Pokemon: Kanto Elite

Late Registration

A million suns shone spotlights on our sailing heroes while the darkness threatened to destroy them.

Wartortle and Starmie skimmed the water's surface while Ray and Delia held on by ropes. Their bodies, covered in swimwear, shivered with every blast of cold water as the waves struck their pokemon. Red rode Poliwhirl's back while trainer and pokemon basked in the subtle glow of the rising sun.

The beach had been littered with sleeping and snoring bodies, oblivious of the three of them sneaking around them. They didn't know what to expect when the massive banner greeted them.

A massive sign carved out of steel and lit by the twilight welcomed them to Cinnabar Island, as did another surprise. They weren't the only ones. Dozens of other trainers hung around the massive ten-meter docks, awaiting the sunrise to declare the competition opened.

The three trainers shared shocked looks as they rested atop Red's Snorlax-turned-raft.

"Leave early, Red said. No one would be here, he said." Red could feel Ray's glare through the twilight. All he could do was smirk nervously.

"Well, at least we got here before everyone else, right?"

"Yeah," Delia replied, "But now we're sandwiched between trainers on all sides, ones here and those coming later. I'm scared they might do something to us."

Red looked towards the sun again. Ray had the idea this time.

"Let's circle the island. We'll come back by the time they called the competition on."

"But Ray, they might have people on guard trying to stop us before we get here."

Ray looked towards the redhead, whose hair stuck to her face above wide, green eyes.

"She's right, Ray. They're not going to want us here."

He looked back to his smaller friend and asked for the rules again. Red unfolded the paper he stored underneath his hat.

"'At Sunrise, trainers eligible for the competition must enter through Cinnabar Docks. Trainers who arrive too early or through a different entrance on the island are disqualified.' It also says something here about trainers invited by the League-"

"That's all I needed to hear," Ray interrupted, with a wild grin on his face.

"This might work. Red, what time is sunrise?"

The boy looked at his watch. "I'd say ten minutes."

"That should be plenty of time to wait. On three, we dive into the water with our pokemon at the far end of the-"

"Wait," Red stopped Ray this time, "the entire dock might be covered. It's pretty long, but there are enough trainers."

"I SEE MORE OF THEM!" Delia shouted as more trainers appeared over the horizon.

Ray's hands shook. Delia crawled across Snorlax to the other side, hiding from view.

Red stared as they got closer. Gyarados, Fearows, Blastoises, and other massive pokemon seem to grow in size.

They were all riding to take him and his friends down. He snickered at that while Snorlax scratched its belly.

"What do we do, Ray?"

Delia shivered as the water chariots edged closer and closer and-

They heard cheers behind them.

"The Gate! Has it opened?!"

Red called for Snorlax to Surf closer. Gladly obliging, they whisked towards the docks, where trainers were registering themselves and their pokemon.