[ WP ] it is your last day of life and Death is at your bedside . You motion towards a gameboy SP and muster out these words , '' I challenge you to a Pokemon battle . ''

ARE YOU SURE YOU WOULDNT RATHER PLAY CHESS? Death replied 
 I LIKE CHESS 
 
 `` No, I hereby challenge you to Pokémon battle for my life'' 
 
 Death sighed. He hated it when they were difficult. 
 
 FINE. STANDARD RULES OR NO RESTRICTIONS? 
 
 `` No restrictions, far more fun. Now, pass me my Gameboy please'' 
 
 OH NO, IT DOES N'T WORK LIKE THAT. There is a slight sparkle in the indigo supernovae pinpricks of Deaths eyes that if you did n't know better indicated a certain level of mischief. 
 PLEASE, NAME YOUR THREE POKÉMON TEAM FOR ME 
 
 The man was n't sure where this was going but hesitantly he called out `` Blastoise, Charizard, Venusaur, I chose you!'' 
 
 AH, THE ORIGINAL THREE. HOW NICE. RAICHU, RAPIDASH AND MEWTWO, I CHOOSE YOU 
 
 `` Here, you ca n't have Mewtwo, he's a legendary!'' 
 
 I RATHER THINK I CAN. YOU DID SPECIFY THERE WOULD BE NO RESTRICTIONS DID YOU NOT? 
 
 `` Bugger. Fine well, what now?'' 
 
 NOW, WE BEGIN. 
 
 The air around shimmers for a second then shifts... To reveal an open grass plateau, a sheer drop on all sides, no where to run, nowhere to hide. Just the two figures facing off at opposite sides. 
 At his waist the man felt a curious weight. Wrapped around the hospital gown was a wide leather belt with 6 clips on. Three empty, the other three holding a pokeball each. A quick touch of each revealing its occupant in the sudden flash of an image in the mind. 
 
 IF YOURE QUITE READY WE'LL BEGIN 
 
 Death threw his first pokeball 
 The dying man threw his. 
 
 A raichu and Venusaur faced each other across the field for a moment then sprang at each other. Instinct taking over commands rang out, `` razor leaf!'' 
 THUNDERBOLT 
 Raichu squeals in pain as it is lacerated by a flurry of leafy shurikens and in retaliation fires a blue bolt of electricity that knocks Venusaur flying. Steaming slightly Venusaur is immediately back in the game, the lighting looking impressive but doing relatively little to stop its advances. `` Use solar beam!'' The man cries out and Venusaurs flower begins to take in light, charging its attack 
 USE THUNDER Comes the grim reapers command. Raichu arcs its back and its tail glows for a moment as a savage bolt from above lances down inches from Venusaur. 
 BUGGER, NEVER COULD TRUST IT IN A PINCH... DOUBLE TEAM! Raichu flickers for a moment and then a second appears at its side. Venusaurs solar beam meanwhile has charged. It plants its feet and roars as a yellow pillar of fire erupts skywards and cannons down on raichu. It cries out in pain as Venusaurs attack sears it and then lies still, passed out with fur smouldering. Death retrieves his beaten Pokémon and throws out his second choice, Rapidash. The fiery steed stamping its hooves and then whinnying as it rears, mane aflame. 
 AN IMPRESSIVE START. LET US SEE HOW YOU HANDLE THIS NEXT CHALLENGE 
 
 `` I've fought enough Pokémon battles in my time, do n't you worry'' 
 
 I SHA N'T. BOUNCE 
 The blazing unicorn prances then leaps skyward. `` Bullet seed! Shoot it down Venusaur. Venusaur let's fly with a barrage of small hard seeds from its flower, its hits do no more than graze however as Rapidash crashes down, driving Venusaur hard into the ground, knocking it out cold. livid bruises showing instantly on his body. Wincing in sympathy the challenger withdraws Venusaur, sending out the hulking armoured behemoth, Blastoise instead. 
 Deaths command slams out again, 
 BOUNCE and Rapidash springs upwards once more. `` Blastoise, water gun!'' The great turtle rocks back and its cannons fire a jet of water skywards. It's a direct hit and Rapidash is knocked off course and thumps heavily down, clearly incensed. It canters angrily about then lowers its horn and charges. Orders from its master unneeded 
 
 `` defence curl!'' Blastoise responds immediately and with some relief, tucking in its head and limbs as Rapidash careens into its shell at full force. There is a sickening crunch and a squeal of pain from both parties as the horn punches into Blastoises side to the base. Rapidash pulls free and dances madly around, its horn crimson and eyes crazy, obviously concussed as its begins to wobble from foot to foot. Blastoise does not seem to be faring much better. It reemerges from its shell with murder in its eyes and a rill of blood running down it's body. With a roar of anger it fires both cannons at Rapidash, knocking the dazed horse to the floor and extinguishing its flames. that done it slumps. Both combatants withdrawing their Pokémon and throwing their last ball. Charizard, a proud draconid form, fire at its tail tip snorts fire as it faces a brooding humanoid. Malice emanating like a bad smell. 
 NOW, THE POINTY END. THIS IS NOT A FIGHT YOU CAN WIN. YIELD. THERE IS NO SHAME 
 
 `` Not a chance! Charizard and me have eaten Mewtwo for breakfast before, we wo n't be beaten this time'' charizard looks around at his trainer. One who raised him from a tiny Charmander and flexes, there is something final in the air and he can smell. He Grunts in greeting and stokes the fire in his throat, preparing to meet his foe. No commands issue forth from either Death or The Challenger as the two combatants fly into action. Charizards wings open and he soars up as a purple ball of energy blasts the ground he stood on. More follow as he streaks forwards, twisting and dodging as he unloads his own payload of roaring flames on his foe, the strike nothing but empty space as mewtwo flashes to the side, a snap of ozone signalling the teleportation. He strikes as charizard banks, moving close to deliver a brutal strike that flings the fire Pokémon to the ground. Charizard rolls to dodge the following blow, coming up with tail whipping, the blazing end sending embers flying as it thuds into mewtwos midriff. Winded, the two circle, trading bolts of energy and jets of flame as their commanders will their champions on. Bruised and burned the two spring at each other once more. Primal rage meeting cold calculated malice as they bite and kick. As they twist they rise into the air, buoyed by Mewtwo's telekinesis until he swings and casts charizard earthwards with a brutal force. The impact shakes the ground and the crack and roar of pain from charizard signal at least one broken bone. As the dust settles mewtwo descends, coming to claim his victory. The Challenger breaks and sprints yelling for charizard to rise until he alone stands between the two, staring into purple eyes with not a shred of mercy in them, a lazy flick of the wrist flings the Challenger into the dust but even as the breath leaves his lungs a furious roar sounds and propelled by torn wings charizard rakes its claws across mewtwos face, blood flying from the gashes in a fine mist as the two wounded creatures come together again, neither willing to give in to exhaustion and pain. 
 
 In the dust, the Challenger sat up, coughing, the sound of the two Pokémon scrapping fading out as Death stood by him, blue twinkling eyes bright in their empty sockets 
 
 YIELD. YOU CAN NOT WIN THIS FIGHT, HE WILL FIGHT TO THE END FOR YOU AND IT WILL PROBABLY MEAN YOUR VICTORY, BUT WHAT IS THE TRIUMPH IN THAT? WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU SACRIFICE FOR A SMALL VICTORY OVER ME? YOUR HEALTH? YOUR MIND? YOU HAVE ALREADY BATTLED ME WITH THOSE TO A STANDSTILL, THE FLOWER OF YOUR YOUTH AND THE RIVER OF YOUR MIND THREW THEMSELVES AGAINST ME AND WERE WORN DOWN, WORTHY OPPONENTS THOUGH THEY WERE. DO NOT LOSE THE FIRE OF YOUR SOUL TOO, YOUR TIME HERE IS PAST AND NOW YOU MUST FOLLOW ME. 
 
 `` But What other option do I have? To give up, to die? I ca n't go yet, I'm only 56, I still need to see my children married, my grandchildren? 
 
 THAT IS THE NATURE OF THE WORLD AND THERE IS NOTHING I CAN DO TO CHANGE IT. THERE IS ONLY SO MUCH SAND IN A LIFETIMER, ONCE IT HAS RUN OUT THERE IS NOTHING I CAN DO BUT MY DUTY. 
 
 `` but I ca n't...'' The old man sobbed `` I'm not ready'' 
 
 FEW EVER ARE AND YET, YOU HELD ME OFF FOR LONG ENOUGH. LONG ENOUGH FOR YOU TO SAY GOODBYE I THINK. DO NOT DESPAIR. SO LONG AS ONE LEAVES THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE, THAT IS THE MOST ONE CAN HOPE FOR, AND YOU LEAVE A LEGACY OF KINDNESS WITH YOUR CHILDREN THAT WILL NOT GO UNRECOGNISED. 
 
 Death snapped his bony fingers and his slashed and bloody mewtwo vanished. Seeing this, The old man walked over to where his charizard lay, panting and bleeding in the ground and lay the creatures head in his lap Stroking its warm orange scales gently as he soothed his exhausted champion. He looked up at the black robed figure again as words slammed into existence in his head without seeming to trouble his ears. 
 
 TIME ENOUGH TO SAY GOODBYE, I CAN GIVE YOU THAT MUCH. 
 
 `` What? What do you...'' 
 But the world was already changing. The beast in his lap vanishing, the air twisting until it resolved its self into a hospital room. The Challenger in its sole bed and on either side, a young adult. A son and daughter there for their father. Death watched from the corner as the old man's eyes opened and the two siblings started, not expecting to see them lucid again. As the aged fellow made his peace with his loved ones, death examined the small brick like object on the bedside table. The front read `` Gameboy COLOR'' and the cartridge in the back, `` POKÉMON: Red Edition'' Humans. Whatever will they think of next? Death knew he should n't take an interest but he had rather enjoyed the experience. Behind him he sensed the last few moments of life slipping away and reached for his scythe, stopped, and drew his sword instead. The sword was really just for kings but he felt the old man had earned the honour. The timer emptied. The blade swung. 
 
 AH HELLO AGAIN. NOW YOU MUST WALK WITH ME. FOR YOU HAVE FAR TO GO. BUT FIRST- Death handed the shade of the old man the gameboy 
 I BELIEVE I WOULD LIKE A REMATCH
