Work Text:
At the end of the interminable dark hallway was a circular, gray-walled room. In the middle of that room stood a large gray statue of a winged woman heroically holding out a Poké Ball in front of her, like she had just captured the world in the midst of her palm.
Surrounding the illuminated statue were the stairs to four elevated brown doors, all tied to their separate balconies. Slowly and assuredly, a silhouette appeared from one of the doors. With a stern expression and a black draped cape, that figure, more clearly a man, stood outside his door. To the left of him, two more figures deliberately followed suit outside of their own respective doors: a large man and a slender woman. Glares were exchanged. Finally, a fourth one, a woman appeared amongst them, accompanied by her cane "clacking" against the spotless concrete flooring. No one spoke a word.
"I understand your impatience." The old woman said with a grin, clenching her cane. "It has been quite a while since any trainer has collected eight gym badges."
"I'm sorry, but you won't be seeing him," replied the slender lady. "I'll freeze him right into place." She rested her hands on her face, making a determined expression.
In an excited response, the large man cracked his knuckles and growled in anticipation.
The last member, the stern-looking man with a long flowing back cape, heard his peer's responses and walked up to his balcony.
"Well then," he spoke with confidence, "let us prepare, and I especially look forward to seeing how good he really is."
With a single wave, he commanded his soldiers, his fellow trainers to prepare themselves for a real challenge. A real battle. However, the receiving end viewed this war differently.
To Blue, he felt he had the world in his hands. He believed he and his Pokémon could win against anything in his path. He knew.
Standing at the gates hiding Kanto's greatest trainers, he declared his arrival. "Just you wait, Elite Four. The greatest Pokémon trainer in the world: that is ME."
With a shout, he shoved open the enemy's gate and arrived in a battlefield where ice dominated the room. On the polar-opposite side of the room stood a young woman known as Lorelei, the ice-type trainer of the Indigo Elite Four.
"Welcome to the Pokémon League." She said. "I'm here to greet you, challenger. Ready?" She thrusted out her arm, holding her Poké Ball.
Blue rebutted. "I'll smash your ice into a million pieces!" And that's exactly what he did.
They'd sent out their Pokémon, and the battle had begun. Although both sides fought well, Blue clearly had the upper hand.
It was at the very end of the battle when Lorelei was down to her last Pokémon, Lapras. Blue sent out his Alakazam. Before Lapras could even think, Blue's Alakazam used its psychic abilities and turned Lapras's view upside down...literally.
"U-uh!" Lorelei exclaimed at the sight of her confused Lapras, and Alakazam slammed her Pokémon upside down on the cold, hard ground.
"See that? I happen to be an incredible genius!" Blue said.
The disappointed woman returned her Lapras back into its ball. "Fine then, I will let you go on ahead. You won't be so lucky next time."
As Lorelei left, Blue continued onward to the next challenger of the Elite Four, Bruno, the fighting-type trainer. Bruno had been watching Blue and Lorelei's battle, and now it was his his turn to fight.
"I'm Bruno of the Elite Four. The Pokémon you train, show them to me! YAHHHHH!" He flexed, and his eager yell enveloped the room.
Blue playfully tossed his Poké Ball in the air. "I hope you can offer me more of a challenge."
Again, they sent out their Pokémon. Eventually, the ending of the battle neared, and the matchup was a toss-up between Blue's Pidgeot and Bruno's Machamp. Blue commanded Pidgeot to use steel wing, and the attack was so strong that it sent both Bruno and his Machamp flying to the wall!
Bruno held Machamp in his arms and looked up at Blue. "...How could I... have been defeated?" He groaned.
"That's all you've got?" Blue sneered. "The truth is my Pokémon and I. We haven't even come close to being serious."
And with that, he walked to the room of the third member of the Elite Four, Agatha. She specialized in ghost types. Blue fought well against her. Maybe too well. The fight was coming to a close with Agatha's last Pokemon and Blue's Rhydon.
"Well, well, it's no surprise you've come this far." The old lady said.
"It's just exactly like I planned."
"Really? Since you're the grandson of that old coot, I'd thought you be completing the Pokédex!"
She knew exactly how to ruffle his feathers, and Blue looked at her with irritation in his eyes. "Don't you compare me with that old man!" He rebutted.
Agatha chuckled to herself.
Blue continued. "Gathering data for the Pokédex was just a tool to become stronger."
"...How interesting." She held her hand over the Poké Ball on top of her wooden cane. "Now then, this is my last Pokémon." A black shadow emerged from the ball and onto the floor. "Go, Gengar!"
Both battled hard. Agatha tried her best, and so did Gengar, but...that still wasn't enough to stop him.
Blue opened the doors and entered the arena of the last Elite Four member. In front of him was his last obstacle to becoming the Indigo League Champion and achieving his dreams: Lance, the dragon-type trainer.
"So, I see that you've made it this far." Lance said.
Blue walked to his side of the playing-field. "I will sit on the throne. You'll lose, and I'll be champion!"
Lance, the last remaining hurdle in Blue's path, didn't take his threat lightly. Blue had blown through his peers' Pokémon, and now he was the only one left. Lance was at the top of the Elite Four, and now his title was being challenged.
"Show me what you've got. Let's see how you fair against the leader of the Elite Four and my army of dragons!"
Lance released his Dragonite, who let out a large growl, hungry for battle.
"Blastoise, GO!" Blue said.
Blue called Blastoise who came hurdling out and released an even louder growl.
"This one is really strong. Don't get scared." He teased.
"Attack!" Lance commanded his Dragonite.
Dragonite prepared a flamethrower, and in response, Blastoise used a water attack from its jets. Both elements evaded each other and headed straight for the other opponent. They both were struck with each other's attack, but quickly shook off the pain from the damage.
"That's a very powerful move," Lance said as his Dragonite growled from the attack.
"Call it agreed." Blue smiled. "Now, let's settle this!"
Blastoise took off to attack Dragonite.
"Do your worst!" Lance yelled.
Both him and his Dragonite were fired up. As Blastoise rushed in, Dragonite went head on towards the center, neck-in-neck in power. However, like in many battles Blue has had, there was a clear winner.
No more than an hour passed, and there Blue sat on the throne in the Indigo League's cold, empty throne room. He was king. He...was the champion. Lance was defeated.
"I finally did it." He spoke. He tossed his Poké Ball around in his hand, looking at how its exterior brilliantly shined in the dimly lit room. "I'm the champion of the Pokémon League."
The door opened in front of him. The light flew in across the floor, revealing a shadow. Closer and closer, the figure walked towards Blue.
Blue grimaced yet was still smiling. "Hurry up and come."
The lights turned on. Blue stood up from the throne. In front of him was his real last obstacle. Although Blue had won many battles, there was one person he had never been able to beat.
He looked up at the long-acquainted challenger.
"Hey, so you're finally here! Ha-ha!"
This was the real challenge. He fought all Elite Four members and won the title. He had his own throne. Now, this was his battlefield. He would win. He felt it. He believed.
Blue had a smile on his face as he looked up at Red.
"Fantastic." He said.
And yet...maybe he realized that out of anyone, Red, who overcame him and much more, would lead to his downfall.
Blue and his rival held their respective Poké Balls in their hands, and the power to be the next champion of the Pokémon League. Unfortunately, as the story continued, we'd realize it was never Blue's war to begin with, but Red's. It seemed that the cold, empty throne room along that dark, long hallway wasn't the end of his journey, but instead a glimpse into the young champion's bright future waiting ahead.