The Game Leader

     I decided the final place to look for Blaine was the first town I arrived at, the place where I had met him for the very first time, Viridian City. Long ago he told me it was the final gym, it's what he didn't tell me that worries me. I got Excalibird out and decided to fly back to the city for what was my final battle in this world. I could feel my heart beating.

     Looking down over Pallet Town, I think about what I have been through and just how far I have come. I finally arrive at Viridian after a bit and decide to heal. I look around and there is no Pokémon hospital. Odd.

     In fact, a lot of the town is missing. The PokéMart is dust. The townspeople are nowhere to be found, whether they fled or perished I'll never know. What I do know if everything is gone.. except the gym. Found you.

     The door is finally unlocked and I see the final gym leader, the true leader of Team Rocket, my former friend, the man they call Blaine.

     "You always had a knack for catching me at the worst times my boy. I told you a long time ago, my name is Blaine. What I didn't tell you is that I am the final gym leader." "Let me get this straight. You helped me accumulate this amount of power and these Pokémon just to finally face off one on one?"

Huh?

     He laughed and explained "It's as simple as this. If one of these gym leaders had beaten you, they would have had the next chance at escape. I put together a group of NPC trainers and Giovanni and called them Team Rocket just for you to become strong enough to face me."

     "You finally made it and I couldn't be prouder of you. Now when I defeat you. I will take your body in the real world and finally evolve past being an NPC and live a real life! You are my chance to live!"

Stop laughing!

     Shaking with anger I take my Pokéball and throw it, Tsunami pops out and is ready for the battle. I yell to Blaine "You are sick. You want to do this?! Fine. I challenge you as the final lea-" "Wait. I want to do this differently than the other gyms before. I have seen your bond with Tsunami and I have a similar bond with my first Pokémon. One that I earned so many years ago. I say we challenge each other with our friends. Our first Pokémon." "I agree. Winner takes all." and with that the fight is on.

The Man They Call Blaine vs. The Last Hope of Kanto

Tsunami vs. Arcanine

     Arcanine comes out and it's angry. A formidable beast the likes I have never seen before in this world. Blaine calls out to the hound and he cheap shots Tsunami. "That's not fair!" I yell at Blaine. "This world isn't fair and it's time you finally find that out my boy!"

     I attempt to use Tsunami's water cannons but Arcanine is just too quick and grazes Tsunami with a blast of fire. I have to get him in close but I can't let Tsunami get a direct hit from that attack otherwise I lose it all.

     Tsunami ducks into his shell and waits for Arcanine to get close enough. The beast runs up and begins chewing on the outer shell of Tsunami! "NOW!"

"Got him."

"NO!"

     Tsunami begins flooding the gym and I leave my side to attack Blaine head on. It was going to be a fair fight and now he has taken it too far. I grab his wrists and hold him down as Tsunami releases one final wave of water on the whole gym including Arcanine.

"We did it!"

Finally.

Puns!

My badge!

     With the battle finally over, I try to grab Blaine's hand and he smacks it away, "I can get up on my own. You are truly the greatest trainer this game has seen maybe you are ready.."

"A note?"

     "I knew after all of my planning it wasn't a sure thing to beat you. You had that certain something that made these creatures fight even harder for you that I couldn't account for. That's why you have that note. I am dying soon and it has all the info-" Blaine slumped over and fell to the floor.

     I opened the note and it said two things. One was a poorly drawn map. "Glenn, head west. Toward Route 22. The Game Leader will be there." One final loose end? I thought I was done! Who is "he"?