The Prince of Kanto

Yoake Katsuragi, a 13-year old boy from Kanto - specifically, Pallet City. His rise in prominence sparked a controversial debate amongst the commoners of his country; many support the boy's position as the country's new Pokemon Champion and others oppose such a motion. Those who supported argued that he would bring a renaissance in the competitive Pokemon scene as they found new hope at such a young age; the others defy this as he was very young, naive, as he would open opportunistic politicians and business tycoons to enter the Pokemon scenery. Either way, both sides of the spectrum's arguments are valid.

However, there is one collective agreement amongst the two; it was the fact that when he showed up in many battle tournaments, it was a sight to see.

"King, use Earthpower! Charizard, use Flare Blitz!"

His mighty Nidoking stomped the ground and caused a massive fissure to the arena, cracks started to form as if the ground was nothing more than a cheap glass waiting to be shattered. Magma oozes from the surface and flooded the battlefield with heat and pressure; a colossal tomb skyrocketed off from the soil and launched his opponent's Pokemon, making them vulnerable in mid-air; a position that Yoake seeks an advantage with. Charizard, in its Mega X form, charged and tackled the two opposing monsters and threw them at the silver walls of the arena; guaranteeing defeat for Yoake's challenger.

The referee whistled. "Challenger's Pokemon were defeated; Pokemon Champion, Yoake Katsuragi, won the battle."

Time and time again, these were the lines that Yoake heard every time he fought any challengers. For him, there was no challenge at all.

"I hate this." Yoake mumbled as he opened a fruit soda and drank it after the battle.

"What do you mean? This is the 10th battle you had for this week." said Claudine.

"I know, it's just getting boring lately. Like, it's the same old opponents trying to battle me, only for them to be beaten like a pulp." He said after drinking from his soda can.

"I get it, Kanto is the birthplace of Pokemon battles but the competition looks like that of Kalos; I expected better." He slandered.

Ever since he became the Champion of the country, he was entering into a worry state that Leaf and Claudine fear the most; he was getting cocky. Nobody knows when or how he got this attitude but for anyone who knew him on a personal level, he developed a God-complex. Without any challenger or an usurper, this boredom of his changed him. It was just a couple of months yet his attitude changed. He may be kind to strangers but the more you get closer to the boy, the facade he had fades away….

He only wants a challenge but his attitude says otherwise

On the eve of a new year, coincidentally, it was also Yoake and his twin sister's birthday. It was their 13th birthday, marking a new era and adventure to the two children as they enter puberty and adulthood.

However, instead of parties of joy, there was gloom. With the death of his parents and younger sister a few months ago, and the trauma he endured afterwards. He had achieved his dream of becoming the Pokemon Champion of his country but lost everything he deared. And what was left is his guardian, his pokemon, and the reconciliation with his kin.

While the festival of bountiful fireworks filled the sky, the world was covered in black and white for the boy still lingers to the event that transpired before. He was alone at his table, playing with his slice of cake with a fork; he looked down on it with a poker face. Leaf was busy entertaining the guests while Claudine was eating her 5th plate of Mash Potatoes.

The boy sighed as he continued to stare at the frosting of the brown and fruity chocolate cake.

"Mind if I sit here?" A voice breaks the self-imposed isolation and Yoake looks at the woman nearby, it was Karen, the Pokemon Champion before him, his father's childhood friend.

"Sure," said the boy.

Karen takes a seat and notices the face that he was radiating.

"You know, if you're sad in the first hour of the year, you'll frown for the rest of it." Karen stated.

"That's subjective. People can change in a week or month." Yoake argued.

"If that's the case then why not now?" Karen sighed and looked at the boy as she tried to comfort him.

"Look, we both know how devastating it was but we have to move on at some point. His death may be out of spite but avenging it would make things worse."

"Team Rocket." He muttered the perpetrators of his family's death.

"They're gone. This is Giovanni's doings."

"Then why doesn't he man himself and fight me! He's a coward!" Yoake slandered.

"No…" Karen shook her head. "He's not the coward, you are."

"If you let your emotions control you then you are becoming his pawn. He wants you to act and feel this way." Karen warned.

"I am not a coward! I can beat him, I have nothing to lose." For Yoake, it was an act of bravery but for Karen, it was an act of foolishness.

"Lose? Can you hear yourself right now? You have everything to lose. Leaf, Ren, and Claudine. Think about it for a second."

Karen sighed as she had enough arguing with the boy.

"You are not yet ready. You're still weak." She stated.

"I am ready. I can prove it to you. I can even be the Johto Champion if I needed to." Yoake's cockiness slowly raptured his thoughts and Karen took notice.

"You don't need to prove it to me. Besides, you are a fool if you think you can beat the Johto league. People take things very seriously there." She warned.

"No. I will do it. I shall show you."

Karen's hope for the boy diminished as soon she heard that line, his foolishness blinded him from the fact yet he kept on trying. She doesn't have the right to intervene him but she can watch the troubles he places upon himself.

"At this point, I regret not battling Ren." She said as she stood up and walked away from the so-called Prince of Kanto.

"Next week!" Yoake shouted.

Karen didn't bother to look at the boy as she headed towards Leaf's direcion.

"How did it go?" asked Leaf.

"Getting worse. Are you sure that he's the one?" Karen doubted.

"What choice do we have?" Leaf sighed. "How's Ren? Is she attending?"

"You know the girl, she's the busiest girl on Earth or the laziest slakoth in town." Karen commented

"Leaf, you should really leave Yoake to his own devices; If you want the kid to grow, leave him be." she suggestd.

"I overheard your conversation earlier; I'm worried." Leaf mumbled.

"I know. It'll be rough but we have to trust Lyra." said Karen. "Speaking of Lyra, any news from her?"

"Dead silent. I tried contacting the League but they too have no response from her."

"Oh my, where could she be?" Leaf stuttered.

"Well, if Lyra is going to be late. I have someone else as an alternative." Karen smirked.

Leaf was dumbfounded by Karen's statement, curious, she asked.

"And who?"

"Someone you're already familiar with." Karen answered.