Clair made her way over to me and thrust a badge and TM into my hands. "Congratulations. Normally I'd make you take a test before you can get the badge, but Lance has been making me hand over badges after losing. Good luck with the league and all that." She told me, her hands on her hips.

Silver and I walked out of the Pokémon Gym and went to the Pokémon Center. "Gold, that was incredible!" Silver told me. "I think I understand what I have to do to win now."

We took a seat at one of the tables in the building. "Really? That's great man! You've got this!" I assured him.

The doors to the center slid open and Alex came marching in with Jess trailing behind him. "Leave me alone." He growled at her.

Jess hurried after him with her eyes narrowed. "No! When are you going to realize that you've become a total jerk?" She shouted at him. Jess noticed us sitting not too far away from them and ran over to us.

"Hiya Jess," I said with a wave.

Jess waved back. "It's good to see you guys again. Did you get all your badges?" She asked.

"I did," I answered, and then looked over at Silver. I didn't want to tell Jess he had lost and embarrass him.

Silver's mouth turned upward. "I lost my battle against Clair, but it's alright. I'm going to try again tomorrow and win. I know it."

Jess smiled at us. "That's great! Hey, Gold, can I ask you a favor?"

I nodded. "Totally! Whatcha need?"

Jess pointed at Alex, who was currently fiddling around on the PC and said. "Can you battle him? I've been trying to get him to realize how much he's changed for the worst but he's so set on this being the way he'll become The Champion. I need someone to knock some sense into him and I'm nowhere near strong enough."

"I would, but I don't think he'll battle me," I replied. "I've challenged him before but he just said no."

Jess didn't seem dissuaded by this. "Just follow me. I know how to convince him." She said and then she turned and walked towards Alex.

Silver went to go retrieve our Pokémon while I followed after Jess. She came to a stop in front of Alex. "Alex, you need some sense knocked into you. So I want you to battle Gold."

Alex looked up from the PC and scoffed. "No. I have bigger Magikarp to fry."

Jess put her hands on her hips. "Oh really? I'm sure you'd lose, Gold has gotten a lot stronger after all." Her statements seemed to have little effect on him.

"Come on Alex. Do it for Electabuzz," I added.

Alex glared daggers at me. "Fine. But only because I want a warm-up for my Pokémon before the real battle. Let's do a full six on six. Tomorrow." He said and strode off.

Tomorrow came pretty quickly. Jess, Silver, and I all ate dinner together, and then we went off to the Pokémon Center to sleep.

I struggled to fall asleep for a little while as I tried to think of strategies I could use. Alex is a veteran trainer. I got close last time but I'm sure it won't be as easy this time around. I have to give it everything I've got! I decided.

The next morning I got out of bed and went outside. Alex had drawn out a square field in the dirt and was waiting for me.

It was still early enough in the morning that most people were asleep. Silver and Jess sat down on the sidelines to watch the battle unfold.

Alex was the first to send out his Pokémon. It was a yellow bipedal Pokémon that held a pendulum in one hand. The evolved form of Drowzee, Hypno.

I decided it would be best to start off with some firepower and called out Magcargo. With that, the battle began. "Magcargo, Flamethrower!"

The battle kicked off with Magcargo tossing out a volley of flames at his foe. "Deflect it with Psychic, and then use Hypnosis," Alex instructed.

Hypno put its hand up and the flames contorted around his body. Then he ran close to Magcargo and began to swing the pendulum in his hand in front of its face.

Magcargo's eyelids started to droop and then he fell asleep. That old trick won't confuse me again! I thought and returned the Pokémon.

I substituted Magcargo with Sneasel. "Sneasel, use Ice Punch!" Sneasel hurried over and slammed his fist into Hypno's stomach.

Hypno doubled over and grabbed its stomach. Alex's expression remained stone-faced. "Thunderbolt."

"Dodge it!" I said as Hypno straightened its back and fired a blast of electricity at Sneasel. My Pokémon leaped into the air but the attack followed him, lightly grazing his leg. "Ice Shard!"

Sneasel landed and immediately hit Hypno with another round of ice moves. "Ice Punch!" Sneasel began to run forward towards Hypno with his fist ready to strike.

"Thunderbolt!" Alex ordered again.

With how close Sneasel was, the attack was largely ineffective and he was able to leap over it and punch Hypno in the back. "Wrap this up with Night Slash!"

Sneasel followed up his Ice Punch by bringing down his dark sword on Hypno's head. When the attack subsided, Hypno collapsed.

Sneasel grinned as Alex returned his first Pokémon. I let out a sigh of relief. Maybe I'm underestimating myself. I thought.

Alex chose his next Pokémon, remaining stoic as ever. His next Pokémon was a Corsola. It was a small pink Pokémon that stood on stubby legs and had coral-like branches sticking out of its head.

"Sneasel, use Ice Punch!" I said.

Alex nor his Pokémon made any moves as Sneasel came closer. He swung his icy fist into Corsola but it seemed to have little effect. Wait? How tough is this Rock Type? I wondered.

Sneasel winced upon making contact with the sturdy bodied foe. "Use Power Gem!" Alex said suddenly. A cluster of rocks appeared around Corsola and she threw them into Sneasel.

Sneasel went flying away and crashed onto the ground in the center of the field. "Use Night Slash!" I said. Sneasel was having trouble getting to his feet so the best he could manage was throwing the attack at Corsola.

The attack struck Corsola and seemed to have more of an effect than Ice Punch but it still seemed ready to fire off a counterattack. "Scald!" Corsola opened its mouth and blasted Sneasel with a concentrated beam of water. Wait a second? Water? Corsola is part Water? I realized as Sneasel was blasted all the way to my feet.

He was barely conscious and before I could return him, Alex's Pokémon was already using its next move. "Power Gem!" Another cluster of stones came flying across the field and crashed into Sneasel.

A cloud of dust went up at my feet and when it cleared, Sneasel was down for the count. I returned him and tried to think of who should go next.

Corsola probably has an Ice Type attack for coverage. Plus it took a lot of damage... Quagsire it is! With that, I sent out my very first Pokémon for another battle.

"Quagsire, use Iron Tail!" I said. Quagsire got close to Corsola and launched it into the air with a tail strike. "Headbutt!"

Corsola began to fall back down and Quagsire prepared to hit her as she did. "Scald!" Corsola suddenly blasted Quagsire with boiling hot water and was able to safely land.

Quagsire blocked most of the attack with his hands but suddenly he burst into flames for a few brief moments. Silver sat up when this happened. "Quagsire got burned!"

Shoot! Shoot! Shoot! I panicked and called him back. Alex returned Corsola and sent out Pinsir. This time I was sure I had the upper hand and sent out Magcargo.

Immediately, I was reminded of why this was a bad idea. Magcargo was still fast asleep. Alex raised an eyebrow and swapped out Pinsir for Corsola again.

I wanted to bring back Magcargo but it was too late. "Scald again!" Magcargo remained asleep as it was blasted with water.

He tumbled over but somehow still didn't wake up. "Magcargo! Get up!" I pleaded.

However, my words fell on deaf ears as Magcargo remained asleep. "Wrap this up, Scald!" Alex ordered. Corsola fired off yet another spray of water and struck Magcargo's underside.

The attack subsisted and Magcargo fainted. I sighed and returned yet another defeated team member.

Alex began to laugh. "This is really the best you've got? You can't even beat my Corsola? What a waste of time."

I clenched my fists and wasted no time sending out Bayleef. She would have to do. "Bayleef, Razor Leaf!" My starter got right into the battle by launching leaves off at Corsola.

"Dodge and use Ice Beam," Alex instructed. Corsola was seemingly worn down by all of its battling and struggled to get into the air.

When it finally did, the leaves had already reached it and knocked it out of the air. Corsola crashed onto the dirt and fainted.

Alex reached for his Poké Balls to return it and called out his Pinsir. The Pokémon flexed its large pinchers and stared Bayleef down.

Bayleef began to nervously fidget. "Hang on there Bayleef! We've got this, trust me!" I told her. "Razor Leaf!" Bayleaf began to pelt Pinsir with leaves from a distance.

The leaves bounced off of Pinsir with little effect. "Submission!" Pinsir began to run forward with his arms out.

Bayleaf started to shake slightly but I knew what we had to do. "Body Slam! You can overpower him, Bayleef. Just don't let him scare you and trust me!"

Bayleef hesitated but threw her body at Pinsir. Just as I had hoped, it caught the Bug Type completely off guard and knocked it over.

Bayleef stood proudly on top of her toppled foe. "Vine Whip!" Bayleef smacked Pinsir with her vines while he was completely pinned down.

"Pinsir! Get up and use Storm Throw!" Pinsir pushed itself up and grabbed Bayleef by her leaf. Then he slammed her into the ground. "X-Scissor!"

Pinsir slammed his two arms into Bayleef's body and I was sure she was done for but she managed to hold on. "Razor Leaf, up-close style!" Bayleef concentrated her energy into the leaf on her head and hit Pinsir.

The blow knocked it away and let Bayleef get to her feet. "Pinsir! Finish this with X-Scissor!" Alex ordered. His Pokémon began to lumber forward at Bayleef.

"Sweep his legs with Vine Whip!" Bayleef slammed her two vines into Pinsir's left leg but it surged forward. "Don't give up! You have to knock it over!" I shouted.

Bayleef grit her teeth and forced her vines into Pinsir's leg even harder. This time, it had the desired effect and Pinsir fell forward, crashing face-first into the ground.

It became clear that we had beaten the foe and I relaxed slightly. While I had the lead in Pokémon, Bayleef and Quagsire were both damaged. This wasn't over yet.

Alex wasted no time picking his next Pokémon. Alex sent out a Typhlosion. It stood up on its hind legs and the fire collar around its neck flared up. It showed its sharp teeth while snarling at Bayleef.

I moved to return her but she shook her head. "You want to stay in?" Bayleef nodded. "Alright then. Razor Leaf!"

"Flame Wheel." Alex's blank expression had returned. Typhlosion tucked himself into a ball and ignited. It sped forward and burned through all the leaves, immediately reaching and striking Bayleef.

Bayleef fell over and fainted upon being hit. This is Alex's starter. I should've known he wouldn't go down easily. I chided myself and sent out Quagsire.

Alex didn't seem concerned by the major type disadvantage. "Use Solar Beam." His Typhlosion began to charge up a devastatingly strong grass attack.

That move would take time to charge, and that was time we could use. "Quagsire use Surf!" Quagsire summoned a sphere of water in his hands and tossed it onto the ground.

The water erupted into a wave that he rode right into Typhlosion. Despite this, Typhlosion continued to charge its move. Quagsire took some damage from the burn and I realized I had to call him back.

I hurriedly switched out Quagsire again, this time for Heracross. Typhlosion fired the beam and Heracross blocked most of it with ease.

"Really? This is the best you've got to counter Solar Beam?" Alex demanded. "Pathetic. Flame Wheel." Typhlosion once again rolled towards my Pokémon in a flaming ball.

This time would go differently though. "Heracross, use Megahorn and throw him up. Just like Rollout!" Heracross seemed to recall the situation and bent down, catching Typhlosion with his horn and chucking the Fire Type into the air.

"Now, Brick Break!" Heracross leaped into the sky and struck Typhlosion once when flying up, and then again on the head to send Typhlosion right back to the ground.

Alex's stoic act had been broken and now he was furious. "Thunder Punch!" Darting up, Typhlosion punched Heracross in the face.

The two Pokémon landed, Typhlosion on his feet and Heracross on his back. "Flame Wheel!" Quickly, that Typhlosion was so fast, it sped over and rolled over Heracross.

Heracross barely got to his feet by the time Alex's Pokémon was preparing another attack. "Thunder Punch!"

"Brick Break!" Heracross swung around to collide his arm with Typhlosion's electric fist. I noticed Electabuzz pop out of my Poké Ball but didn't have time to focus on it.

Heracross seemed to be holding his own in the collision despite the circumstances. "Shadow Claw." Typhlosion's other claw turned a deep purple and he jammed it into Heracross's stomach.

Heracross tumbled backward and laid down on his back. "Heracross! Get up!" I called to no avail.

Alex regained his disposition now that another Pokémon of mine was almost defeated. "Flame Wheel." For the final time, Typhlosion charged at Heracross in his flaming ball and barreled over my Pokémon.

Immediately after, burnt and battered, Heracross fainted. I returned him and tried to think of a plan. That's when Electabuzz marched out onto the field.

Electabuzz's eyebrows were lowered and his eyes were piercing into Alex and Typhlosion. He wanted revenge. "Oh, so he evolved? Maybe now he's finally strong enough to hold his own in battle. Flame. Wheel." Alex responded to the glare by sending his Pokémon out for another attack.

This time, it'll go differently. I vowed. "Electabuzz, use Thunder Punch and stop him in his tracks. Don't hold back!" Electabuzz nodded at me and put his arms together.

He held them in front of his body as Typhlosion crashed into him. Electabuzz held his ground and shattered the foe's attack entirely.

Typhlosion was suddenly elated defenseless. "Thunder Punch!" I yelled. Electabuzz slugged Typhlosion in the face and the Pokémon went down.

Electabuzz had defeated Alex's strongest Pokémon. I could tell Alex was shocked by this and he tried to cover it up by sending out his Lucario.

I returned Electabuzz and called out Quagsire yet again. "This is it, buddy! Use Earthquake!" Quagsire raised his foot and slammed it back on the ground.

The earth began to shake beneath our feet and do major damage to Lucario. "Bone Rush!" A blue, translucent bone appeared in Lucario's hands and he charged forward.

"Ice Punch! Block it and hit back!" Quagsire coated his hands in ice and absorbed Lucario's bone attack with the first hand, punching Lucario with the second.

The attack had very little effect, though. And Quagsire was once again affected by his burn. Lucario struck Quagsire in the head with the bone.

Alex's Pokémon wasn't done with the barrage of attacks yet, however. I remembered watching this Pokémon battle Red's Pokemon and it managed to overwhelm and defeat one while nearly beating another.

That wouldn't happen to us. "Force Palm!" Alex growled. Lucario put his hand on my first Pokémon's chest and he suddenly erupted in light.

Yet, Quagsire still stood where he had been before. Alex's eyes widened when he saw this. A grin formed on my face. "Surf! Knock them away!"

Quagsire summoned a sphere of water and threw it into Lucario's chest, throwing it far away from us. Quagsire was once again hit by his burn and was seemingly low on defense. We needed one more big play if we had any hope of winning this.

Alex tried to regain his composure but seemed furious. "Lucario! Finish this now! Aura Sphere!" Lucario charged a blue projectile in his hands and threw it at Quagsire.

From what I knew about the move, it couldn't miss. Which meant we needed a new strategy. That's when the idea hit me. "Iron Tail on the sphere, send it right back!"

Alex seemed sure the plan wouldn't work while Quagsire poured his remaining energy into his tail and timed it so that his swing would block the Aura Sphere.

Just like I had hoped, the move went flying back into Lucario and struck the Aura Pokémon. Lucario fainted after being hit and Alex's jaw dropped.

Unfortunately, Quagsire's burn took effect for the last time and knocked him out as well. Just like that, we were both down to one Pokémon.

Alex called out a Tyranitar, the final evolution of Larvitar. It was a large stone monster standing on two massive legs. It was taller than most of the buildings around us and snapped its giant jaw aggressively.

I called out Electabuzz and Alex began to laugh. "Fitting, isn't it? You'll lose to Tyranitar again." He declared.

I shook my head. "You'll eat those words. Electabuzz and I have got this. Right buddy?" Electabuzz gave me a thumbs up. "Thunderbolt!"

Electabuzz started off by electrocuting the green bodied beast. "Rock Slide," Alex said through grit teeth. Tyranitar shook off the electric damage and swung his tail into the ground.

He dredged up giant boulders and flung them at Electabuzz. "Brick Break!" Electabuzz cut through one of the boulders but the others overwhelmed him.

Before long he was buried under a pile of stones. "Use Crunch!" Tyranitar charged over to the pile of stones and opened up his mouth.

By now, a few people had come outside to watch us battle. Silver and Jess were both sitting straight up to watch the battle unfold. This was it.

"Electabuzz, Thunder Punch! Break through and hit him!" I shouted to my ally as Tyranitar prepared to lunge into the boulders.

Electricity began to crackle around the stones and Electabuzz shot out of the pile, striking Tyranitar with his fists.

Tyranitar took the blows and chomped down on Electabuzz, trapping his arm. "Thunderbolt!" Electabuzz focused his electric energy into Tyranitar.

The stone beast was thoroughly electrocuted again and had to let Electabuzz go. What was more, it seemed as though he had been paralyzed from the attack.

Alex noticed this and his composure completely fell apart. "Tyranitar! Dragon Tail!" Tyranitar began to slowly swing its tail around at Electabuzz.

"Jump over and use Brick Break!" Electabuzz easily evaded the tail sweep and slammed his good arm into Tyranitar's chest.

Tyranitar was thrown back by the blow and winced when it stopped sliding. "No! You can't lose! Use Rock Slide again!"

I waited for Tyranitar to throw another set of boulders at Electabuzz before making my next move. "Thunderbolt! Give it all the electric power you've got!"

Electric energy so strong it made the hairs on my body rise began to come from Electabuzz before he sent a massive wave of lightning at the incoming stones.

The blast obliterated the rocks and continued across the ground landing yet another major blow on our final foe.

Electabuzz seemed completely out of electric energy at the time being but that was just fine for my plan.

Alex's internal rage finally bubbled up and he slammed his foot on the ground. "Hyper Beam! End this right now!"

Tyranitar charged the famously powerful blast in his mouth and fired the mighty beam at Electabuzz.

I grinned confidently as the attack approached. "Dodge with Quick Attack! Then get in close and let's wrap this up!" My final Pokémon vanished a moment later, dodging the attack entirely and reappearing right in front of Tyranitar.

Alex had a mortified look on his face when he realized that Tyranitar was completely out of energy and cornered. "Finish this Electabuzz! Use Brick Break!"

Electabuzz's two hands instantly lit up and he leaped into the sky, slamming his arms down on Tyranitar's skull. Tyranitar toppled over and was finally defeated. We had done it. We had beaten Alex.