGA KICK!"
Gamebrain: "Agility!"
A dent appears on Scizor from the blow, only lessened due to him moving back with Agility.
Gamebrain: "Fury Cutter, and keep em coming!"
Red: "Keep him back with SURF!"
Another tidal wave flies at Scizor. The battlefield, by now, is more mud than dirt. As is the first few miles surrounding it. The crater Charizard created is starting to fill with water.
Gamebrain: "Swords Dance, then Superpower!"
Red: "SKULL BASH!"
As Scizor dances his tribute to the first and last weapon, Squirtle bends down, focuses, and charges. After the clash, another dent is on Scizor's body, but Squirtle has a crack on his shell.
Gamebrain: "Night Slash!"
Red: "Finish it! ICE PUNCH!"
Squirtle falls to his knees, his glasses broken. Then gets up, a mad look in his eyes.
Gamebrain: "Focus Energy, and COUNTER!"
Red: "One MORE HIT! SEISMIC TOSS!" Scizor is grabbed, and thrown. Over the horizon. He comes back a few seconds later, from the other direction, looking like a shooting star.
Luckily, Tommy returns him before he hits the ground. "That was close. You did me proud Scratch. Last one. Hiruzen. Time to go."
"Lucario." Hiruzen glances over his shoulder at Tommy. *I am the last standing?*
"Yeah. But they all did great. It's your turn now, buddy. Lets show him what we can do, huh?"
*As you wish.*
Red: "I think you've had enough fun for now, Squirtle. We can get you new glasses later!" Squirtle is returned. "Now, then... Is it really right to..." He almost hesitates as he reaches for his last Pokeball. "... I'm sure you can handle it." He tosses out his next Pokeball, and this time something you haven't ever seen before comes out.
Tommy looks at the next pokemon, cocks his head.
"What is that?"
*I...do not know.*
Tommy pulls out his pokedex.
<Scanning... Scanning... No data found.>
Tempest: "Daedra, screen capture and transmit to Prof. Berkley. Now. Backup all readings across multiple caches and quintuple encode."
New Pokemon: *Is this truly one who is worthy of my power? Of facing me, as you did so long ago?*
Red: "Yeah. I think he can handle it!"
Tommy jerks, clutching at his head for a moment, before looking around gaze stopping at the unknown pokemon. "Did you...was that, you?"
Gman: *His psychic power...it's...off the charts! Tommy, careful...*
New Pokemon: *Very well. Then let us see if you can face the full force... of MEWTWO!*
Red: "So, how's your Lucario's Aura abilities?" As though on cue, Mewtwo begins charging an Aura Sphere. He raises a single hand, and energy begins charging into a ball above his head, balanced on a single finger.
Bookworm: "We're learning." Tommy Throws his hands up, putting up a Light Screen in front of himself. "Hiruzen. Extremespeed, then Dark Pulse."
The Screen shudders under the force of the attack, despite it not being the target.
Tempest: "Time to do a swap I think. Puck, I'm gonna need you running interference. Ginsu, good job." I release the Honchkrow slightly beneath my Aerodactyl, and hop down, recalling Ginsu as I do.
Mewtwo teleports away from Hiruzen's Extremespeed, above the Dark Pulse, then BEHIND Hiruzen.
Red: "FIRE PUNCH!"
Gamebrain: "Bone Rush!"
Both connect, and Mewtwo slides back. He smirks, dodging the second and third and fourth swipe.
Gamebrain: "Detect, then Dark Pulse again!"
Red: "Prepare a Magic Coat!"
Mewtwo: *With pleasure.*
The Dark Pulse connects, then is redirected at double power back at Hiruzen.
Mewtwo: *That tickled.*
Gamebrain: "Use Magic Coat too, quick!"
Red: "Protect!" The barrier holds up under the twice reflected blast. "Now! Metronome."
The word is spoken with reverence.
Tempest: "That's... a ballsy move."
Gamebrain: "Detect!"
Mewtwo moves his fingers as a metronome... and suddenly starts flailing about. *Damn. Splash.*
Up above, Puck lets out a derisive cawing laugh.
Gamebrain: "Calm Mind. Then Aura Sphere."
Red: "Mewtwo! Psych Up, then Aura Sphere!"
The energy clash can be seen from space. Tommy's eyes close, as he reinforces his lightscreen before being tossed backward, tumbling as it collapses. "Ow. Just. Ow." Tommy drags himself upright, glancing around for Hiruzen, before finding him on one knee some distance away, panting hard.
When the clash is over, Mewtwo is laughing. *This is certainly a good battle. But I can sense you're still able to fight. Come, let us see your limit.*
Gamebrain: "Extreme Speed and then Drain Punch!"
Red: "Once more! Metronome!"
This time, the heavens seem to rip themselves apart, and Judgement comes down upon Hiruzen. Mewtwo takes the Extremespeed, then teleports away, just before Hiruzen is engulfed.
Gamebrain: "NO!"
There is a blinding light, and when it fades, Hiruzen is on the ground, KOed.
Tempest: "What the FUCK was *THAT*!?"
Mewtwo smiles. "That was indeed a good battle. Do not worry, I... held back. He will live."
Tommy pulls himself to his feet, and stumbles toward Hiruzen. "Thank you, for that then." He immediately drops his pack to the ground next to them and starts tending to his team.
"You certainly are strong. Not many can hold for very long against even one of my Pokemon, and you got me to let the whole team fight." Red sits down next to you, releases his Pokemon, and starts tending to them as well.
Tommy gives a weak grin. "Wasn't me. I just let them know what to do."
Red: "It is you, at least partially. Alone, no trainer can have such power, and neither can a Pokemon. You have to be strong, not just as an individual, not just as a duo, but as a team."
Tommy: "I'll try to remember that."
Pikachu smiles.
Eventually they are tended to. Tommy smiles. "You guys all made me proud. You are amazing." Vi is now sitting in Tommy's lap, stealing glances at Pikachu.
Pikachu sends a communication to Vi, over lightning.
Tempest: Puck lands, and as I dismount, I give a whistle, slinging a can of Sparkling Lemonade to Tommy, followed shortly by another one to Red.
"... You know, I actually think Pikachu here really wanted to fight yours." Red takes a swig. "He's your starter, right?"
Vinyl blushes.
Tommy nods. "Yes, though Vinyl is a she. We've been together since I first left Transverse town."
Red frowns in confusion. "... Ah. The Heart Tail. Pikachu in Kanto don't normally have that, even the girls."
"Huh. I didn't know that." Tommy rustles Vi's headfur. "She's always been with me. And I wouldn't have it any other way." Vi scowls and lightly zaps Tommy's hand. "Ow. Okay, okay, sorry. Don't muss the fur in front of the cute boy Pikachu. Right." And he pulls a treat out for her, only to get zapped again, and scowled at. She still takes the treat though.
"Yeah, I could tell. Pikachu is the same for me."
Tempest: I'm eying Mewtwo curiously, but trying to at least be polite about it.
Gman: "John..don't. He's out of our league."
*I am known as Mewtwo,* Mewtwo finally says, looking at John. *My story is... long. And I prefer my privacy. Which is why I intercepted your messages.*
Tempest: "Oh, I know that. I'm interested in... ah, thank you, in Mewtwo here solely as a Researcher and Petrologist. I apologize for the staring, but I was trying to figure out what family you descended from."
Mewtwo chuckles. *It's all in the name. I am... related, shall we say, to Mew. But then, all Pokemon are. As are Humans.*
John nods. "I see. As you've already said you prefer your privacy, I will not pry any further."
Red smiles. "Met him back in Kanto. We had an epic showdown, and he decided I was interesting."
Tempest: "What exactly brought you all the way out to Myneo? I mean, most of the gym leaders here are all some variety of insane, including sociopathic killers, or at least there were in the past."
Tommy holds a hand up and points at the sky from where he is laying on his back. "Hey, I'm working on the Gym leader thing."
"I've had a lot of adventures, kid. I've been looking for someone who can challenge me, as of late." He looks at Tommy. "You... You and your team are definitely the closest to a challenge that I've found... Perhaps... perhaps I'm insane, too. Looking for a challenge that isn't even there."
Tommy laughs. "Nah. We're all a little crazy. Some people just show it more than others."
Tempest: "We've all got our own little pieces of insanity; our own obsessions if you will."
Gman: "Speak for yourself."
Tommy says one word, pointing at Tyson. "Fire."
Gman: "Fire is my element."
Tempest: "Alex (Vael) and his thing with Jade (Gym Leader in first Town)..."
Tommy points at John. "Rocks."
Red: "Heh. You know, you remind me of someone I met, a long time ago. A really strong trainer. Not as strong as I am now, but he was strong. I used to meet up with him, in Johto. We'd fight, I'd win, we'd try again later." He sighs. "And no matter how hard either of us tried, I simply. couldn't. lose." (In this canon, Red won his battle against Gold on Mt. Silver.)
Gamebrain: "Sounds like a stubborn guy. Good for him."
Red: "... After a while, he stopped showing up."
Tempest: "You ever thought of branching out into different types of challanges, beyond just pure battling?"
Red: "Oh, I tried. Pokeathlons. Contests. I think I once did a few movies. But it never felt right."
Tommy scratches behind Vinyl's ear where she's sitting on his chest. "There's just something about battles. It's different from everything else."
Red: "See, you get it. But it's been too long since I've had a decent match, where I could really just... cut loose."
Tempest: "Have you ever tried to, you know, just take some downtime and unwind? If all you're doing is battling, maybe you're just too keyed up? I mean, I'm a petrologist, not a psychologist, so take that diagnosis as you will."
Red: "Once or twice. Dated a girl or two. I think I have one for every region, cept Johto, and here in Myneo."
Tempest: "Word of advice. The Transverse Town Leader? Off limits. One of our buddies has a thing for her, I think they're finally going steady now."
Tommy snorts.
Red: "Noted. Anyways, I tried, but always ended up feeling restless, you know?"
John nods. "I think I do. For me it's never enough to find one dig and to excavate it. I'm always on the lookout for the next one, always got my ear to the ground for that next snippet of legend that'll lead me to the next big find."
"Yeah. I never really stopped looking for that kid, and looking forward to the day I could face him, show him how much stronger I'd become, and see how much stronger he became. The gap between my childhood rival and I kept growing... He retired, became a Professor. I took part in a few tournies, for the elite, but no one ever came close. Well, until you showed up."
Tommy reddens. "Err. Thanks."
"So," Red grins as he gets up. "How about we meet up again some time? I know a place where we can battle without limits, and without having to worry about..."
He looks around.
"Collateral damage."
Gamebrain: "Heh. Sure."
Gman: "Given your power. I don't think any place on Earth would be safe."
Tommy rolls his eyes. "So dramatic Tyson."
Tempest: "There's a reason they only hold the League battles in certain areas of the world. They're the only places on earth that can bear the attacks being brought to bear on them."
Red returns his Pokemon, except for Charizard. "Meet me over by Cross-Check City some time. I'll set up a boat for us."
Gamebrain: "I look forward to it."
"Well then, I'll see ya then!" Red climbs aboard his Charizard, and flies away.
Tommy sits up, and waves as he flys away. Once he's out of sight, he flops back onto his back. "That...was frickin' insane. And kick ass."
Tempest: "Yes, yes it was." I hold up my pokedex. "Daedra, rescind encryption order. Delete all data on unknown entity."