It had been almost a year, and this thing had yet to die.
Over time, the rest had fallen. Bob had been taken down by a Magnitude. Rasul had been crushed by falling rocks. In the ensuing chaos of the battle, Saffron City had been all but destroyed. Even Sabrina had fallen to the beast, her Psychic-type pokemon no match for its humongous side.
All had run for their lives, but a small group of teenagers. And among them, only one was left.
And with him, only one Pokemon.
Joe looked down at his last Pokeball. He was tired, but he couldn't stop. He didn't know what would happen if this thing left the town.
But there was no way in hell this would work.
Holding his breath and standing on the ruined eighth floor of the tower, Joe released his Magikarp, Merlin. Merlin dropped onto the ground, useless as ever, and stared ahead, directly into the giant eye of his opponent. Merlin jumped around a little, glancing over at Joe in confusion, before turning to look at the giant Diglett.
And then he spit a rock at it.
The stone hit the creature in the eye, making it jump back, but not really dazing it at all. Joe smacked his forehead, before he saw what exactly it was that Merlin had spat.
An everstone.
Merlin began to glow, and then began to grow. His body lengthened. He thickened. His tiny mouth turned into a gaping jaw. And so, as a boy becomes a man, Merlin became a Gyrados.
With a mighty Dragon Rage, Merlin attacks the Diglett, wrapping around the giant beast. It was an epic fight, and no one was sure who was going to win.
The battle lasted long. First minutes, then hours, then days, the two sat, wrapped in combat. It had been a week before finally the fight ended, and the Diglett collapsed to the ground, knocked out.
Merlin had won.