Where it all begins

An: this is a very special chapter; this is chapter 200 of my first ever novel. This chapter is 3600 words long, my longest chapter to date. I really hope you enjoy it! Thank you to everyone for sticking with me so far as we witness Rex's journey. Many things are in store. I appreciate your patience. This is also an apology gift in advance since I might not be able to post consistently. Much love, Plug out!

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PA PA PA BABOOM!

Fireworks coated the sky in a blanket of colour.

Planes streaked across the open air leaving trails of coloured smoke, and hot air balloons littered the backdrop, like lost toys that had escaped the grip of their little owner's hands.

Beneath, a massive stadium stood, mighty and domineering, capable of comfortably holding hundreds of thousands at a time. uncountable amounts of seats lined the insurmountable walls and on the stage floating in the middle of the stadium, popular artists played famous songs, and dancers scattered on the floor like wild petals in the wind as they performed astonishingly mesmerising choreography.

Unst! Unst! Unst! Unst!

The ground trembled as the crowd bounced and raved to the beat, swallowed by the party-like atmosphere that was relentlessly assaulting their senses. Bombarding them with youthfulness, feeling free and full of vitality, a truly animalistic and raw experience.

From the hot air balloons, spectators were able to see people continuously swarming into the stadium like ants. Specks of black trailed down to the base of victory road.

On this road, an unsuspecting black motorcycle zoomed forward; a man in a black suit and helmet rode on top like a modern knight, with a mirrored visor and black gloves. His tie flew behind him with a small inconspicuous red rose adorning his breast pocket.

He was a blur as he sped past the innumerable amounts of people who were too busy immersing themselves in the festive atmosphere unique to the most anticipated event of the year to notice him.

That's right, the league had finally begun. An event that trumped any other in viewership. A staple of Pokémon culture, an event that shaped the minds of countless youths as they pursue fame and fortune, strength and influence.

This was where warriors were forged, a survival of the fittest, where only the best trainer emerges and obtains the opportunity to face the best of the best. the current guardians of the regions, the elite four and the champion.

This… was the Indigo Plateau.

***

VROOOOOOM

The sound of an untamed animal roared to a stop at a secluded parking spot dedicated specifically for VIP members. The league had provided this for him after some discussion. They were by no means happy with his previous actions, slightly resenting him at this point, but he would be providing them with more revenue. A small concession here was nothing.

A luxurious small villa came into focus. This was where he would be staying until the league was over. Rex took his time observing the facilities, nodding from time to time in satisfaction.

He made his way to the bedroom and directly to the mirror. He slowly took off the red rose and placed it in his pocket. He readjusted his tie, put on some cologne and waltzed out the door with light steps in the direction of the registration centre.

The Pokémon village was different to what it was in the anime as far as he remembered.

As he walked down the smooth limestone footpath, framed with jade green grass at the sides, it gave him a futuristically polished feel.

The villas were all very well built, with very aesthetic modern designs. Clearly, the architect focused on the visual appeal when creating them.

It appeared that the housing was built on the side of an adjacent mountain, and the winding trail led to the base of the valley where the stadium was. Surrounding it though, were innumerable stalls full of food and hosted vast activities. Like a massive carnival, it was never-ending.

Rex felt dizzy just trying to take it all in. there were too many people. The smell of cotton candy, hotdogs and smoke smothered his nose. The sound of indistinguishable but numerous voices around him drowned and confused him. The air felt dense as if he was being compressed merely by the number of people in one place. Yet there was order, nobody was pushing, and everyone was respectful. It was a sort of peaceful chaos.

He spent the next hour, simply enjoying the many cultural delicacies that he didn't see at the previous carnival. At some point, however, he found himself in front of the registration area. It was swarmed by reporters and trainers.

The difference between this place and all the others was palpable.

Trainers exuded a different kind of aura; no matter how weak most of them might be compared to him, they had all passed at least 8 gyms and proved their worth as capable combatants. That in and of itself is an achievement to be proud of. They all had their own stories; they all went through their fair share of hardship and struggle in order to stand here. He by no means looked down on these people, instead respecting their hard work and dedication to the profession.

They were all dressed differently, some in tight-fitting convenient clothing meant for long-distance travel, some in more fashionable clothing and many other styles.

But there was something that caught his eye.

There were several people wearing a black suit like himself, but with one small difference. They all had a small red rose in their breast pocket.

Rex was slightly stunned for a moment before chuckling to himself in amusement. It seems his video had generated quite the stir. He was sure he would gain fans, but to have them dress like him was still beyond his expectations.

Some of them who were slightly stronger than the average and gave off some sense of mysteriousness were being interviewed. As he walked by them he couldn't help by listen in.

"So, you're saying you are the mysterious dark horse who created the music video and is said to be the person to beat in this league?" the interview asked with a fake smile.

Rex could tell the person didn't believe it at all but entertained the pretender anyway. Yet, he was more curious about why this guy was so confident in his judgement.

"That's right! My name is Cheeko, the best trainer of all. You wait and see; all these cannon fodder will not survive a single hit from my Pokémon. Not one, I tell you!" The man with a buzz cut said while pointing at his chest with his thumb, proudly laughing as he did so.

The interview's lips twitched slightly. He sighed internally and quickly wrapped up the farce of an interview.

As he watched Cheeko walk away in wide and clumsy steps he sighed again. But from the corner of his eye, he spotted a man with white hair looking over at him.

The interviewer was surprised for a moment. His many years on the job allowed him to develop a knack for this sort of thing. Or so he liked to think, others would disagree with him based on his track record. Yet they were too lazy to do anything about it. He thought that he might get lucky and unmask the dark horse before anyone else, becoming famous in that person's wake.

Looking at Rex, he felt that there was something special about him.

Rex, noticing he was spotted and quickly spun on his heels in an attempt to leave. Yet he didn't get far before someone tapped him on the shoulder.

He hung his head down in defeat. Him and his stupid curiosity.

"Hello, my name is John Steward; I was wondering if I could interview you." He asked as raised his black foam-coated microphone to Rex as he snapped his fingers to the cameraman, signalling for him to come over.

Rex squinted momentarily before nodding.

"Yeah sure."

"Perfect, first introduce yourself, what is your name, are you competing in the league? And if so, what is your goal." John bombarded suddenly.

"My name is Rex Pierce; I am indeed competing in the league. And like every person here, I hope to win the whole enchilada."

"En-enchilada? What is that?" John asked with a confused expression.

Rex's lips twitched.

"I hope to win the whole thing is what I mean." He rephrased with an awkward smile.

"Ahh, I get it. Looking at you now, are you perhaps imitating the famous red rose?" John asked with sparkling eyes. Clearly, he was a massive fan.

Rex quirked an eyebrow questioningly, "Red… rose?" He repeated in confusion

John was also surprised and nodded quickly, "that is what they call… you… due to the red rose you wear. But seeing it now, you seem to be missing his signature rose." He said, pausing when addressing Red rose since he was supposedly interviewing someone who might be him.

Rex understood and nodded, "Yeah, Nah, not really a fan, but I am interested in battling against him."

John squinted slightly and gave Rex another once over, "If you don't mind sharing, what is your battle strategy? Or are you thinking of winging it?"

Rex smiled, "I think I'll go with the flow, but winning will not be difficult at all."

John gave a friendly smile but didn't take Rex's words seriously. After all, everyone was here for the same thing, and he had already heard that same sentence over a dozen times.

John shook his head slightly in disappointment, it seemed that he would gain nothing more from this person.

"Ah… Right, thank you for your time. Good luck in your matches then." John said quickly before snapping his fingers at the cameraman again and dashing off to interview more people.

Rex simply stared at his back as a cheeky smile spread across his face.

"He clearly doesn't take me seriously. Can't blame him in all honesty. But I wonder what his reaction will be." He mumbled to himself.

All the while playing with the red rose in his left pocket.

{HA! The kid's going to want to swallow his microphone when he finds out I reckon!} Mordred's voice suddenly sounded in Rex's head as a pair of eyes and a set of pearly white teeth appeared in his shadow inconspicuously.

"Haha! Maybe- maybe. But that kid with the buzz cut, what did he say again… Ah, take out his opponent's Pokémon in one move. What a fun idea…" Rex mumbled with a relaxed expression as if he was not even affected by the infection and erratic emotions around him.

***

"Sis! Sis! I haven't been to the league in a while, this place is massive!" Monica said as she skipped around in the massive hallway devoid of people with only a dozen paintings lining the walls, each with a man or woman standing alongside a full team of Pokémon. Many variations were present, but one thing each of them had in common was that they were all champions.

A tall, slender, beautiful woman calmly followed the twins as they danced on the red carpet while observing the paintings with slight interest. A bewitching smile on her face as she did so. Her shoes let out muffled *clack* noise, her hips swayed, and her hair flowed.

"It is indeed, be careful about not hitting the paintings, they are special pieces. Irreplaceable." She said slowly.

"Do you think big brother Rex can have his painting here after this year?" Jessica asked suddenly.

Elesa shrugged in response as she arrived at the most recent painting. There, a young man stood with a Blastoise beside him that stood at a whopping 4 meters tall, a menacing grin on his face, powerful arms, and pillar-like legs.

Yet she was one of the lucky ones to know that the painting was altered in order to hide a shocking secret. A memory of Rex's Machamp came to mind.

She stood there silently, gazing at the painting before a grin slowly spread across her face. A sparkle of brilliance exploded out of her eyes momentarily.

"His final opponent is not someone ordinary. They call him the immortal bastion. The unshakable beast of Kanto, the monster in the shallows. He has only ever lost once, to a man so strong that the skies cried, the oceans wept, and the earth sobbed." Elesa said, her tone becoming increasingly solemn.

Monica's eyes shone brilliantly, "What's his name?"

Elesa smiled as she turned to her younger sister.

"We do not speak his name, for it is very special. He can hear the innocent in their time of need from hundreds of thousands of miles away when they cry out his name, and he flies down on a dragon made of flame. Legend says his home is on the moon, and that he overlooks the earth as its protector. Everyone simply calls him 'One'."

There was a long bout of silence afterwards.

"That is too hard to believe, living on the moon? Sis, that cannot be true. Rex is already overpowered; his Arcanine and Machamp are already too strong to fathom. You're saying there is someone beyond that?" Jessica said with extreme scepticism.

Elesa chuckled, "Maybe, anything is possible, but Rex is also someone with unfathomable might. He might even be stronger…"

"My-my-my, just arrived and already badmouthing people." said a playful deep male voice.

Elesa jolted and turned around in the direction of the sound.

There, a man stood, wearing blue and orange with a black cape. His spikey red hair made him extremely conspicuous.

"Uncle Lance!" She yelled, sprinting in his direction and launching herself at him with her arms spread wide like a child dashing toward their parent.

Lance spread out his arms and embraced the young girl in a tight hug. He lifted her up and spun a few times, letting out deep chuckles full of tenderness as he did so.

Composing herself, Elesa let go and stared at the older man with a wide smile.

"Uncle Lance! I haven't seen you in a while. How have you bee-"

BAM!

The side of a hand struck the top of Elesa's head sternly.

"I told you to stop calling me that! I'm 27 this year, not God damn 40! No respect!" He barked angrily, a tight frown on his face.

Elesa rubbed her head with tears in her eyes, a puppy-like expression present.

Upon seeing that look, Lance's face began to completely twitch as his frosty exterior melted. How could he stay angry at this girl? It was frustrating.

Noticing that her ploy was a success she instantly brightened up, with no signs of her previous tears anywhere. The change caused Lance to release a tired sigh.

"Learn your lesson! Now, don't change the subject; you cannot fathom the power of One, don't compare him to some brat still wet behind the ears. It's inappropriate and very rude." He scolded seriously.

Elesa's smile faded as she stared at Lance.

She stepped towards him slowly and quietly. That atmosphere got colder and colder, her gaze frosty and sharp.

"There are two kinds of people in this world. Those who are weak, and those who are strong. That 'brat' as you call him, has transcended the realm of simply 'strong'. You have no idea what he Is capable of Uncle. Watch yourself, or you will be crushed before you can even regret it. He will be the champion; it is not a possibility, but an eventuality. Comparing 'One' to Rex is already a compliment to the former." She said with complete confidence.

Lance stood there silently, listening. He simply stared into her eyes as she talked. He could tell she meant every word, and he knew that if he was to insult this kid further, she would probably explode on him. He had been with her since she was born; he knew her better than she knew herself. Yet what he couldn't understand was what could make her act like this. His interest in the kid was slightly elevated. Yet it was far from enough to make him take the brat seriously.

Elesa also knew this, so she didn't push further and instead walked past him without looking in his direction again.

"You will face him, and when you do, you will understand what total oppression is. You have been warned."

She left those parting words and exited the hallway.

Lance didn't really bother listening seriously, he registered her words, but she was still too weak for her words to hold any weight.

He ran his fingers through his hair while exhaling a sigh.

"kid's these days." He commented.

A shadow stood still behind a nearby corner. Unmoving as they listened. Their sharp eyes flashed with a tinge of interest that disappeared as fast as it had arrived.

***

By now, the stadium was completely filled. People were even standing outside, looking on from the massive screens on the side of the building.

The music was getting progressively louder.

A series of claps rang out, increasing in pace alongside the deep thump of the drums. The electric guitar was smashing out a score, and the snare was buzzing continuously. The enchanting and ethereal tone of a female artist hit the hearts of everyone present.

As the song ended, spotlights lit up suddenly, projecting their light onto the stage. Fog began to accumulate as the dancers and artists disappeared within. The soft echo of a heartbeat was the only sound being heard.

The vibrations alone made the chairs in the stadium rattle. Trumpets exploded alongside a steady drum beat, and with it, a violin played a slow but escalating piece.

"What does it mean to be a trainer?" an electronic voice was heard, startling the listeners. It was eerie and solemn, yet it couldn't hinder the bubbling excitement in the audience. In fact, the opposite happened.

"Trainers are the backbone of our culture. But who represents this group of exalted people? Some think that it is only those who are capable of entering the league. Some think it is only those who have made a name for themselves. dozens of similar yet different trains of thought just like those exist.

Yet, they are all wrong! The moment you picked up your first Pokeball, the moment you first fought alongside your Pokémon, the moment you lost your first fight, the moment you won your first battle, the moment you shared your first meal, the moment you shed our first drop of blood together. They all make us trainers. WE! Are all trainers; we all share a bond with our Pokémon.

Today, we pay our respects to our partners, our friends, and our family. Pokémon are the reason we have what we have today, and we must learn to cherish their companionship now and forever.

Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the annual and most esteemed event of the year. The Indigo Plateau, where dreams become a reality. Let us welcome our host, a member of the elite four, dawning the title of Dragon master, the guardian we all cherish and respect, the one, the only, LANCE~~!!!!"

PA! PA! PA! PA!

Fireworks drowned the sky in blue and orange that quickly took the form of a dragon made of fire.

The smoke parted to reveal a tall man with red hair, and a brilliant smile on his face as he waved enthusiastically at the audience.

"Welcome! I am honoured to host this year's league tournament.

TODAY! is the start of the yearly competition, one that will once again crown an undisputed champion who will gain the opportunity to challenge the elite four and beyond.

TODAY! We come together as people of our region, to support our brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, daughters and sons as they tackle the mightiest of challenges.

TODAY! We support them with our roaring cheers, our thunderous applause, and our inextinguishable passion.

TODAY! We witness struggle… sorrow… happiness… joy…anger. We accompany these brave contestants as they strive to make history. As they scale the mountain of adversity.

TODAY! Under the light of the blazing sun, we witness the future!" Lance yelled passionately, spreading his arms wide. His neck was red, and his veins bulged with a fiery passion.

BOOM!

Deafening applause threatened to destroy the stadium as the audience cheered until their throats turned hoarse.

A cacophony of chants was bellowed out in a stunning show of human and Pokémon passion.

Rex stood amongst the audience, silent and still like a stone. He watched this single moment of perfection, where everyone put down their differences, and came together for the sole purpose of cheering on their fellow humans and Pokémon.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

Tears streamed down his face and onto the ground, startling him.

Memories of war, the horror and tragedies it brought and the sadness it caused. All to catch a momentary and fleeting glimpse of what he had the privilege of currently witnessing.

A peaceful smile made its way to his lips.

"Contestants, the stage is yours!" Lance yelled, drawing everyone's attention back to him again.

"SHOW US the fire that dwells within you!

SHOW US the hardship you have gone through to stand here today!

SHOW US the might of a trainer worthy of representing the future of humans and Pokémon!

GIVE US a battle worthy of our passion! I Lance, leader of the elite four, officially announce the beginning of the-!!" He shouted briefly before being cut off.

FWOOOSHHH

A massive flame shot into the sky, blue in colour.

SCREEEEEEEEEE

The cry of a bird sounded within as the fire coalesced into the shape of Moltres, which flapped slowly in place radiating a mighty aura. Everyone including Lance was surprised.

Yet, Lance being the experienced man that he was, instantly composed himself and took hold of the opportunity.

"GO! Take charge of your own destiny; the fire of Moltres burns within you, don't let down those whose hopes you carry on your shoulders. INDIGO PLATEAU START~~!!!

***

November 25th, year 200, the tournament that laid the foundation for the strongest trainer to ever live, has finally commenced.

Journal entry completed.

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An: Picture of Lance in the comments alongside pics of the stadium. Enjoy and leave a comment telling me what you think.