CHAPTER 2
A NEW LIGHT


The next day, Kamon woke up to the doorbell.  He glanced at the clock as he approached the door.  It was 12:34; he had overslept.  He opened the door and was greeted by an old friend.
"Fa-Falkner?" Kamon stuttered.  He yawned.  "What are you doing here?" he asked.
"Kamon," Falkner said, in a very serious tone, "we have to talk."
"Sure.  Come on in."  Kamon walked over to a leather chair and sat down in it.  Falkner sat down on a couch.
"You can't keep living like this, Kamon."
"Like what?" Kamon asked.
"Well, for one thing, you should stop wearing your pajamas around the house at lunch time.  Second, you have to get back into fighting to become the League Champ," Falkner said.
"Those days are over Falkner.  I am now a gym leader, like you.  There is no going back…" Kamon responded.  Falkner's tone got a lot more serious.
"Kamon," he said, "as a friend, I am telling you, you have destroyed your life."
"My life is better than it has ever been."
"Your Mom is worried sick about you.  She hasn't heard from you in months.  You have to challenge Lance again, you have to!"
"Falkner," Kamon said, "I had thought about that at one time, back when I was in training.  I was camping out one night when I saw a Pokémon.  I pulled out my Pokédex and it identified the Pokémon as Entei, the legendary Fire Pokémon.  I attempted to catch it, but it got away…just like my dream to become the Pokémon League Champion…"
"You can still achieve that dream.  All you have to do is re-challenge Lance.  Training for a year and against 200 trainers must have made your team almost invincible," Falkner responded.
"I…I don't…I don't know, I'll…have to think about it.  Now, do you want breakfast?  I think I'll make some pancakes."
"Weren't they featured in Pokéfriend monthly?" Falkner asked.
"Uh…I don't think so," Kamon said, trying to avoid the subject.
"Right.  Well, goodbye, Kamon."
"See ya, Falkner."  Kamon put on some normal clothes and made his award-winning pancakes.


* * *



Later that day, Kamon got yet another visit.  It was Jet.
"Jet, get out," Kamon said immediately.
"Hey, hey.  I don't want to challenge you," Jet said.
"Get OUT, Jet."
"I just wanted to let you know that I am now superior to you, Kamon," Jet bragged.  This caught Kamon's attention.
"What did you just say?" Kamon questioned.
"You have fallen apart, Kamon.  I have stayed strong.  I am finally superior to you," Jet responded.
"Jet, let me tell you something.  As long as I am living, breathing, and existing on this planet, I will always be above you.  Always!" Kamon snapped.  He walked right up to Jet.  "Now get out of my gym.  Now!"  Jet backed away, and then left the gym.  He called out his Crobat, and then started yelling at it because it wouldn't Fly him away.  Crobat did not want to be his trainer.  Kamon glanced back at Jet.  He realized that he had indeed almost dropped as low as Jet had.  He went up to his phone and called his Mom.  "Mom, I'm coming home."


* * *



"Oh, honey, I am so glad you are home," Kamon's Mom said.  "You don't know how much I missed you!"
"I missed you too, Mom," Kamon replied.  He turned to Falkner.  "Thanks, buddy."
"For what?" Falkner asked.
"For letting me see what I had become.  I had looked in a mirror on my way over here.  My life had been torn to shreds, hadn't it?"
"Yes, it has, Kamon," said the Professor.  "I am very glad to see that you are going to challenge Lance again."  Kamon thanked everyone, and then headed to Indigo Plateau once again, for what he hoped would be the last time…