Winner Takes All

Emerald, Beedrill, Leaf, and Khoury are walking down Route 12’s Silence Bridge. People on bicycles speed by, one bicyclist narrowly racing past Emerald and knocking him down.

Emerald: (Yelling) HEY! (Gets up, pointing at them) You! I challenge you to a battle!

The bicyclist speeds away. More bicyclists rush by, forcing Emerald, Beedrill, Leaf, and Khoury to stay on the side.

Khoury: W - what’re they biking for?

Leaf: It looks like there’s a big competition, (looks ahead) I see a lot of people warming up for a race up ahead.

More bicyclists speed by. Emerald, Beedrill, Leaf, and Khoury walk closer to what appears to be a starting line where a lot of people are crowded. Another bicyclist rushes by, this time holding onto a leash with a Nidorina attached. They come to a halt, turning to face Emerald.

Emerald: (Grits teeth) Gary!

Gary: What are you doing here? (Scoffs) Don’t tell me you’re joining this bike race too!

Emerald: (Grins) I am now!

Leaf: Huh?!

Khoury: S - since when?

Gary: Hah, I don’t even know why you bother, you always lose to me.

Emerald gets close in Gary’s face.

Emerald: (Grits teeth) I’ll beat you this time! You better believe it!

Gary: Heh, really? (Takes a step back) Well how about this, there’s a ten thousand dollar prize for whoever wins the competition. Winner takes all?

Emerald: (Grins) Winner takes all.

Gary: (Leaves) Smell ya later!

Khoury: Emerald! D - do you even know how to ride a bike?

Emerald: Pfft, not yet! (Shrugs) How hard can riding a bike be? I mean, c’mon, if I’ve faced Team Rocket, a bike is nothing!

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Emerald, Beedrill, Leaf, and Khoury stop before a shack. Mr. Bonji is talking with a man with slicked back purple and yellow hair, dressed in a fancy white suit.

Mr. Bonji: It’s fine, Mr. Kodai, you don’t have to! Miracle Cycles is already sponsoring the race, you don’t need to!

Kodai: (Calmly) Please, it doesn’t hurt to pitch in every now and then.

Mr. Bonji: (Notices the group) Ah, Emerald, Leaf! It seems you’ve gained another friend!

Khoury: (Shyly waves) H - hi.

Mr. Bonji: (Chuckles) No need to be nervous, any friend of these two are a friend of mine! What are you three doing here?

Leaf: We’re here to sign up for the bicycle race.

Emerald: Yeah! So I can win!

Mr. Bonji: Ah! That’s wonderful! (Looks over to the rack of bikes) However, er, there aren’t enough bicycles left.

Emerald notices a blue unicycle. He jumps up and down in place.

Emerald: I’ll take it!

Mr. Bonji: Oh ho! That clears things up!

Kodai: (Stares at Emerald) You seem familiar. I’ll be interested in seeing your performance throughout the competition.

Emerald: Good! Everyone should be!

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Emerald and Beedrill watch Leaf ride on her bicycle, moving with ease. Khoury rides with his bike, stumbling slightly but moving in a set direction at the very least. They both stop, taking a break.

Leaf: Are you ready to use your bi, (corrects herself) unicycle?

Emerald: (Grins) Oh yeah!

Emerald hops on his unicycle, nearly tipping over instantly. He struggles to maintain balance.

Emerald: Woah! H - hey!

He leans over to his left, nearly falling over. Beedrill leans against the unicycle, propping Emerald back up on his unicycle.

Emerald: Thanks Beedrill!

Emerald begins to move forward on the unicycle, cycling in a wibbly wobbly movement. He begins to lose control of the unicycle, nearly falling over when a Pokémon rushes to his left side. He falls, leaning against it.

Emerald: Nidorina? Wait a minute…

Gary: (Scoffs) A unicycle? And you can’t even ride it! Thought you were serious, winner takes all and all that stuff, but I guess not.

Emerald gets up, gritting his teeth.

Emerald: I am serious!

Gary: Yeah, right. We’ll see during the big race.

Gary leaves with Nidorina, preparing for the race. Leaf and Khoury walk over.

Leaf: It’s fine, don’t let what Gary said get to you.

Khoury: B - besides, winning isn’t everything.

Emerald: (Confused, before becoming angry) The entire point of this is so I can become the best Pokémon trainer! Gary’s in my way and I have to beat him! I have to win! Winning is everything!

Emerald walks off with his unicycle, leaving behind Beedrill.

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Mr. Bonji stands to the side of the starting line, Kodai standing next to him. The racers involved in the competition prepare to take off.

Mr. Bonji: Before we’d start, I’d like to restate the rules: you can use your Pokémon to assist yourself, however you cannot have your Pokémon transport you unless it’s on the ground! You also cannot use your Pokémon to attack others!

A person raises their hand.

Mr. Bonji: You cannot attack anyone at all, thank you. Now, I’d like everyone to thank Miracle Cycles and the Kodai Network for sponsoring this event! Without them, this race wouldn’t be around!

A few people clap. Emerald and Gary look at each other with determination.

Mr. Bonji: We will begin in 3… 2… 1, go!

Emerald takes off, stumbling past the others. Gary’s narrowly ahead, his Nidorina pulling him ahead. Leaf rides past most of the other competitors, only a few bicyclists away from reaching Gary. Khoury is far behind, however maintaining a consistent pace.

Leaf: (Grits teeth) Emerald’s faster than I thought.

Emerald bumps into the side of Gary’s bicycle, drifting alongside him.

Gary: Hey! (Shoves Emerald) Get off!

Emerald: Hey, watch it!

Emerald bumps into Gary’s bicycle again, drifting. The two push at each other, repeatedly bumping into each other.

Emerald: H - hey!

Emerald falls off of his unicycle, landing on his side. Gary moves ahead, however the other competitors are still behind. He hops onto his unicycle, catching up to Gary. Gary halts in front of a group of Shellder.

Gary: C’mon, get out of the way!

Gary chucks multiple Pokéball, hitting each of the Shellder. All but two of them escape their Pokéball, Gary rushing by to collect them before taking the opportunity to leave. More Shellder appear to block the path.

Emerald: (Groans) Not today! Bulbasaur, come on out!

He releases Bulbasaur who lies on her stomach.

Emerald: Bulbasaur, Vine Whip to get me across!

Bulbasaur smiles sinisterly, smacking Emerald and his unicycle across. He returns her back to her Pokéball mid-air as he realizes how long he’s been in the air.

Emerald: Uh-oh!

Emerald falls, his unicycle crashing onto the bridge. He notices Gary behind him, grabbing his unicycle to move ahead. Emerald reaches the end of the bridge, arriving at a fork in the road. Warning signs surround one path, another being a straightforward path.

Meowth: (Yelps in pain) MEOWTH!

Emerald hears a scream from a Meowth down the straightforward path and feels an urge to go down it, but shakes his head.

Emerald: I have to beat Gary!

He grins, looking down the path with the warning signs. He takes the path. Gary stops at the fork in the road.

Gary: (Grins) No Emerald in sight, he must be behind.

Gary takes the straightforward path. Leaf arrives at the group of Shellder, groaning.

Leaf: A roadblock. (Sighs, looking in her bag to find Pokéball) Alright, let’s get this over with. (Releases Oddish) Oddish, Sleep Powder!

Oddish: Odd, ish!

Oddish releases a green ball that explodes into a powder, hitting most of the Shellder. Leaf kicks a Pokéball for each of the Shellder, the Shellder that are asleep going in. The awake Shellder headbutt the Pokéball back at her, forcing her to dodge or kick them back.

Leaf: Eek! (Throws more) Just go in!

Some of the Pokéball connect, capturing them successfully. More Shellder appear.

Leaf: (Sighs) At least I can study up on, (groans) Shellder.

She kicks more Pokéball and they capture the Shellder successfully. Some of the Pokéball lock, unable to open at all. She returns Oddish before picking them up, putting them into her bag.

Leaf: Huh, I guess I have a full party now, (mutters) and half of them are Shellder.

She goes back to her bicycle, moving ahead.

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Emerald: (Screams high-pitched) AAAAAH!

Emerald flails his arms around while driving his unicycle through a forest. A horde of Butterfree, Pidgeotto, Sandshrew, and Nidoran♂ chase after him. Butterfree releases waves of a Confusion attack as Emerald skirts around them.

Emerald: Gotta… (dodges a Pidgeotto’s Gust) get… (dodges another Confusion attack) outta here!

A Confusion attack hits Emerald’s unicycle, causing him to crash onto the ground skidding. He gets up, whipping out a Pokéball.

Emerald: That’s it! I never run from a battle! Let’s go, Beedrill!

He releases Beedrill, who stands before the hordes of Pokémon. They all pause upon seeing Beedrill.

Beedrill: (Antennae wiggle) Bee!

Emerald: Rage!

Beedrill hovers in place, staring blankly ahead.

Beedrill: (Hardy) Bee!

The hordes of Pokémon rush forward.

Emerald: (Sighs) I don’t have time for this, I need to win! (Returns Beedrill) Return! Let’s go, Frisk!

He releases Frisk.

Frisk: (Eyes pop out) Ga!

A majority of the Pokémon flee upon seeing Frisk.

Frisk: (Laughing) Ga, ga!

A Butterfree with black spots on her lower wings sticks around, staring at Frisk. She releases another wave of Confusion towards Frisk.

Emerald: Payback!

Frisk takes the hit, wincing. It begins to cackle upon being hit.

Frisk: Ga, ga, GASTLY!

Rings of energy are formed around Frisk, shooting towards the Butterfree. Butterfree is hit by it, being sent flying into a tree. The tree shakes, hordes of Metapod falling down before glowing. The Metapod crack, more Butterfree now appearing.

Emerald: Shadow Ball! Make as many as you can!

Frisk creates multiple spheres of dark energy, shooting them towards the Butterfree. Most are knocked out from it, others flying towards Frisk. Emerald whips out a Pokéball.

Emerald: Let’s go, Wartortle!

Wartortle is released, seeing the situation. It hobbles towards the Butterfree, creating spheres of Water Pulse with both hands. Wartortle releases them at the Butterfree approaching Frisk, knocking them out.

Frisk: Ga? (Turns around, laughing) Ga, ga!

Wartortle: (Tips sunglasses with a grin) War.

Emerald: Thanks you two, now return!

Emerald returns the two, hopping onto his unicycle. He speeds off through the forest, finding an exit. He skirts through it, finding a sign reading Route 13.

Emerald: (Grins, unable to read it) I see a sign, so must be getting close!

Emerald grimaces, tapping his thigh.

Emerald: That Confusion did a number on me!

He rides through Route 13, struggling to maneuver the maze. He hears another yelp.

Meowth: MEOWWW -

Emerald shakes his head, ignoring the sound. He enters a deadend, backing up to take another path before running into another one. Emerald eventually finds his way out of the maze, arriving on Route 14.

Emerald: Whew!

Emerald rides through a patch of grass, passing by a group of Bellsprout and Weepinbell. He approaches a ledge, grinning. Emerald jumps off of his unicycle, doing a flip through the air before somersaulting on the ground. He kicks himself back onto his feet, landing onto his unicycle on the ground.

Emerald: I’ve still got it!

Emerald looks to his left, seeing Gary riding ahead on a cliff. Gary flanks along the edge of the cliff, skirting off of it before landing ahead of Emerald. Gary flashes a peace sign, grinning at Emerald before turning back around.

Gary: Smell ya later!

Gary moves on ahead to Route 15, seeing the finish line near the entrance of Fuschia City. Emerald glares, eyes turning into slits as he pedals through Route 14.

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Khoury catches up to Leaf on Route 13, panting but pushing through.

Khoury: H - hey, Leaf!

Leaf turns around.

Leaf: Hey! Did you see Emerald by chance?

Khoury: (Panting) No! I haven’t seen anyone in a while, most of them are b - behind. H - he… (stammers)

Leaf: (Nods head) Blew us off the entire day.

Khoury: He’s been chasing after Gary so much, he’s been acting like a… like…

Leaf: A jerk? (Sighs) Yeah. I thought he learned, but if anything he’s more obsessive over winning.

Khoury: I - it’s like… each time he loses, the more he wants to win!

Leaf finishes the maze, pausing to think over what Khoury said

Leaf: Y - you’re right! He lost to that fisher and now that Gary shows up, he wants to prove himself.

Leaf looks on ahead, seeing Emerald leave Route 14 and make his way to Route 15.

Leaf: Hey, Khoury, I see Emerald! Let’s go.

Khoury arrives over to Leaf, panting.

Khoury: Y - you’ve got it.

They pedal ahead.

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Emerald pedals through Route 15, taking a cliff path behind Gary.

Emerald: Hey, Gary!

Gary: (Turns around) Gah, you? Why do you insist on this? I’m going to beat you!

Emerald: Why? Cause I’m gonna win! Believe it!

Emerald nears Gary, bumping into him. The two drift against each other.

Meowth: (Mews in pain) Meowww!

They both look over, seeing the Meowth from earlier circled by a group of Persian. Emerald uses the opportunity to get ahead of Gary. Gary mutters something before taking off to catch up to Emerald.

Emerald: So close! I’ll finally beat Gary!

Meowth: (Yelps) MEOW!

He looks over again with a grimace, seeing the leader of the Persian pack claw at Meowth.

Emerald: (Looks back at the finish line, shaking his head) What have I been doing all this time?! I’m worse than Damian, ignoring a hurt Pokémon! I can beat Gary some other day!

Gary sees Emerald flank his unicycle along the edge of the cliff, throwing himself off.

Gary: Hey, what’re you doing?! The finish line is that way! Are you -

Emerald: Winning, (grimaces before breaking out into a grin) isn’t more important than Pokémon!

Landing near the pack of Persian, Emerald gets up and whips out a Pokéball, releasing Beedrill.

Emerald: I’m sorry, Beedrill, for being such a jerk! Can you forgive me?

Beedrill: (Nods head) Bee.

Emerald: Then let’s protect Meowth! Twineedle on Persian!

Emerald and Beedrill stand before Meowth, Beedrill clashing its stingers together. Persian lunges towards Meowth for Slash, however Beedrill side-steps and rams its stinger into Persian’s side. The other Persian leap towards Beedrill, taking it by surprise.

Emerald: Hey! That’s not cool! Let’s go, Luma, Bulbasaur!

Luma: (Timidly) Char.

Bulbasaur: (Grumpy) Bulba.

Emerald: Luma, help out Beedrill! Bulbasaur, help me look after Meowth!

Bulbasaur: (Perks up) Bulba?

Bulbasaur waddles towards Meowth, noticing its injuries such as its bloody scars and chipped, rusty coin. She wraps Meowth with her vines, using Sleep Powder as she goes off to find herbs.

Bulbasaur: (Commanding Emerald) Bulba!

Emerald: Huh?! Alright!

Emerald stays with Meowth, holding it with his jacket.

Meanwhile, Luma uses Metal Claw on a Persian, fending it off of Beedrill. Beedrill gets back up, winking at Luma before rushing behind her to smack away another Persian. The pack of Persian recollect themselves, circling the two. Beedrill turns to face Luma with both stingers raised up. Luma cocks her head before Beedrill gives an affirmative nod, her smiling. She creates a burst of electricity with an incomplete Thunder Punch, shooting at Beedrill’s stingers. Beedrill slams its stingers on the ground, releasing a shockwave that throws all the Persian back.

Emerald: (Watching) Woah! When did I teach you that?!

Beedrill: Bee.

The leader Persian pounces on Luma, knocking her out with Power Gem before releasing another at Beedrill who collapses from the attack. Turning around with bloodlust, Persian pounces for the Meowth, raising its claws for Slash. Emerald widens his eyes, leaping in the way -

Emerald: (Screaming) GAHHH!

He clutches his stomach, noticing the red on his black shirt. Persian raises its paw once again, ready to strike before a barrage of seeds strike out. Persian gets up, turning to face Bulbasaur. Bulbasaur grapples Persian with one vine, holding it in place for a Sleep Powder. Persian falls onto the ground, asleep.

Bulbasaur: Bulba!

Bulbasaur turns to face Emerald and the Meowth, applying the herbs to Meowth.

Emerald: (Grins) None for me?

Bulbasaur: (Grumpy) Bulb.

Emerald gets up, holding the baby Meowth wrapped in his jacket. He returns Beedrill and Luma, before hobbling towards his unicycle.

Bulbasaur: Bulba?

Emerald: (Grins) I might not win, but I’m gonna finish this race and you better believe it!

Bulbasaur nods, before going back to loafing around. Emerald sighs, returning her back to her Pokéball. He pedals forward with Meowth in his lap.

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Nurse Joy: You’re all set! Stay safe!

Emerald: (Waves) I don’t make promises I can’t keep!

Leaf and Khoury walk over to Emerald in the Pokémon Center. Gary sticks around, leaning against a wall.

Leaf: (Hugs Emerald) We heard about what happened!

Khoury: W - we were so worried!

Gary walks over.

Gary: That took real guts of you, heh! Even if you did come in last place!

Leaf elbows Gary.

Emerald: (Strained) Y - you can let go now! I don’t want to get any, (shudders) cooties!

Leaf lets go, scoffing.

Khoury: W - what happened to the Meowth?

Emerald whips out a Pokéball, releasing a baby Meowth.

Emerald: I caught it! I didn’t know what to do with it, since Nurse Joy told me it was a baby! It can’t even see yet!

Emerald clutches his stomach, wincing.

Emerald: (Faces Gary) I lost this time, but I’ll do whatever it takes to beat you next time! I’ll keep challenging you till I beat you, you hear me?!

Gary: (Scoffs) I don’t even know why I bother. But hey, (pulls out a wallet with hundreds of thousands of dollars) winner takes all!

Leaf: Some things are more important than winning, you know?

Emerald: (Grins, looking at the baby Meowth) Like my Pokémon! (Turns to face Khoury and Leaf) And my friends.

Gary: Heh, sounds like what a loser would say! I’m off!

Gary leaves.

Khoury: D - did you mean that?

Emerald: Pfft, nah! (Leaf gives him the look) Alright, maybe I did! I figured… I can beat Gary some other day. And I will! Believe it!

Khoury smiles.