Red flicked his hat up and threw the worn Pokeball.

Charizard roared, spewing flames from his belly.

Lance’s Dragonite clasped her hands together and rolled her neck. Smoke blew from her nostrils and smashed her tail against the Earth shaking the crowd in their seats.

The announcer ran his flag down and Charizard stormed into the sky and Dragonite was hot on his tail. The play-by-play caller was always an attack or six behind. Charizard’s Flamethrowers sizzled Dragonite’s collar, but she was too quick. Dragonite mangled Charizard’s tail, slowing his flight to a glide, then a dive.

Dragonite’s Dragon Pulse met Charizard’s Flamethrower lips to lips and exploded. The smoke blew through the crowd and silenced everyone. The smoke shifted side to side, Charizard was the first to roar, then Dragonite gave a scream. She sank to the stadium, crashing, Charizard flew through the smoke and halted in front of her. Charizard’s Fireblast surprised Dragonite and her Protect was late. Smoke blew off of Dragonite, than her eyes met his.

Franklin’s favorite part, Lance and Red, never uttered a command. Lance’s arms crossed and locked eyes with Red’s. The battle played out different in each of their battles, this was Charizard v Dragonite six. Dragonite won three, and her last match mostly.

Dragonite channeled her Hyper Beam, Charizard charged his Overheat, then screen turned to a commercial for Poke food.

“What! How could they! Franklin! Franklin, what happens!”

Frankin heard Daisy, felt her, pulling at his sleeve, “Charizard ties the series with that one.”

Franklin returned Marill to its Pokeball and placed it on his belt Tyler gave him.

Daisy and Vanessa stepped out of the cabin, ready to head into the city for the final day of matches.

The tranquil forest spoke only in bush rattles and trees rustling against the wind. Pidgey’s flew above Franklin and his friends against the wind, headed to the pier, followed by a flank of Spearows. Ahead on the trail, a family of Nidorans, marched across the walking path, deeper into the forest. Franklin felt his fingers curl against Marill’s Pokeball. Franklin eyed, Daisy and Tyler, talking about today’s matches not even looking at the family of Pokemon ahead and above. Franklin rested his fingers and saw Vanessa, itching against Raichu’s Pokeball.

The city charmed the spectators, showing Red’s last battle against Lance over the large screen. Franklin has seen the match at least a hundred times, Daisy and Tyler ran into the crowd to get a closer look.

“What do you think of this match, Franklin,” Vanessa asked. While he’s seen it a hundred time, the analysis was absent.

“I think, Lance gave the win to Red. His Dragonite shouldn’t have been bothered by Red’s Charizard.”

Lance’s Dragonite versus Red’s Charizard was the final battle in their latest rematch, and the most memorable.

Marill strutted in front of Franklin, tail raised high into the air.

“This is weird, Franklin. Marill is really calm. Even after being caught. It’s like she doesn’t know or just doesn’t care.” Franklin heard everything Tyler was saying, yet, he couldn’t take his eyes off his new friend.

Vanessa sat outside with Raichu, watching the sun rise. Raichu locked eyes with Marill and sparked her cheeks and clutched her fist. The electric surge crawled up and around the cabin, rising Franklin’s hair on his arm. Marill cowered and curled her body into a ball before the frightening Raichu.

Franklin ran in front of the ready electric mouse, “Stop, Raichu! Marill is with me!” Vanessa rested her hand on her sparking companion’s shoulder and she halted her electric stream.

Franklin watched Vanessa’s palm lift from Raichu, clean and unchanged. Vanessa walked over to the turtle Marill and brushed her fur. Marill jumped from her cocoon and brushed against her hand.

“Franklin!”

“Franklin, wake up!”

Franklin rose slowly, the window was edged open, “Common, Franklin, lets do some early hunting,” Tyler said with eager in his eyes.

The sun followed Tyler as he walked into the forest, far ahead of Franklin. Bushes and trees rustled along the walking path.

“Tyler, where are we going?”

“Going to catch a Pokemon today, today feels good!”

Tyler stepped lightly through bushes and around trees. He held a Greg in his hand, awaiting a feral Pokemon.

Franklin watched Tyler, emulating his movements, trying not to scare away anything.

The bush, it rustled adjacent to Franklin. His head bolted, waiting for another sign of life. It shook again. Blue highlighted ears flung above the bush and a round tail emerged around the other side.

Tyler turned and made eye contact with Franklin, and saw the bush move a third time. Tyler nodded at Franklin vigorously and pointed at the bush. Franklin reached for a Pokeball and dropped it on the Pokemon’s head. Large red light took Franklin’s eyes for a shock and swallowed the mysterious one.

Tyler rushed over and peered into the bush, watching the Pokeball shake until the middle ring halted and turned white. Tyler picked it up,

“You caught it, Franklin, must have taken it by surprise. Lets see what it is!”

Franklin picked up the ball, and released it.

“Franklin, that’s a Marill!” Marill had round blue ears, and a round blue body with a white belly and a jagged tail with a sphere blue ball at the end. Marill looked around confused and tired.

The crowd stormed from the stadium and into the empty streets. Shops closed sign reflected the centered moon above. Tyler and Daisy talked about the matches as they lead Vanessa and Franklin into the street. Martin was still absent from the crowd. Daisy mentioned she didn’t even notice him leave. She swore he was still there until the final attack.

“Ponyta was so amazing! She was fast and Wooper never had a chance!” Tyler nodded at everything Daisy said about the match. Every detail down the micro, Daisy retold as if she were the one in the battle visualizing each left and right turn.

The forest was quiet tonight. No Pokemon traveled across bushes or above the trees. Daisy and Tyler sped up from Vanessa and Franklin, racing to the end. Vanessa never took her eyes off the road, no waiver, or look of question.

Franklin watched Vanessa from the corner of his eye. She never said a word, just kept her arms to her side and continued into the forest until arriving at the cabin,

“Good job, Franklin.” She vanished into the house with Daisy and Tyler. Franklin watched the clouds bury the moon and shrouding the forest below. The hoots came out. Slowly as the moon emerged from its momentary slumber, the hoots vanished right along with it.

Micheal staggered, watching the referee make the call, “Geodude is unable to battle, Franklin wins this round.”

Franklin heard the mixed cheers and Daisy screaming louder than everyone else. Martin couldn’t meet Franklin’s glare, only the aisle where his feet rest.

Vanessa stood in the corridor barely visible with her arms crossed never taking her eyes off Franklin.

Franklin readied his next, “Ponyta!” Michael followed, “Wooper!”

Vanessa showed life with a nod of disgust and a savage bite on her bottom lip. Franklin realized this match was rigged, all the type match-ups are in Michael’s favor.

“Begin!”

“Go, Wooper, Water Gun!” The light blue small Pokemon inhaled deeply and shot a stream of water towards Ponyta.

The flaming horse whinnied and dashed to the right leaving the water jet to splash into the first row.

“Ponyta, Quick Attack!” The flaming pony blitzed towards the unprepared water Pokemon sending him to the soft Earth arena.

“Wooper, stand up!”

“Another, Ponyta!” The horse only appeared as a blur dashing across the battlefield, greeting the opponent Pokemon with her engulfed mane.

Wooper’s eyes swirled around, unable to stand. “Wooper is unable to continue, Ponyta, and Frankin is the winner!”

Franklin returned Ponyta and embraced the sudden change in the crowd. Vanessa with the largest grin and her brother and sister cheering above their seat only Martin was absent.

The light shone over the announcer. Michael held the ball high and released and Franklin followed.

“Michael has a Rhyhorn! Franklin matched with a Koffing!”

Rhyhorn shinned under the lights, bright silver, horn on the tip of its nose held high. Digged up the earth with its hooves and locked eyes with the Koffing.

Koffing hovered over the earth stadium. Spotted smog from openings around its oval body. It’s eyes fell lazily around the stadium, drunken from idleness.

Rhyhorn charged, “Rhyhorn, horn attack!” Rhyhorn sent Koffing to the ground, staggered around before resetting.

Franklin watched the Koffing, stumbling on imaginary words, commands for his last battle. His father watched him carefully, the only one in the crowd sitting among the cheering.

Rhyhorn smashed its horn against Koffing and sent it flying backwards, to the edge of the arena. Franklin dropped tears to the battle field as the Rhyhorn delivered the finishing blow to an already staggered Koffing.

“First match, to Michael!”

Both trainers returned their respective Pokemon as the crowd continued with their Michael chants.

Michael, eagerly released his next ball. “Another ground Pokemon, a Geodude!”

Franklin stared at the ball and returned it, and began walking towards the tunnel. The announcer shouted at Franklin, away from his microphone.

“Franklin!”

Franklin’s head jerked up, Franklin met Vanessa’s eyes at the tunnel. Vanessa’s arm’s were crossed and standing straight with an arched brow and squinting eyes. Franklin sank into her eyes, and she gave him a thumbs up.

Franklin retreated to the arena and readied his next ball.

Franklin stood alone in the tunnel. The crowd muffled, awaiting the announcers call.

Franklin stared at the given Pokeballs. Remembered Vulpix unconscious in his arms rushing towards the Pokemon Center. Daisy’s and Tyler’s face of excitement as the final eight was about to begin. Vanessa.

Franklin remembered the premier ball left by his mother. The industrial paint chips left when they moved into his childhood home. The only two things Franklin has left if her.

“Next up, our last final eight match of the day, trainer 0023 Michael the earth tamer!”

The muffled crowd broke their silence for their hometown hero. 

The cold broke across Franklin’s skin. The call came like a shivering gust across Franklin’s cheek. 

The crowd apprarend lukewarm in their showing. Michael’s eyes were intense as he gripped his tournament Pokemon waiting for the battle to begin.

Franklin found his father’s eyes in the crowd and he gave him a unowing nod.

“Trainer ready. Begin!”