//------------------------------// // Cut short // Story: My Little Pony: Red Version // by FaelaArts //------------------------------// Looking down at the pool in front of him, Red blinked as his reflection met his gaze. Standing up from the crouch he had been in, he gazed at his surroundings. The trees tried to block out the sunlight, but a gentle fluttering of light made it’s way through the dense canopy. Nearby, a waterfall cascaded down a cliff, the river leading off down a small slope. A shape glided down, and the flash of a familiar red light caught his attention. Red turned to see it was Blue, and he seemed to be trying to hold onto a fake smile. Returning his Pidgeot, he quickly stored and withdrew some Pokémon using the Pass, changing his team before taking one of the Pokémon in his hand. Their eyes met, and Red reached for his own Pokémon. They sent out their Pokémon, and the battle began. Growlithe met its evolution, eyes narrowing as it took in the opponent before it and his master. Arcanine met the gaze, strong limbs and a fully realised potential ready to back it up. Growlithe glanced to his master, who had eyes only for the opponent. At the signal, chaos would erupt in the clearing. Growlithe had a tough battle ahead of him. They shifted, both Pokémon howled a challenge, and the battle began. Growlithe dodged to the side as teeth gnashed at his side, sliding backwards as fire began spewing from his mouth. Arcanine absorbed the blow, shrugging it off with mere indifference. Growlithe dived, their teeth met, claws raking against each others fur. They leapt apart, panting and ignoring the pain from their wounds. Growlithe had injured his leg, but Arcanine had got a deep gash through it’s belly. They roared, and dived at each other once more. Growlithe dodged a claw raking towards him, skidding around Arcanine sideways and attempting to bite the exposed neck. Arcanine side stepped, and Growlithe met only air. Flamethrower met Flamethrower, pushing both back as their forces met. Growlithe and Arcanine were evenly matched, but eventually the evolution’s extra strength won out and the fireball swallowed Growlithe. His fur slightly singed, Growlithe gave Arcanine a glare, before diving into the ground. Arcanine flinched, looking around for Growlithe before remembering the move. It was too late, Growlithe leapt out from underneath, biting down hard on Arcanine. A gasp of pain escaped Arcanine, before she tried to attack Growlithe before he moved. Growlithe couldn’t move away, and as Arcanine bit into him, he cried out in pain as tooth met bone. Growlithe leapt away, gasping for breath and wincing in pain. Arcanine smiled, and simply layed down and went to sleep. Growlithe watched as Arcanine’s injuries healed, and quickly began attacking. Growlithe threw everything at Arcanine, knowing he had a short window of opportunity to make up the damage. Four hits, five, and Arcanine awoke with a vengeance. Their flamethrowers met once more, Growlithe dodging to the side of it and firing a small burst. Arcanine growled, her fur singing. Growlithe was badly wounded, and close to fainting. He knew he had at least one good attack left, and he had best make it count. Arcanine was in a similar position, knowing if he took the brunt of an attack he might go down too. They crouched, tails raising in defiance, and slammed into each other full force. When the dust settled, one of the Pokémon was left standing. Red and Blue prepared their Pokéballs, and Blue scowled as Growlithe became visible. The Pokémon was standing weakly on it’s legs, but looking immensely proud. Arcanine, collapsed on the ground, looked Growlithe in the eyes, before closing them and fainting. Growlithe was the victor. Growlithe walked over to Red. Red healed Growlithe, and then returned his Pokémon to the Pokéball. Pulling out a second Pokéball, Red watched Blue return his Arcanine and pick out his second Pokémon. Blue smirked, and met Red’s gaze. Red grabbed the tip of his hat, and casually pulled it down further on his head. “Humph,” replied Blue, his smirk growing larger. Blue threw his Pokémon out, Red following suit. A splash sounded as one of the Pokémon entered the water, the second roared a challenge, his flame burning brighter. The orange Pokémon flared its wings as a blue head emerged from the water, standing straight up and using only it’s tail to stay upright in the water. Charizard faced Gyarados, and Blue smirked as he realised he had the type advantage. Red wouldn’t switch now that both were on the field. Gyarados roared, and Charizard flared its wings, taking off of the ground as a hidden power hit the area he had been at. Charizard recognised the colour, it was a ground type. Charizard turned to face Gyarados, and quickly began drumming a tune on his belly. His muscles tightened, and he entered a state where he would be able to take hits better, and attack stronger. Gyarados raised its head to the sky, and its mouth began to fill with water. Charizard dodged the torrential flow of water, but Gyarados tilted its head, and Charizard was swallowed up by the blast, his tail snuffing out like a light. As he fell to the ground, he absorbed damage from the fall, before finally his tail flared back to life and he leaped back to his feet, smashing the ground and collecting an arm full of rocks. Gyarados shook off the hydro pump, but would still take a moment to be able to attack. Charizard rocketed into the sky, diving down from above at Gyarados, dropping the rocks and pilling up. The rocks fell true and Gyarados roared out in pain. Charizard avoided an all out attack, seeing Gyarados fall and hit the ground hard, Charizard dive bombed the ground, sending out a shockwave. It knocked Gyarados back into the water, where it rose once more and gave a roar. Their attacks bounced off each other, neither giving an inch, Charizard was fighting to the last breath. Suddenly, after launching another all out attack, Gyarados simply collapsed, and fainted. Charizard landed, panting for breath. He slowly walked up the Gyarados, and saw a multitude of small injuries that had eventually added up. That all out attack was like a double edged sword. Red watched Blue return Gyarados, and called Charizard over to heal his injuries. Blue sighed, and pulled out his third Pokémon. Red watched as the ball arched through the sky, releasing the Pokémon before flying back to Blue. He then turned all his attention on the Pokémon as it began to form. Before it had even fully formed, the Pokémon launched into a body slam at Charizard, knocking the Pokémon off guard. It’s orange dragon-like body and bug antenna left no doubt this was Dragonite. Charizard jumped into the air, followed quickly by Dragonite. A beam of ice shot from Dragonite’s mouth, but Charizard met it with a flamethrower, throwing water down on the trainers like rain. Charizard dive down at Dragonite, who met Charizard head on. Both recoiled from the attack, before quickly launching into their respective long-range attacks again. Dragonite curled a fist, energy beginning to glow around it, Charizard flared his wings, leaping up but not quick enough to avoid the punch delivered straight at his stomach. They both landed, Charizard momentarily winded. Dragonite charged at Charizard, who in turn slammed his feet into the ground. Dragonite stumbled, and wasn’t quick enough to avoid the flamethrower as it blackened his scales. Charizard launched straight into a body slam, and both Pokémon fell to the dust, roaring a challenge. Tooth met claw, fire met ice, and Dragonite charged an attack on it’s antenna before firing it into the sky. The two Pokémon separated as a lightning bolt struck the place they had been not long ago. Charizard’s eyes narrowed as Dragonite gave a cry of anger, and began charging up another thunder. Charizard charged at Dragonite as more and more shots began to fire into the sky. The two trainers quickly moved to the edges of the clearing as the sky broke out into tense rumbling. Charizard took the moment Dragonite was distracted to bite down on the neck, Dragonite firing off shot after shot into the sky. And for a brief moment, everything was silent. Red and Blue covered their eyes as the clearing suddenly lit up, covering their ears shortly after as the sound of thunder surrounded them. It was deafening, and the image of light was still seared behind their closed eyelids. After the afterimages faded, the two turned to look at their Pokémon. Dragonite was standing in the one section of the ground not blackened by the attack. Nearby, Charizard shook off the soot covering it, revealing it’s scales had been turned pitch black by the attack. After a moment, it collapsed in the soot. The two trainers walked over to their Pokémon, stepping through the blackened ground. Red revived his charizard before returning it to the Pokéball. Blue healed his Dragonite, and turned to look at Red. Red closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, picking up a Pokéball and gently pressing it against his forehead. A stray breeze washed by, blowing most of the soot into the sky and towards the forest. Red opened his eyes, and threw the Pokéball, sending out his Pokémon. Blue and Dragonite tensed, waiting for the shape to from before making any action. Growlithe growled a challenge, fur bristling as it savoured it’s second fight of the day. Dragonite looked down at the Pokémon, and began to laugh. Growlithe took the moment Dragonite was distracted to bite down on the neck, earning a satisfying roar of pain. Leaping back as claws tried to rip him off, Growlithe eyes his opponent seriously. Dragonite had just insulted Growlithe pride, and that made this fight personal. Dragonite rubbed his neck, and narrowed his eyes. Facing Growlithe, Dragonite started taking the fight seriously. Dragonite charged at Growlithe, however before he could hit him head on Growlithe had already dodged, aiming a bite at Dragonite’s foot. Dragonite tripped, rolling onto his back and using his wings to propel himself upward and into the sky before landing back on his feet. Growlithe had already launched another bite, this time latching into his hand. Dragonite aimed a punch at Growlithe, but instead paused as he seemed to vanish. Glancing around wildly, Dragonite looked for Growlithe, unaware the Pokémon was behind him. A slam directly onto his spine made him cry out in pain, he turned and aimed an ice beam at Growlithe. Growlithe met it with a flamethrower, their force mixed, but Growlithe’s fire was stronger. Dragonite was knocked back, sliding on his feet so as not to fall over again. Dragonite eyes Growlithe, before noticing he had vanished into a hole in the ground. Dragonite leapt to the sky just as a hole opened underneath him, and aimed an ice beam at Growlithe. It hit, sending Growlithe flying back, one leg frozen. Growlithe thawed it with a fire attack, before launching a flamethrower at Dragonite in the sky. Dragonite fired off a thunder as the attack hit, growling as Growlithe dodged it. Landing, Dragonite charged at Growlithe, but was once again too slow to catch the Pokémon. Suddenly, Dragonite felt something bite his tail, he turned wildly to find nothing there. Instead something was biting his foot, he glanced down to find nothing there. Dragonite cried out in pain as something ripped into his neck from behind. Growlithe danced around Dragonite as the confused Pokémon tried to locate him. His bites were doing their desired damage, and eventually Dragonite was panting in pain. Growlithe leapt back, letting Dragonite catch sight of him. Dragonite, confused and weakened from the attacks, launched into another body slam, and right into the flamethrower waiting for him. He fell to the ground, and Growlithe howled in victory. Blue returned Dragonite as Red healed Growlithe. Blue looked to Red as he gently ruffled Growlithe’s hair, and wondered what was hidden under the hat brim. Picking his next Pokémon, he waited for Red to finish. Red stood up, Growlithe taking his place in front of Red. Blue smiled, and tossed out his Pokémon. Pidgeot soared into the sky, hovering out of reach of Growlithe, looking down. Growlithe shifted his weight, and waited. Pidgeot turned and presented its read end, and fired. Growlithe, slow from the realisation of what Pidgeot was doing, was slow to dodge, receiving the package full force. Coughing, Growlithe shook off most of the effects, but felt the remaining eating into his skin. Each moment would mean more energy would be taken away. Pidgeot dived, wings hardening as it curved upward, cresting just above the ground. Growlithe jumped, dodging the wings, hardened like steel, as Pidgeot missed. Growlithe leapt for Pidgeot, but wasn’t fast enough and missed. Firing off a Flamethrower, Growlithe managed to singe Pidgeot’s feathers slightly. Pidgeot landed, flaring its wings and using the damaged ground as weapons as it caused two tornadoes to form with two gusts of its wings, sending them straight at Growlithe. Growlithe dug under the ground, avoiding the attack. Resurfacing, it was too slow to dodge a steel wing, taking it in the body, wincing. Pain laced through its side as the toxins hurt him further. Growlithe launched a flamethrower at Pidgeot, who didn’t dodge it. Satisfied to have hit Pidgeot, Growlithe wasn’t fast enough to dodge as Pidgeot hit Growlithe full force, returning the attack from earlier with interest. Growlithe winces as toxic hurt him again, and body slammed Pidgeot as it was now in close quarters. Pidgeot was launched back, and flinched as Growlithe took the moment to bite down on a wing, hard. Pidgeot cried out in pain, knowing it wouldn’t be able to fly now. Growlithe slammed into Pidgeot again, who couldn’t resist. Both Pokémon were panting now, Pidgeot unable to attack with a wing out of commission. Growlithe prepared to deliver the final blow. Suddenly Growlithe howled in pain, and fainted. The toxic had ended the battle. “Pidgeot needs to be taken to a Pokémon centre, let’s call that round a draw.” Red nodded, Blue returning his wounded Pidgeot with a solemn glance at Red. It happened occasionally, Pokémon getting injuries that couldn’t be healed by potions. They could heal almost anything with potions, just not broken bones. And…Certain other things… Blue deposited Pidgeot in the box, and both grabbed a new Pokémon. Throwing them out, two small Pokémon, around the size of a dog, greeted them. One was a yellow mouse with a zigzag tail and bright red cheeks. The other was a brown, long eared, fluffy dog like creature. The yellow Pikachu eyed the brown Eevee, and both shared an innocent smile. Suddenly both dived at each other, Eevee aiming her head as Pikachu bit down. The blow knocked against Pikachu’s teeth, and both recoiled in pain before quickly leaping back together. Teeth met bone, growls resounded around the clearing. Both Pokémon fought ferociously, before Pikachu started emitting electricity and Eevee jumped back. Eevee suddenly struck a pose, and fluttered her eyes, Pikachu blushed. Eevee gently walked up to Pikachu, and then slammed her head right on Pikachu’s own. Pikachu flinched, and couldn’t attack back as he was slammed into by Eevee. Pikachu struggled to resist the urge to let Eevee have her way with him, even as the attacks sent pain coursing through his body. Eventually Pikachu threw up a bolt at the sky, before falling under the throes of Eevee. Eevee, so preoccupied with beating Pikachu, didn’t notice the bolt as it flew down, and hit her, causing her fur to sit straight up, and her to freeze in place. Pikachu shakily got to his feet, and his cheeks sparked weakly, as if he didn’t have it in him to hurt Eevee. The bolt hit, and it shook Eevee out of her shocked stupor. She dived at Pikachu, her mouth open as she growled, face alight with ferocity. Pikachu became surrounded by green orbs, which were absorbed into him. Eevee dived backward as the orbs suddenly sprung outward, hitting her and causing her fur to catch alight. Eevee gave a final cry of pain, before collapsing. Pikachu walked over and gently touched Eevee, tears forming at the sight of his new love before the attract wore off. Pikachu blinked, shaking his head and glaring at Eevee. He hated it when female Pokémon did that. Pikachu turned to head back to Red, and failed to notice Eevee stand up, eyes unfocused. Eevee leapt at Pikachu, putting her remaining energy into a headbutt, which hit. Pikachu’s eyes glazed over and he fell to the ground, knocked unconscious. Eevee stumbled over to Blue as Red returned Pikachu. Eevee was quickly healed back to full health, and she turned, ready for the next fight. Red clenched the Pokéball, and threw it onto the field. A familiar blue turtle appeared, calling the name Blastoise. Eevee took one look at it and gave a small shudder, but prepared to fight the big Pokémon. Eevee would have to rely on her speed and swiftness if she was to win. Blue frowned, and gritted his teeth. Blastoise looked down at Eevee, weighing her evenly as she decided tried to bite into his leg. Her teeth barely made a mark, and he barely felt it. Eevee then tried to leap for his face, aiming for less armoured parts. Eventually she leapt up Blastoise’s back, and bit at the back of his neck. Blastoise grunted, and pulled Eevee away from his back, bringing her around to gaze at her. Blastoise seemed to be debating if he should attack. Eevee bit Blastoise’s finger, and landed on all feet as she was dropped. Climbing back up Blastoise, she tried to bite his neck again, dodging his hand as he made a grab for her. Blastoise growled, starting to get annoyed. Eevee was obviously outmatched, but she continued trying to defeat him. Eventually he managed to grab Eevee once more by the scruff, and glanced to Red. Red didn’t notice Blastoise looking at him, seeming to be focused on something at his feet. Blastoise turned back to Eevee, preparing to give it a very light jab. Blastoise paused as Eevee struck a pose, and suddenly realised he could hurt her. Blastoise wanted to take her on a moonlight swim. Walking toward the pool, he dived in, and hovered below the water’s surface, gazing at Eevee. Closing his eyes, he gave Eevee a gentle hug, failing to notice the panic in her eyes. “Red, call off Blastoise, I’ll give this round to you.” Blue glanced to Red, his eyes flicking to the two Pokémon with concern. He couldn’t use his Pokéball with Blastoise blocking his view of Eevee. Turning back to Red, his eyes narrowed as he saw Red wasn’t even paying attention. He quickly jogged over, his worry growing with every moment. “Red, call off Blastoise, return him. I give up this round, please hurry up.” Blue shook Red, who gazed up blankly at him. Blue pointed to the river, forcing Red to turn his head and look. “Seriously Red, call off Blastoise, this isn’t funny anymore.” Blue blinked in shock as Red merely shook his head, gazing morbidly at the water. Blue blinked at Red, horror on his face. Knowing he didn’t have much time, he formed a fist and swung it at Red with as much power as he could muster. Red fell to the ground, and blinked up at Blue. “I can’t believe you. Are you really so pathetic you can’t even call off your Pokémon when they get a little overzealous? Are you so blind that you can’t even see what you have right in front of you? Why are you so determined to pick black or white Red? Our world isn’t like that and you have got to stop beating yourself up over it. Not only does it make your Pokémon’s lives harder, but if affects everyone you meet! Your Pokémon are trying their hardest to protect you but who is going to protect them from themselves?!” Blue watched as Red’s mouth opened, seeing light shine in Red’s eyes as Red’s hand went to his bruised cheek. For a brief moment, it was almost as if they had been transported back in time. Back to a time when it had been Blue lying on the ground, shocked at Red’s harsh words. However, it was gone so fast, Blue could almost have sworn it had never happened. Blue turned away in disgust, throwing out his Dragonite, who quickly dived in the water, separating Blastoise and Eevee. Dragonite grasped Eevee in his claw and rocketed out of the water. Gently laying her down, Blue was relieved to see she was still breathing. Eevee coughed and spluttered, shivering and quaking in fright. Blue picked her up and gently wrapped his jacket around her, rubbing her back to help gat warmth back into her body. He walked towards the town, not even bothering to look at Red.