Pokemon: Kanto Elite

Red vs Agatha, Part 1

The crowd's noises and boos rang in his head.

Red's feet shuffled onto the clay field.

He shifted his trusty hat. His pokeball belt jingled with every step, his belt buckle loose since the time a gang stole it.

The first time he had stepped into an arena was when Delia had beaten him with brains over brawn. Now he had the chance to win with pokemon that had both.

He saw the old woman striding into place with a purple-decked swagger. All the lights were on them.

Their eyes, determined and rugged, stared through each other, searching for a break in their morale. She saw him as a nuisance. He saw her as another obstacle.

They each had worked too long to get here; they weren't going to lose then.

The screams got louder. "Cheater! Cheater!"

Red didn't hear Ray and Delia cheer him on from the trainers' box.

The signal from the referee was given; they must choose their first champions to battle. Then the rest of the order was chosen, each one methodically after the other. The referee raised the next signal. His voice was amplified by a microphone on his shirt.

"Trainers! Are you ready!"

Both trainers nod. The world had a deafening silence, each side's fans hushed, waiting for the next move.

The first trainer's tall, gaunt build is tense with excitement. He takes his first pokeball, tips his hat back, and launches it to the middle of the field. It bursts open, spewing out a stream of white energy. A horn and two huge ears appeared as its big pink body started to materialize. The stadium erupted into jeers the moment it roared. He had chosen-

"It's a Nidorino!" The announcer exclaimed on the intercom speaker.

He continues "This is a very popular pick for most of Red's matches. Its powerful body, surprisingly quick speed, and deadly poison-tipped horn make it a fierce competitor for any trainer!"

Red smiled as his pokemon continued to roar. The audience interrupted his pride.

"Cheater's gonna lose! Cheater's gonna lose!"

The other trainer took out her first pokemon and tossed it into the air. It hung for a second, then burst open, as a huge amount of white energy splashed onto the stage. It morphed and folded in on itself numerous times before forming a purple pokemon with an enormous smile and two floating hands-

"She sent out a HAUNTER!" The audience erupted in cheers.

Nidorino dug at the ground, ready to charge. Haunter gave mean looks. The two trainers reviewed their strategies. The crowd was tense, waiting for the battle to begin.

"Nidorino!"

The pink pokemon looked back.

"We fight to the end!"

The referee gave the signal.

"Let the battle begin!"

"Charge in with Leer, then find the right moment to attack!"

The quadruped raced forward, its eyes sent a light towards Haunter, and lowered its defense.

Haunter moved in with swipes to send Nidorino off balance. None tripped it up; Nidorino kept jumping away.

Then Nidorino leaped, as the whole world fell silent.

Its poison-filled horn buried itself into the side of the phantom pokemon before landing on all fours.