Rematch at the Cinnabar Gym!
 
 When I arrived home, I was greated warmly enough. My parents couldn't stop hugging me, and kept asking me how I was and what I had been up to. I left nothing out, and told them everything that had happened since I had saw them last. "Wow, have you been busy, son." My dad said. He couldn't stop hugging me. His name was Christopher, but went by Chris. I just called him dad. "You know, dad, I couldn't stop thinking about you or mom. I just wanted to spend some time at home. My life has been so stressful lately, I figured that I might as well come for a visit."
 My mother, who's name was Brandy, insisted that I relax in the lava while I was there. "Mom, I'm not a kid anymore. I'm a full grown Charizard. I don't need my mom hovering over my shoulder like I am still a Charmander." I told her, but she wouldn't have any of that. After I took a relaxing soak in the lava, I had a meal I hadn't had in a long time: Fire-Scorched Magikarp and Goldeen, my favorite water pokemon.
 After eating, I went to sleep in my old spot, suprised I still fit. I told my parents the real reason I was home. "I won't be here for long. I just stopped by for a little vacation from my hectic life before looking for Jake, my friend I told you about." "Well, son, maybe you should say hello to your old friends while you're here. I'm sure they would love to see you again." After my mom insisted that I go see them, I went by everyone's dwellings.
 When I went to see Vulpix, I was suprised to see that she was now a Ninetails. "Nate, you sure have gotten bigger." My friend told me. "You have too," I replied, still getting used to looking at my friend as a Ninetails. After exchanging stories, she invited me in and asked me to talk with her. We had a nice coversation, and she told me that Growlithe had also evolved, and was now part of Blaine, the local gym leader's, team of pokemon.
 This reminded me of the battle I had been in all that while ago, in which I evolved into a Charizard. I decided to stop by and see my friend, after finding out from Ninetails that Koffing had since moved off the island to an unknown location. I walked in the door, and noticed that there was a man standing next to a statue. I looked at the statue, and read the plaque on it. The plaque said: "Cinnabar Island Gym. Gym Leader: Blaine. Winning Trainers: Ciara..." The list continued after my old trainer's name, but reading it caused me to remember all the time I spent with her.
 After reminising, I stepped into the main area of the gym. I saw a weird machine, and a man in the middle of the room. Behind the man was a closed door. I asked the man why he was just standing there, and he replied like this. "Depends. Are you here to challenge the gym leader Blaine?" "Sure, I guess so." "Well, then. Go over to that machine and hit the green button. You will be asked a yes or no question. Get it right, you move on without fighting me. Get it wrong..." He let his sentence hang, but I got the message.
 I walked up to the machine, and it blared the question loud and clear: " Does Caterpie evolve into Metapod? Yes or No?" I answered, confident in what I thought was right. "Yes, it does." "Correct, go on through!" The machine told me, and the door behind the man opened. I went through, and found another trainer and another machine. "Are there 9 certified League Badges? Yes or No?" "No." "Correct, go on through!"
 I went on like this until I hit the machine right before Blaine. The machine blared the question, loud and clear, just like the rest. "Does TM 28 contain Burrow? Yes or No?" "Umm..." I had heard Jake tell me what this TM was before. He had found it in the desert, and had used it to learn a move faster than he would have in the wild. Then I thought to myself, "It's either Burrow or Dig. What's the worst that could happen if I'm wrong?"
 I answered the question yes, and of course, it was Dig. The trainer came up to me, a little suprised, and said. "Well, it isn't often we get pokemon challengers to our gym. But a challenge is a challenge, so let's get started!" After disposing of his Vulpix and Growlithe with minor injuries, I walked through the door and faced Blaine. "Oh, I remember you!" Blaine said to me, rather excited. "You were with that nice girl trainer. Are you here to take the League Challenge?" I nodded, as I figured I might as well with the work I put into this. "Alright then, let's go!"
 After fighting through a Ponyta, Rapidash, and Growlithe, Blaine sent my friend out. "Long time no see, huh Growlithe?" "Nate, is that you? You're taking the League Challenge?" "Yep, I guess so." "I hope you realize that just because we are friends doesn't mean I will go easy on you." "I wouldn't have it any other way, old friend." And thus the last pokemon in my way of the Volcano Badge and I commenced battle.
 I immediately went for a Dragon Claw, but my friend's speed was too much. He hit me with Bite, right in the neck. Then, he proceeded to do Extremespeed after Extremespeed, not allowing me any time to retaliate. I was feeling weak, and knew I couldn't stay concious for much longer. Suddenely, for only about thirty seconds, Jake was in the Gym with me. "Nate is that you? What's going on?" "I'm in the middle of a gym battle with and old friend." "You know, I had that same idea. Wait, what's wrong with you? You aren't going to lose, are you?" "No, because if I lost, I couldn't face you or the others again. I promise to win, and when I do, me and the others will get back together and anxiously wait at Wish Rock, the gate to the Flower Paradise, for your return." "Good. I guess I'll see you in the near future then, won't I?" "I guess so, Jake."
 I was alone again in the Cinnabar Gym, with my friend Arcanine about to lay the final blow to me. What happened next suprised all of us. I opened my mouth, and started charging a Hyper Beam. However, instead of the orange glow, it was a black one. It finished charging, then shot out of my mouth, a dark black Shadow Hyper Beam. It connected with Arcanine, and he fainted.
 Blaine clapped his hands together vigorously, and then shook my hand. "I have one last riddle for you my friend, before I confer this badge on you. My thunder comes before the lightning; My lightning comes before my clouds; My rain dries all the land it touches. What am I?" "You're the Cinnabar Volcano, the place were I was hatched and the place your badge is modeled after." "Correct, my dear Charizard friend." He said, and handed me the badge. "All right!" I said aloud, "Next stop, Mt. Moon!"