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COMPLETE: Rival's Story

Are you guys trying to reach post 1000?

Oh well... this is all started because of a misunderstanding, and either way, Ghastly's Mama has reached 1000 posts. :/
 
You're a genius. This is probably one of the best stories i've ever heard, real books included
 
Wow, it's safe to say no Bulbagarden fanfic has ever or will ever get as many views or posts as Rival's Story! Truly amazing!
 
Oh whoops. I was saving my 1000th for this but then I got overexcited and posted in the General Discussion for the Awards.

Thank you for the valiant effort of posting almost sixty replies in four days! That's amazing! I'd reply to them but I don't want this message to end up being more replies than actual chapter. Now you have to outdo yourselves with replies to this chapter!

I also want to make a request to the moderators of this site that they allow people a chance to discuss this chapter here with one another before banishing Rival's Story to the Archives where discussions are not allowed.

Also, I want to say thank you to all of you have spent your time and energy reading Rival's Story, even if you haven't managed to keep up with it to Chapter 99 - it really means a lot that so many people read my story even though I post it SO damn frequently. And thank you so much for showing your support by leaving replies and suggestions, it really helps and some of the things you've said have even made their way into the story in one way or another. You guys put the fan back into fantastic!

Finally, before I post this chapter, I also want to apologise. Firstly I want to apologise for that terrible, terrible pun at the end of the previous paragraph but I also want to apologise because I'm afraid that this chapter probably won't live up to everyone's expectations. I'm sorry if you find this chapter too anti-climactic or too climactic, too open ended or too nitpickety, too action-packed or not action-packed enough. Basically, I hope you enjoy this chapter and I'm sorry if you don't.

That's enough from me, I think, here's Chapter 100. Gama out.

Chapter 100

About a month after the day that Maxwell left, Giovanni opened the door to the shack from outside early in the morning while Red and Blue were both still asleep. The sudden drop in temperature and the sound of the intense wind coming in from outside was enough to wake both of the trainers up.

“Are you just getting in?” asked Blue, checking the time on the clock on the wall, “It’s six in the morning!”

“It’s time,” stated Giovanni simply.

No one said anything for a few moments. Blue and Red looked to each other to make sure each was thinking the same thing as the other – could it really be time? Blue knew he was going to have to be the one to ask, after their brief conversation when Maxwell left, Red went back to the silent thing.

“You mean time to go to Cinnabar?” asked Blue, unable to believe it.

“That’s right,” said Giovanni, “Get dressed. Get your Pokémon and let’s go.”

Red and Blue had a million different objections to this but neither of them vocalised them and instead found themselves getting dressed and getting their Pokémon together. Giovanni simply stood at the door the whole time they were getting ready.

“What Pokémon are you bringing?” demanded Giovanni.

“Charizard, Gyarados, Exeggutor, Pidgeot, Alakazam and Rhydon,” answered Blue immediately.

“Venusaur, Pikachu, Espeon, Snorlax, Arcanine and Blastoise,” answered Red immediately after Blue.

Red now used the Pokémon that was once Maxwell’s Wartortle – he had managed to do in one month what Maxwell had failed to do in years – make Wartortle evolve.

“Good. Blue, you fly on your Pidgeot, Red, you fly on Blue’s Charizard,” instructed Giovanni, “You got that?”

Blue didn’t like taking orders but he knew that if this was going to go down without a hitch, he was going to have to deal with it, Giovanni was a natural leader after all and it was better than taking orders from Red.

“Yes,” answered Blue on behalf of himself and Red, “What are you going to fly on?”

“My Honchkrow,” replied Giovanni.

“What’s a Honchkrow?” exclaimed Blue in bewilderment – he had never even heard the name of that Pokémon before!

“It’s a foreign Pokémon,” answered Giovanni, “Let’s go.”

“When did you get that?” asked Blue, still totally astounded – he hadn’t appreciated how unfamiliar with Giovanni’s squad he and Red were.

“There’s no time to discuss that right now, let’s go,” replied Giovanni, appearing slightly annoyed that he had been questioned.

Red and Blue nodded and got all their stuff together, hurrying out of the door after Giovanni. Each of the trio got on to the Flying Pokémon that they had been told to and took into the air. They all knew the way to Cinnabar but Giovanni rode ahead of Red and Blue and they followed his exact route. While they were flying Blue steered Pidgeot over to Charizard and Red.

“Red!” shouted Blue, increasing his volume so that he could actually be heard through all the wind, “What are you gonna do after this?”

“I don’t know,” Red yelled back, “I think I’ll probably go back to Mt. Silver and train by myself. After all this I just want to be alone. I guess you’ll go to Viridian?”

“Yeah,” answered Blue, “I’m gonna take the post. Will you be alright out there by yourself?”

“I think so, yeah,” replied Red, “But I don’t have any Flying Pokémon, I don’t know how I’ll get supplies without you and Giovanni around to take me to town and back. I don’t suppose you wanna trade a Pokémon?”

Blue couldn’t believe he was considering it but he couldn’t help but want one of Red’s Pokémon – it might enable him to finally beat Red. Particularly if it was a Flying type that he traded off of his team since his team had such a crippling weakness to Electric types.

“What did you have in mind?” asked Blue.

“Well,” answered Red, “I thought I could trade you Arcanine for Pidgeot? Would that be alright?”

Blue thought that that would be the obvious trade and the best emotionally but probably not the best tactically and that was what counted after all – he was supposed to be a Gym Leader now. If he made that trade his team would be Charizard, Arcanine, Gyarados, Exeggutor, Rhydon and Alakazam – he’d have two Fire types, which was completely pointless. He couldn’t believe he was even considering it but he knew that tactically the best Pokémon for him to trade would be his starter, Charizard. He looked across at Charizard and their eyes met – it seemed to understand.

“I’ll come to visit,” whispered Blue so that Red couldn’t hear, “I promise.”

“What?” asked Red, “Did you say something?”

“I said why don’t you take Charizard instead?” shouted Blue back.

“Are you sure?” checked Red, not really able to believe that Blue would willingly trade his first Pokémon.

“Definitely,” yelled Blue.

Red nodded. It was obvious that the amount that he’d had to talk in that conversation had already made him uncomfortable, he got Arcanine’s Poké Ball off of his belt and tossed it to Blue, who ably caught it. Blue responded in kind by throwing Charizard’s Poké Ball to Red, although it was empty.

“You be good for Red,” instructed Blue with a smile.

Charizard roared in response, Blue knew it would miss him, but he also knew that it would be happy with Red, maybe it too could finally make up with its friend who had become its rival – Red’s Venusaur. The trio continued to fly for what seemed like forever until in the distance they could see it.

“Cinnabar!” exclaimed Blue.

Neither Red nor Giovanni reacted to this exclamation. Giovanni simply started Honchkrow on its descent, which Charizard and Pidgeot automatically followed with no encouragement from their respective trainers. Giovanni returned Honchkrow to its Poké Ball, signalled for Red and Blue to do the same and walked over to the Pokémon Mansion. Red and Blue retreated their Pokémon as instructed.

“They think no one would look here,” commented Giovanni, “But they’re wrong. Hiding in plain sight is risky business and this time it did not pay off.”

Giovanni led the two boys into the Pokémon Mansion and on a convoluted route that eventually took them into a basement of some sort. They walked for a short while and eventually came across a very old yet strong looking door.

“Behind this door the real battle begins,” stated Giovanni, “But we’re already on their turf and they could be waiting to surround us. You two go ahead and I’ll guard the rear, that way we won’t be taken by surprise.”

Blue wanted to object but he knew now was not the time – they risked losing everything if he opened his mouth. He didn’t completely trust Giovanni but it was too late for that now, the opportunity to voice any opposition to this plan had gone the moment they left Mt. Silver. The thing was, he had been waiting for an opportunity to and then suddenly they were leaving – he didn’t get a chance and now if he made an unfounded accusation it could mean the death of all three of them.

Blue looked to Red and was sure he was thinking the same thing but the two of them knew that they had to obey Giovanni now. They struggled to pull the door open and Red ended up sending out Snorlax to pull it open for them.

“Once you’re in send them all out!” hissed Giovanni from behind, “There’ll be no time once the security team get started!”

Once again, Red and Blue found themselves obeying Giovanni even though they didn’t particularly want to – how did they get into this situation anyway? They walked forwards, through the heavy door and found themselves in a spectacularly pristine and technologically advanced lab of some kind – Giovanni had been telling the truth about that much at least. There was expensive looking scientific equipment everywhere, computers that were more complicated than anything either Red or Blue had ever seen in their lives. The ceiling was so high that Red and Blue had to crane their necks to see and even then it was difficult to see it – the tiling on the walls stopped relatively low down the gargantuan walls too – the walls were simply rock most of the way up. That was not the most peculiar thing about the lab though, the thing that really caught Red and Blue’s attention was the fact that there was not a single living thing in the lab – human or Pokémon.

Red and Blue sent out all of their Pokémon anyway, ready to take on whatever security team would present itself. They both felt anxious but were worried that if they did not send out their Pokémon that the security team would take them by surprise. Red and Blue were surrounded by Venusaur, Charizard, Blastoise, Pikachu, Espeon, Snorlax, Exeggutor, Arcanine, Gyarados, Pidgeot, Alakazam and Rhydon – it would be difficult for anyone to get through that front line without a comprehensive army of Pokémon and yet they were still scared. They stood, ready to fight for a few moments until they were certain that nothing was going to come and get them.

“Giovanni!” yelled back Blue, “There’s no one here!”

Giovanni mumbled something in reply and in a few seconds he was at the door.

“That’s strange,” stated Giovanni.

The former Gym Leader darted looks around the lab but seemed to be unable to find what he was looking for. Giovanni grumbled something unintelligible to himself and walked forwards through the lab, still not sending out his own Pokémon and began walking around to search for whatever he was looking for.

“The Pokémon appears to be gone,” declared Giovanni, “We may be too late.”

Suddenly, from one of the far, shadowy corners of the lab, a Weezing flew out at an incredible speed, holding a Poké Ball in its mouth. Before Red or Blue had time to react, Weezing had clamped down on the Poké Ball with its jaws, releasing a Pokémon on to Giovanni. The Pokémon that burst out of the Poké Ball looked like a large, upside down Poké Ball itself but Blue recognised it as Electrode. The Electrode landed on Giovanni and let off a huge, electrical spark which caused the man to fall to the ground, crying in pain.

“Charizard, Espeon, Pikachu, search for the attacker!” commanded Red fiercely, “Venusaur, Blastoise, Snorlax, take out the Weezing and Electrode!”

As concerned as he was about Giovanni and the possibility that he and Red might be attacked, Blue was suddenly far more concerned with something else. He would’ve recognised the Pokémon as Electrode anyway but the only time he had seen an Electrode in real life was controlled by the man that he knew only as ‘the Scientist’, who had also possessed a Weezing. Could it be a coincidence?

Blue looked up to see Red’s Pokémon, including Charizard, fanning out across the lab but the two Pokémon that had attacked nowhere to be seen – they must have been retreated back to their Poké Balls.

“You guys too,” ordered Blue half heartedly – he was terrified of the Scientist.

Red had known that Giovanni was the leader of Team Rocket but to Blue, the Scientist had always been the face of the terrifying organisation known as Team Rocket. Blue’s six Pokémon, including Arcanine, also began fanning out to search the lab. It was a pretty large lab but it still wouldn’t take that long to find the person who had launched the assault.

“There’s no need for that!” came a voice.

Red and Blue looked over to where the voice came from and a shiver went down Blue’s spine as he saw the one human being who had scared him more than Giovanni – the Scientist. He was walking out in his familiar sleeveless, white lab coat with his hands in the air as if surrendering and a smile on his face as if victorious.

“Hold your fire!” yelled Red so that all of his Pokémon could hear the command.

“You guys too,” instructed Blue, unable to put his all into it.

“Good morning, Blue. Good morning, Red,” greeted the Scientist with a grin, “I’m glad to see you could make it. I expect you want an explanation?”

There was silence for a few moments, until Blue finally managed to get some words out.

“You said we’d never see each other again,” informed Blue.

“I thought that was true at the time,” replied the Scientist, “I apologise for misleading you. I thought that I had an ally that I could trust in Giovanni but, I recently discovered, just like you are about to, that he planned to betray me.”

“Just like we’re about to?” questioned Blue.

“That’s right,” answered the Scientist, “He brought you here to use you and then double cross you, like he does with everyone. He wanted you here so that you could take out the lab’s security team and help him capture the super Pokémon and then he was going to take you out so that he could take the super Pokémon for himself.”

Red and Blue were silent – they didn’t know whether to believe this or not.

“You don’t believe me,” stated the Scientist, “I suppose that is to be expected, no one wants to believe that they’ve been duped – it took me a while to come to terms with it. I expect during your training with him, you didn’t get much of a look at his squad and yet he knew both of your squads intimately?”

Red and Blue hung their heads in shame. With hindsight, that seemed highly suspicious and yet they had not questioned it until it was too late.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” continued the Scientist, appearing to enjoy himself, “What about the fact that he had you go in ahead and had both of you send out your entire squads so that you could not only be significantly weakened by the time he got involved but also so that he could send out his six Pokémon into the most effective positions for taking out your Pokémon?”

Red and Blue moved uneasily once again. That too seemed so obvious in retrospect, although they had not dared to question it.

“The time of day that you arrived suggests that you left in the dead of night,” continued the Scientist, “My guess is that he woke you up while you were sleeping to leave without telling you in advance that that was the day that you would be leaving so that you didn’t have a chance to object. Am I correct?”

Red and Blue made shameful indications that the Scientist was indeed correct. Blue was not only ashamed but furious, he couldn’t believe he had been duped so easily. He wanted to strangle Giovanni, he wanted to get his own back on the man, he just wanted to show him that he wasn’t a pawn.

“You didn’t have to kill him though,” objected Red, “That’s never necessary.”

“Oh, he’s not dead,” laughed the Scientist, “He’s just paralyzed, I wouldn’t have killed him that quickly, I want to see him writhe. You see, you weren’t the only ones he planned to betray. He told me that he, an Executive and I could use the super Pokémon together to make ourselves rich and unstoppable. I was included because it was my job to locate this lab and the Executive in question was included because it was his job to read the complex, biological reports we seized from Mr. Fuji in Lavender. However, soon after the Executive determined that it would indeed be in our interests to obtain this creation, he was apprehended by the police. That was when I realised that once I had located the lab, I would be fazed out myself. Fortunately, my assignment ended after Team Rocket did and so it was not as easy for Giovanni to make me disappear and that was how I was able to beat him.”

“Beat him?” asked Blue, “You got the Pokémon?”

The Scientist laughed at this suggestion.

“Oh no!” he exclaimed, “I’ve released the Pokémon!”

A groan of anger was heard from Giovanni at this point. Red and Blue looked to him, his facial features were almost completely still, only his eyes moved and they barely moved at all.

“Don’t bother trying to talk, you’ll only strain yourself,” the Scientist said to Giovanni, “I knew it would be a while for you to feel ready to come here so I worked on infiltrating this place by getting a job here some time ago. After seeing the reports from Lavender, it was pretty easy finding the right person and, thanks to Silph, I was more than qualified for the job. Then I simply released the creature and caused an emergency evacuation of the lab and, due to the scientists panicking over the welfare of their loved ones, eventually an evacuation of the entirety of Cinnabar.”

Red and Blue were completely silent. His plan seemed flawless.

“Now,” announced the Scientist, addressing Red and Blue, “If you two would kindly step out of the way, I have business to attend to.”

The Scientist then proceeded to release Weezing from its Poké Ball once again.

“Weezing,” ordered the Scientist, “Give our former Boss the kiss of death.”

Blue shuddered as he remembered that same Weezing giving Maxwell’s Machop the kiss of death. It had pressed its lips against Machop’s and breathed poison in until the Pokémon could take no more – that had been bad enough but the thought of seeing that happen to a human being was revolting. That said if, at that moment, he had had to wish that fate on anyone – it would have been Giovanni.

“We won’t let you,” announced Red resiliently, “We won’t allow you to murder another human being and there’s no way you’ll be able to get past all twelve of our highly trained Pokémon with just those two.”

Blue wasn’t completely sure he’d have Red’s back on that one if it came down to it but he didn’t feel strongly enough to openly oppose what Red was saying, so he just nodded to indicate his probable support.

“That’s true,” conceded the Scientist, “There’s no point in me trying to take on the two of you together, I’ve been beaten by each of you separately. You leave me with no choice then.”

The Scientist then proceeded to walk over to a control board with an inordinate number of buttons, dials and screens on it, he pressed a few different buttons and a loud siren started going off.

“I’ve activated the lab’s self destruct sequence that was installed in case anyone tried to steal the super Pokémon,” explained the Scientist, “You two can either follow me or risk your lives saving a man who would have left you here for dead if things had gone his way.”

The Scientist then proceeded to send his Weezing out of his Poké Ball, grab on to it and have it pull him towards the far off ceiling of the lab.

“Where are you going?” asked Blue desperately, shouting over the sirens.

“This lab is situated in the old, dormant volcano just off the coast of Cinnabar,” explained the Scientist, while still floating towards the ceiling at a fair pace, “The top of it is completely open and if you get up there quickly enough, you’ll be able to escape.”

Within seconds the Scientist was completely out of view.

“We have to go,” insisted Blue.

“We can’t leave him here,” objected Red.

“He would’ve left us here,” retorted Blue.

Giovanni began groaning once again, his face was starting to regain a small amount of movement.

“Then leaving him here would make us as bad as him!” insisted Red, “Is that what you want?”

“I don’t care!” snapped Blue, “I don’t want to risk my life to save him!”

“Please...” croaked Giovanni, “Sorry...”

Red and Blue both looked to the man, listening intently so that they could hear anything he had to say over the sirens.

“Didn’t...” he struggled, “Kill... you... Gym Leader...”

Red and Blue both realised what he was trying to say at the same time.

“Why would he have appointed you as his successor if he was going to let us die?” challenged Red.

“Yes...” murmured Giovanni weakly.

“He was still going to betray us,” retorted Blue, “Maybe he didn’t mean to kill us but if we’d been in danger, I doubt he’d have gone out of his way to save us.”

“Please...” croaked Giovanni again, “Chance...”

“He wants a second chance,” stated Red, “Let’s just get him out of here and we can grill him when the paralysis wears off.”

“I don’t think we should take him with us,” objected Blue weakly.

Blue suddenly noticed a rumbling over the sound of the sirens. Had it been going on the whole time, just a little quieter than the sirens until now?

“Fine!” snapped Red, “We don’t have time for this! I’m leaving! You do whatever you want with him! If he dies now – it’s on your shoulders not mine!”

With that, Red called over Charizard and climbed on to its back, withdrawing his other five Pokémon to their Poké Balls.

“Let’s go, Charizard,” ordered Red, “This can be your initiation.”

Charizard roared in objection – it was not willing to leave its original trainer in such a dangerous situation.

“Just go,” ordered Blue, “I’ll be fine, I promise.”

Charizard nodded and sprang into the air with an obvious tear in its eye.

Once Red and Charizard were out of sight, Blue called Pidgeot over, ready to Fly away himself. The rumbling was now quite loud – Blue wondered what the noise could be. Could the scientists here have found a way to control volcanic eruptions? That would explain their choice of location for their lab. Blue withdrew all of his Pokémon apart from Pidgeot to their Poké Balls so that he could just leave Giovanni in the lab to die.

“Please...” strained Giovanni, notably louder than before, “Second chance...”

Blue then remembered what he had said about second chances on multiple occasions on his journey so far – everyone deserved one. Blue clambered on to Pidgeot’s back so that he was ready to leave as soon as possible and then had the Pokémon move over to Giovanni so that it could pick him up.

“You know what, Giovanni,” addressed Blue, “It just so happens that I believe everyone deserves a second chance.”

“Thank you...” managed Giovanni, his mouth beginning to turn into a smile.

“Unfortunately for you,” continued Blue, adorning his face with a cruel, vengeful smile, “You’ve already had yours.”
 
Aww crap, a cliffhanger. Welp, the next chapter...is...oh right ;^;

Ah well, twas an interesting end to an interesting story. I look forward to Dragon Days =D
 
Wow, it's safe to say no Bulbagarden fanfic has ever or will ever get as many views or posts as Rival's Story! Truly amazing!

Not completely true but this story indeed has many fans. And the good part is that Gama earns all of them. The other story that has more views (and is not in the archive) is...whatever, I guess it is no surprise; The Power Inside.
 
That was awesome in a twisted kind of way.

For example I couldn't really see Blue doing what he did but I guess he had reason.

And so the fic ends, and, I have to say it was great! :) Well done and you did manage to tie up most of the loose ends!
 
Not completely true but this story indeed has many fans. And the good part is that Gama earns all of them. The other story that has more views (and is not in the archive) is...whatever, I guess it is no surprise; The Power Inside.

Actually, at the moment Rival's Story does have more replies and views than Power Inside, but at the rate TPI is getting replies/views, I doubt it'll stay that way for long. Another one to watch is Son of Earth.

That was awesome in a twisted kind of way.

For example I couldn't really see Blue doing what he did but I guess he had reason.

And so the fic ends, and, I have to say it was great! :) Well done and you did manage to tie up most of the loose ends!

Glad you liked it! As for the loose ends - if you're talking about the ones concerning Lance, they will be tied up in Dragon Days. If you're talking about Maxwell, then I wasn't planning on going into anymore detail on him.
 
Glad you liked it! As for the loose ends - if you're talking about the ones concerning Lance, they will be tied up in Dragon Days. If you're talking about Maxwell, then I wasn't planning on going into anymore detail on him.

No, I meant explaining how red got charizard and blastoise and such. I also guess that that's the cause of the destruction of cinnibar? The only one I can't see is Blue geting Machamp but thats minor.
 
Loved that ending.. it was a great way of explaining Cinnabar's destruction along with the emotional attachment Blue seems to have to the island in GSC, whatever happened with Giovanni, it certainly makes sense for Blue wanting to go back there to contemplate things. Brilliant ending to a brilliant fic, congrats Gama :).
 
So it finally ended, in a cliffhanger no less and you also broke Red's and Blue's friendship once more.

I have to say I'm a bit sad that I red this fic so late into it and I just started following shortly after the halfway point, but it was a great fic and I enjoyed to read it, even if there were already five reviews every time I was done reading the chapters. I can't wait for your next fic and I hope my fic becomes as good as yours someday.
 
So that is how it ends....
And you did it.
Gama, I truly salute you. The cliffhanger ending seemed perfect, and though I wish it could go on, you've done an amazing job with this chapter. I only wish that there was some more battling in the chapter, but you can't have everything. I look forward to Dragon Days!
 
Yeah, uh, unfortunately, ending in a cliffhanger like that is going to be hell for my rating. XD

Of course, I've already submitted the vote for your category, so it doesn't really matter anyway.
 
Wow. What an ending, GM. When you mentioned Honchkrow, I was thinking you were going to have Giovanni end up in Tohjo Falls, like in HGSS, but I was surprised when you didn't. I'll definitely be reading Dragon Days!
 
Amazing finale to the best fic on this site! Gastly's Mama, you are an inspiration to us all. Honestly, I try to measure myself against your greatness.

Can't wait until the next story!
 
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