PSEUDO steps through the doors. They close behind him.

The room is pitch-black.

PSEUDO: (wary)… Gary?

A spotlight suddenly switches on, illuminating somebody standing some thirty meters away, their back to PSEUDO.

GARY: Well, well!

GARY turns to PSEUDO, smiling a disgustingly smug smile.

GARY: I was looking forward to seeing you, Pseudo!

PSEUDO: (his voice dripping with disdain) GARY.

GARY: My rival should be strong to keep me sharp. While workin’ on my Pokedex, I looked ALL OVER for Pokemon! As a result…

GARY gestures to the Pokeballs on his belt.

GARY: - I’ve assembled a team that would beat any Pokemon Type!

PSEUDO glares, listening to GARY’s speech with a simmering rage.

GARY: Now… I’m the Pokemon League Champion! Do you know what that MEANS, Pseudo? I am the most powerful Trainer in the world! Right where you wanted to be! Well guess what, Pseudo? I got here first!

PSEUDO: Oh my god shut up you self-obsessed whinge!

PSEUDO’s annoyance comes out in a frustrated yell.

PSEUDO: Well done, you did it, congratulations on being a total fuck.

GARY: Reel in that jealousy, Pseudo, you don’t want it getting you in trouble.

PSEUDO: Reel in the fucking attitude, Gary, now why the hell are the lights off?

GARY gestures around at the darkened room.

GARY: (with mock dismissal) Oh, no reason. Just so that the big reveal… is big and revealing!

The ceiling suddenly opens up. Light floods the room - sunlight. PSEUDO covers his eyes, suddenly blinded. As the ceiling folds away entirely a great uproar is heard. PSEUDO looks up to see the room was never a room - PSEUDO and GARY are standing on either side of an outdoor arena, the stands filled with spectators. The camera crews from the waiting room are lined up around the arena, trained on the participants. PSEUDO glares at GARY.

PSEUDO: Really? An arena?

GARY: With cameras and everything. As soon as the media heard someone was taking on the Champ, they just had to get in on it.

PSEUDO: Yeah, figured that one out for myself you ass.

In Pallet Town, PSEUDO’s MUM watches her television with OAK.

GARY: Our battle with be broadcasted around the country, for everyone to see!

In Lavender Town, MR FUJI and his associates are glued to their TV.

GARY: Think of it, Pseudo. Imagine it.

Cinnabar Island Gym. BLAINE watches his TV, a suitcase resting by the door.

GARY: Thousands of people, watching our final battle…

In a small house on the outskirts of a very unsafe Kanto neighborhood, a worn GIOVANNI watches a small portable TV.

GARY: … watching me defeat you! Your ultimate public humiliation!

All around Kanto, people watch the event unfold. A pack of teenagers at a sleepover. A small crowd of people in a television store. Two little girls in their living room.

GARY stands dramatically in the arena, every camera pointed at him.

GARY: The moment where the true Pokemon Master is crowned, when my dreams overtake yours once and for all.

GARY looks at PSEUDO, still smirking.

GARY: Are you ready, Pseudo? Are you ready for me to beat you to the ground?

The crowd ‘ooh’s and mutters among themselves, waiting for the reply. PSEUDO stares at GARY.

Many years ago, PSEUDO and GARY played together. They would race, they would tell stories, they would pretend to fight.

PSEUDO looks at GARY, the mean-spirited bully before him.

Some years ago, GARY would terrorize PSEUDO. He would tease and ridicule him, and PSEUDO would take it.

PSEUDO’s eyes narrow and he smirks. The GARY PSEUDO knew is gone… but so is the PSEUDO GARY knew.

PSEUDO: Yeah, Gary. I’m ready.

Some people in the crowd cheer. The cameras divide their attention between GARY and PSEUDO.

GARY: Then let’s end this once and for-

PSEUDO: Oh, and by the way-!

GARY sees PSEUDO holding something above his head - a Town Map.

PSEUDO: I’ve had your other map this whole time.

GARY: (enraged) What!? Daisy, I told you-

PSEUDO takes a Pokeball and holds it in the air.

PSEUDO: Show me what you’ve got, dick!

GARY: It’s on, loser!

PSEUDO and GARY throw our their Pokeballs - the crowd goes wild.

Final Round: Pokemon League Championship - PSEUDO VS GARY

FIGHT!

PSEUDO releases ROD, GARY releases his PIDGEOT.

PSEUDO: Rod! Hyper Fang!

ROD leaps into the air and gets PIDGEOT with a Hyper Fang to the wing. It flinches mid-air, letting ROD land another one - PIDGEOT is almost at zero HP.

PSEUDO: End it!

ROD tries to hit it with a Quick Attack - but GARY uses a Full Restore. Some members of the crowd don’t like that.

GARY: Featherdance!

PIDGEOT swoops above ROD, padding him with feathers and lowering his Attack.

PSEUDO: Dammit, his Attack’s all he’s got-!

PSEUDO returns ROD and throws out another Pokeball.

PSEUDO: Warp! Psychic!

WARP lands on the battlefiedl and flicks his fingers. PIDGEOT is hit with a psychic wave and falls to the ground - KO!

GARY: No!

In Lavender Town, FUJI and his friends cheer.

FUJI: Go, Pseudo!

GARY throws out his next Pokemon - a GYARADOS. WARP switches out for VERNE.

PSEUDO: Verne, Giga Drain!

VERNE’s flower drains a sizeable amount of GYARADOS’ HP. It responds by blasting VERNE with Hydro Pump. The crowd gasps… but VERNE withstands it.

VERNE: Stop spitting in my face!

VERNE sends out a flurry of Razor Leaves. GYARADOS lashes out with a Bite but VERNE avoids it.

In their living room, the two little girls cheer.

GIRL 1: Go, Veeny-saur!

GIRL 2: Don’t let the mean boy win!

VERNE dodges once more and uses Vine Whip - finally taking the GYARADOS down with a well-timed attack. KO!

GARY: Gyaaagh! How are you doing this!?

He throws out another.

GARY: Go, Alakazam!

PSEUDO: Go, Jason!

VERNE and JASON switch out. JASON leaps at ALAKAZAM and Bites - damaging but not defeating it.

ALAKAZAM’s gem gleams as it uses a move - Future Sight. JASON uses the opening to Bite it again, but not before it completed the attack - KO!

GARY: Hah! That’ll come back for 'ya!

GARY sends out RHYHORN.

JASON returns and CECIL emerges.

PSEUDO: Cecil! Take him down!

CECIL: Hope you learned Swim!

A surge of water carries CECIL up, circling the arena. RHYHORN is hit with one, two - three crashing waves. CECIL settles back in front of PSEUDO as RHYHORN falls to the ground. KO!

More cheering from the crowd. In the television store, customers are also celebrating Even employees are excited.

GARY: Rrragh! Exeggutor, go!

GARY throws out his EXEGGUTOR. PSEUDO thinks fast.

PSEUDO: (to himself) Crap - I have to switch for Jason, but that Future Sight’s about to come down…

PSEUDO throws out a Pokeball.

PSEUDO: Hope he can take it-!

CECIL switches out for JASON. As JASON emerges onto the battlefield, a surge of Psychic energy barrages him. He lands, crumpled.

PSEUDO: Jason-?

JASON: I’m okay!

JASON recovers immediately, already sprinting at EXEGGUTOR.

PSEUDO: Then Overheat!

JASON lets out a battle cry. His eyes burn, his fur is engulfed in flames. EXEGGUTOR, panicked, tries to dodge, but JASON shoots into it like a fireball - exploding with a huge firey force.

JASON, exhausted, lands as EXEGGUTOR falls. KO!

The slumber partying teenagers cheer, sending pillows and junk food flying everywhere.

PSEUDO: Wooh! Go, Jason!

JASON: (tired as hell) Hehe… yeah!

In his gym, BLAINE chuckles.

BLAINE: Excellent! Good ol’ Overheat!

GARY grits his teeth. He hears the crowd cheering for PSEUDO. He takes out his last Pokeball.

GARY: Then here we go… Charizard!

GARY throws the ball into the air. CHARIZARD is released and lands heavily on the battlefield. He sends an intimidating blast of fire into the air, surprising the crowd.

VERNE emerges from his Pokeball, unprompted. He takes a step forward, in front of PSEUDO, staring intently at CHARIZARD.

PSEUDO: You ready?

VERNE doesn’t answer. He’s too distracted. JASON hurries back to PSEUDO and stands behind him, watching. ROD, CECIL and WARP leave their Pokeballs and stand with him, all eyes on VERNE.

The crowd quiets. VERNE and CHARIZARD glare at each other, the antagonistic tension already at a high.

PSEUDO’s MUM: Oh, my…

OAK: This is interesting…

CHARIZARD lets out a laugh.

CHARIZARD: Well, hey there, Bulbasaur - or should I say Venusaur, now?

VERNE: It’s Verne, Charizard.

CHARIZARD: Oh, big whoop! Are you really that much of a pansy, Venusaur? Running around the country with that guy, letting yourself and all those other poor idiots get saddled with ridiculous names!

CHARIZARD spreads his wings dramatically.

CHARIZARD: Look at me! I get called ’Charizard’! How cool is that? Can you imagine anyone taking me seriously if I got called “Blaze” or “Bernie”?

VERNE: Pseudo is my friend, Charizard! What’s Gary to you?

CHARIZARD: Gary’s my master, that’s all he’s supposed to be! You think that loser’s any different?

CHARIZARD cracks his knuckles.

CHARIZARD: They use us to fight each other, Venusaur. So for once, come over and fight me.

VERNE: Oh, I’ll fight. But not because I’m being told to.

CHARIZARD: No?

VERNE: No. We’ve been through a lot, Charizard, more than you ever will - and if there’s one thing we learned from it all, it’s that nobody can tell you what to do. Not criminal overlords, not psychic masterminds and especially not childhood bullies.

GARY: What the hell are you talking about?

PSEUDO: (angry) Not your conversation, Gary!

VERNE: That’s all he is, you know - all that boy’s done, all you’ve done is push Pseudo around, all of us around, acting like big shots when you’re nothing more than a pair of bullies.

CHARIZARD: (sarcastically) Oh, so nobody can tell you what to do, okay - and you’re still gonna do what he wants?

VERNE: Yes! Because it’s not about having to do it, it’s wanting to do it! I want us to be the Pokemon Champions, I want to help Pseudo win! And I want to defeat you, Charizard, for everything you and Gary and everybody else has done against us!

The crowd watches with bated breath, knowing the tension has to break any second-!

CHARIZARD: You want to fight me… for them?

CHARIZARD laughs again, gesturing to PSEUDO and his team.

CHARIZARD: Now why the hell would you want to do that?

VERNE: Because I love them!

VERNE’s eyes flash green. His flower pulses, swelling as the colours flash deeper. The crowd cheers for his pseudo-evolution.

CHARIZARD breathes fire.

CHARIZARD: Master… my orders?

GARY: Fire Blast!

CHARIZARD sends out a burst of flames. VERNE starts running, dodging the fire. He tries to get close enough to CHARIZARD to attack, evading as many of his attacks as he can.

GARY: (laughing) Nice start, Pseudo - running away?

GARY laughs. CHARIZARD heads for VERNE, closing the distance. VERNE’s flower opens and he uses Giga Drain - taking some HP, but not much.

CECIL: Come on, Verne, you got this.

VERNE matches CHARIZARD’s speed and they collide - CHARIZARD tries to punch VERNE but is caught with a tackle. CHARIZARD tries to push VERNE off but VERNE tries to wrestle CHARIZARD’s grip back down, resorting to headbutting him.

GARY: (cruelly) Hey Pseudo, mind stopping your Pokemon from getting with mine?

ROD: God, what a douchebag.

CECIL: Ignore him, Pseudo.

PSEUDO grits his teeth.

PSEUDO: You got this, Verne, you’re stronger!

CHARIZARD uses its legs and scratches up VERNE’s underside. In VERNE’s moment of shocked pain, CHARIZARD kicks him off. VERNE uses Vine Whip to smack CHARIZARD away while regaining his balance.

GARY: (in mock disgust) Ew - tentacle shit, Pseudo?

PSEUDO: Shut up, Gary, you fucking dishrag-

GARY: Glad I put off letting my Charizard near your faggy Venusaur so long!

PSEUDO’s widen. The crowd, audiences and team all gasp.

PSEUDO’s mind races. GARY tripping him when they’d race as kids. GARY acting as disgusted as possible whenever he was near. GARY turning their schoolmates against him. That word. That word from GARY’s mouth, that simple fact that ruin lives and end relationships, that fact that showed the world who GARY really was.

PSEUDO: That… is… it!

PSEUDO breaks into a sprint across the battlefield.

WARP: Pseudo!

JASON: Wait!

PSEUDO is halfway across the arena. CHARIZARD leaps at VERNE, breathing fire. VERNE tackles him away, soaring through the air - PSEUDO ducks, narrowly avoiding them. People in the crowd are yelling but PSEUDO can’t hear them. GARY, shocked, nearly runs.

PSEUDO takes a swing at GARY’s face, which GARY manages to evade. PSEUDO tries for another but GARY, his rage awakened, blocks it.

WARP: Oh, my god.

CECIL: We have to do something!

ROD: Hell, no - get him, Pseudo!

GARY grabs PSEUDO by the shoulder, intending to throw him to the ground, but PSEUDO gives him a knee to the stomach. GARY chokes - but shoves PSEUDO back away.

MUM: (horrified) Oh my god! Somebody stop them!

OAK: (unconvinced) Oh, yeah, stop the fighting…

Two little girls in their living room are on their feet.

GIRL 2: Kick him, kick him!

GIRL 1: Get him in the face!

GIRLS’ MOTHER: Girls! What are you watching!?

VERNE kicks CHARIZARD away just as CHARIZARD tries to punch him away. They both fall backwards.

GARY kicks PSEUDO in the stomach but PSEUDO grabs his ankle and twists it around. GARY, now turned around, flails his leg about - getting PSEUDO in the chin. PSEUDO falls back, giving GARY time to turn back around and shove PSEUDO again.

VERNE uses Giga Drain, regaining some health. CHARIZARD leaps into the air, taking flight - he uses Aerial Ace and severs a petal off VERNE’s flower.

VERNE sees CHARIZARD come back for him. He starts to run, dodging the fireballs CHARIZARD is raining down from above.

VERNE: Shit, shit, shit, shit-

JASON: Keep moving, Verne!

CHARIZARD laughs as he toys with VERNE, leading him around the arena. One of his fireballs hits VERNE in the back and he cries out.

PSEUDO: Verne-!

In his distraction, PSEUDO leaves a wide opening for GARY to punch him straight in the face. The crowd gasps.

CECIL: Verne!

WARP: Verne!

VERNE is hurt. CHARIZARD dives into him, tackling him from above.

ROD: Shit-!

GARY hits PSEUDO one more time, then pushes him to the ground.

GARY: Hah! You’re such a pansy, what the hell even was that?

CHARIZARD lands majestically opposite VERNE.

CHARIZARD: Any last words, Venusaur?

GARY: Gonna try again, loser?

VERNE’s eyes burn green. PSEUDO pulls himself to his feet.

VERNE: My name…

PSEUDO: My name-

VERNE: Is VERNE!

PSEUDO: Is PSEUDO!

VERNE stands. PSEUDO rushes. VERNE’s body flashes and glows green. PSEUDO’s adrenalin spikes.

Memories flash through.

PSEUDO and VERNE meeting ROD as a RATTATA.

Tagging our for BELLE.

DIANA levelling up.

JASON evolving.

Catching CECIL. Training SIMON. Boxing CHRIS.

Fighting MEWTWO. Defeating the Legendary Birds.

HUDSON. SHADE. The DOUGs.

ORBIT.

PSEUDO slams into GARY, clotheslining his lower body. PSEUDO shoves GARY clear over his shoulder, flipping him completely over.

OAK: WHAT?

MUM: Did Pseudo just flip him?

ROD: YES! Yes, yes, YES!

WARP: Good lord-!

GARY hits the ground like a sack of bricks, the wind knocked out of him. He splutters for a moment.

PSEUDO: And stay down, you cranky little cunt!

GIRLS: Yaay Pseudo!

MOTHER: Aha! Little terror got just what he deserved!

FUJI: What’s Verne doing?

VERNE’s eyes are closed. CHARIZARD opens his mouth to deliver a final fireball. PSEUDO, WARP, CECIL, JASON and ROD watch, terrified.

BLAINE: Come on, Verne-!

TEENAGERS: Come on, Verne!

CUSTOMERS/EMPLOYEES: Come on, Verne!

CROWD: GO VERNE!

GIOVANNI: Holy balls, this is exciting-

VERNE’s eyes open.

VERNE all but explodes with green light, every inch of him glowing. He lets out a roar as his energy spikes - VERNE used Return!

Bursts of light shoot out from VERNE’s flower, spiralling around the field and homing directly into CHARIZARD, who’s fireball is extinguished in mid-air. CHARIZARD is pelted with a barrage of green missiles, roaring in pain and rage.

VERNE sprints at CHARIZARD, the light shining brighter by the second. As his tackle is about to make contact, the light explodes from his entire body.

Return’s explosion rocks the battlefield. The shockwave is felt by the spectators. A cloud of dust and rubble obscures them entirely. PSEUDO steps towards the cloud, bruised and hurt.

PSEUDO: … Verne?

The crowd is silent. WARP, CECIL, JASON and ROD stare. Everybody watches the cloud begin to settle. Spectators and TV audiences alike sit on the edge of their seats. PSEUDO feels a lump in his throat.

The dust clears… revealing VERNE standing upright, the defeated form of CHARIZARD before him! A Critical Hit!

PSEUDO: Verne!

The crowd explodes into cheering. PSEUDO runs to VERNE and hugs him. VERNE lets out a victory roar.

Pseudo wins!

Two little girls run around their living room screaming in excitement. Their mother stands in the middle, arms above her head. A group of teenagers are chanting PSEUDO’s name, as well as every other member of his team they can remember. A television store erupts into applause and GIOVANNI celebrates as loudly as he dares without being heard.

MUM: Pseudo, you absolute legend!

BLAINE, laughing in celebration, picks up his suitcase. He makes sure he has a particularly special Pokeball on his person before exiting the gym.

WARP, CECIL, JASON and ROD run to PSEUDO and VERNE, screaming their praises and excitement. GARY gets to his feet and sees the aftermath of VERNE’s devastation.

GARY: No… no! No! That can’t be!

GARY heads for PSEUDO, yelling.

GARY: You! You beat me at my best! After all that work to become the Champ, and you- you… my reign is over already?

PSEUDO isn’t even listening. He and his team are too busy celebrating.

ROD: That was insane, Verne!

CECIL: I can’t believe- I can’t believe!

JASON: That was so incredibly cool-

WARP: Fantastic! Utterly, absolutely fantastic!

PSEUDO: You did it, Verne, you did it!

VERNE: (ecstatic) We did it! We did it!

They cheer again, piling onto each other in a mess of celebratory excitement. GARY watches, defeated.

GARY: It’s not fair…! Why, why did I lose? To you, to… that? I never made any mistakes raising my Pokemon, I did everything perfectly!

???: Hardly, Gary.

Everybody looks to the entrance - Professor OAK is approaching.

PSEUDO: Oak!

GARY: Gramps!?

OAK: Gary, I am very disappointed in you! I was so proud when I heard you had defeated the Elite Four, that you were the League Champion… for about a second.

GARY: What?

OAK: Please, I know you better than anyone, I knew there was no way you earned this kind of thing without abusing something. Turns out that 'something’ was 'everyone around you’.

GARY: Hey-

OAK: Especially Pseudo and his Pokemon!

GARY: The point is I was the-

OAK: How do you think I felt being related to a kid who started a fistfight on national television?

GARY: I didn’t start it, Pseudo is the one who-

OAK: Oh, yeah, you baited his temper until he lashed out but he’s totally at fault here - where the hell did you learn language like that, even I’m not that kind of asshole, and I’m from the bigot generation! I don’t think a single person here doubts that you deserve every bruise he gave you.

GARY looks out to the crowd, every member of which glaring at him disapprovingly.

OAK: Gary, do you understand why you lost? In both battles? You have forgotten to treat your Pokemon - and your fellow man - with respect, love and trust.

GARY: Hey, I treat my Pokemon just fine, I don’t-

OAK: That’s not enough, Gary. It’s not just Pokemon that you needed to truly become a Champion.

GARY stops. He looks around, then back to PSEUDO.

OAK: Gary, you’ll never be the champ again without some serious growing up.

OAK turns away from GARY, speaking to PSEUDO.

OAK: Now, Pseudo… you’ve won! Sincerely, congratulations - you’re the new Pokemon League Champion!

The crowd cheers for PSEUDO and his team. He smiles, almost overwhelmed by the praise and attention.

OAK: You’ve grown up so much since you first left with Verne to work on the Pokedex.

PSEUDO: (guilty) Oh… yeah, I gotta be honest, Oak, I never cared about the whole Pokedex-gathering thing.

OAK: … oh. Well. Still! Pseudo, you have come of age! I’m so proud of you and your team. The bond you share with them is marvelous.

ROD and VERNE nudge PSEUDO. JASON nudges CECIL on one side and WARP on the other.

OAK: If you’ll please follow me, we’ll make your status official.

OAK leads PSEUDO and his team to the other side of the arena. PSEUDO leaves the cheering crowds as he enters another door. It closes behind him, leaving GARY behind.

They walk down a sleek hallway lined with gold and chrome. PSEUDO and his team marvel at how polished and shiny everything is. On the walls, digital portraits of trainers and teams of Pokemon are hung up, alternating between displaying portraits and statistics.

OAK: This is the Pokemon Hall of Fame. Pokemon League Champions are honored for their exploits here. Their Pokemon are also recorded in the Hall of Fame.

At the end of the hallway, OAK has PSEUDO stand before a Pokeball-scanning machine.

OAK: Pseudo! You have worked hard to become the new League Champion - you and your Pokemon are Hall of Fame-ers!

OAK gestures to the machine. PSEUDO’s team return to their Pokeballs, but PSEUDO hesitates. He takes each Pokeball and slots them into the machine to be scanned, stopping after the fifth.

PSEUDO: There was… one more who-

OAK: (seriously) Yes. We’ll input the data manually.

OAK starts typing on a keyboard. PSEUDO watches the screen above the machine, displaying information on each of his Pokemon.

VERNE the VENUSAUR, Lv 75

ROD the RATICATE, Lv 65

CECIL the SEAKING, Lv 65

JASON the FLAREON, Lv 66

WARP the KADABRA, Lv 66

ORBIT the ELECTRODE, Lv 65