My father never usually got me anything special for my birthday. We didn’t have much in common him and I, only thing we did have was pokemon battles. When i was a boy we would sit in front of the tv together, snuggled up on the sofa. the scent of beer on my father’s breath and cheese and onion crisps on mine. My mother would set up a small buffet on the coffee table and we would snack as we eagerly awaited the opening ceremony of the Pokemon League World Cup. We would watch all the games, my dad always cheering on the Scottish while both mum and me were rooting for the English Trainers. It was on my 17th Birthday that he really came through. Opening his card i could feel it was heavier than just paper, when i looked inside there were family tickets to the Pokemon League World Cup games. He had booked 3 weeks for us to go the Indigo Plateau and stay in a hotel to watch all the games. The World Cup had come to Kanto this year and i had never been so excited. We finally got to the stadium after dropping our bags off at the hotel. It was huge, bigger than i remembered seeing it on TV. As we entered the building we scanned our passes on the turn styles and walked on through. Security was tight; Magneton and Electrode roamed the perimeter while guards with large Houndoom stood watching carefully. The roar of the crowd overpowered me as we entered the stadium bowl. Thousands of people filled the auditorium. We were in the water stadium and in the middle was a huge pool filled with floating platforms. On each side were two challenger podiums, it gave me shivers seeing them in real life. We found our seats which were surprisingly close. I could just about hear the thrum of the energy shield that protected the crowd from any rouge attacks. Powerful spotlights spun around the arena and heavy music pulsed through the web of speakers covering the ceiling. Holograms of sponsors and adverts flicked across the water and around the central rig of giant TV screens. Behind us were enormous windows and more TV screens that stretched to the ceiling. It was dark outside and you could see the neon glow of the buildings nearby. Suddenly it went dark and the crowds roar died as a echoing man’s voice came onto the speakers. "It’s Time!" The echo drifted into silence. "It’s Time" he spoke out once again. "Are you ready!!" he cried. The crowd cheered but the hush still remained. "Let’s get ready... TO BATTLE!!!" Suddenly Bass music rippled through me as if coming from all directions. The crowd erupted as two trainers came out of the starting doors and walked up onto the podiums. I didn’t know much about these trainers. the girl was petite with long blonde hair and blue eyes, and the guy looked like a rugby player with dark hair and eyes. The holograms flickered on with the words trainers get ready. They both pulled pokeball’s from their belts and put them in start up mode by pressing the buttons. Two voices came onto the speakers, they were the announcers, i recognised them from the television. "Welcome ladies and gentlemen to another exciting battle this evening. My name is Tom Woods" said Tom "And I'm Phil Caring, are you excited about this one Tom?" said Phil "Oh yes Phil, you know how i love the water field!" said Tom "Well were looking to have a spectacular battle today Tom, the challengers are on their podiums awaiting the signal to start. We have 19 year old Naomi Fear, known for her feminine touch in her battles" said Phil "That’s right Phil, she was one of the champions in the Beauty Contests am I right?" said Tom "Your correct there Tom, and what a beauty she is" said Phil "Well what about the guy here, Joshua Dunlop, what a trainer, took down the leader in Cerulean very quickly, the battle was only 10 minutes long!" said Tom "Well he'll defiantly be at home in this field Tom" said Phil "He will indeed, Tom, let’s see how they both fair" said Tom The signal started. Red light. Amber light then Green. The competitors through their balls high over the pool. The balls opened and streams of red light poured from them, materialising into two Pokemon. One was a Raichu, a small electric Pokemon. The guy grinned as his Raichu looked back at him. The girl’s pokemon disappeared under the water, it was only when we saw the shape of a huge bluish grey snake like body emerge that we knew it was a Gyarados. The first move was made by the girl, her voiced echoed on the speakers calling to her giant sea serpent. “Tackle then Bite!" she called. Everyone waited for the guy’s response but he just stood there. The giant serpent turned in the water and headed right for the small rodent like pokemon. The white fins ripped through the water like a shark as it got closer and closer to its target. Just before it struck a command was heard. "Dodge, then Thunder!" he called the head of the enormous fish tore through the platform as the Raichu leapt high into the air quickly avoiding the jaws that slapped together with a loud clap. The Raichu then turned in the air, all its hairs on its back spiking up, then with out warning let a lightning bolt rip from its body straight towards the Gyarados. At the last second the Gyarados dived avoiding the full brunt of the attack, but you could still see it was shaken. "What an opening, both pokemon quick to avoid each others attacks!" said Phil "You said it Phil, this is proving to be a very interesting battle indeed!" said Tom. The girl looked worried as her face appeared on the big screen. The boys voice was heard once again. "Quick attack, combined with Thunder shock Raichu!" The Raichu, crouched and then ran extremely fast from one podium to another, then to my amazement against the wall of the pools edge and shot right around the pool. The Gyarados resurfaced to see the Raichu launch itself, sparks jumping from its wet fur and collided with the side of its head. "Gyarados! Come on girl, you can do this, Hyper Beam!" the girl screamed. The crowd cheered as the Pokemon dived, then resurfaced triumphantly, letting out a giant beam of light. Amazingly the Raichu once again leaped, pushing the platform it was standing on way behind it, just dodging the attack as it demolished another platform just beneath it.... My heart was beating so hard i could feel it in the back of my throat. I looked at my dad. He turned to me and smiled, putting his arm around me he shouted over the roar of the arena. "Welcome to the League son, Welcome to the League!" -------------------------------------------------------------------- Hope you like it, my rendition of a pokemon battle in evo style I put some sponsors in the back, but its just for show (I know i put myself in the story but what the heck )