When Do You Start Living?, a pokémon fanfic

The story loosely follows the games, but I made a few changes. Red stays Red, he didn't change. I don't like all of the characters having colors for names, though, so I used their anime counterpart names. It's not a big deal, but I didn't want people thinking I'm trying to mix the games with the anime. The characters are also older through this story.

Throughout writing, I felt there were several different songs that fit a scene perfectly. Sometimes the song fits more because of its lyrics, other times more for the music itself – either way, feel free to look these up and listen as you read through certain parts:

Part II – She by Andy McKee

Part III – Fake Empire by The National

Part VI – Los Angeles by Peter Bradley Adams

Part VII – Use Somebody by Kings of Leon (Start this when the band starts playing after the drunk guy leaves)

Part VII – Bloodstream by Stateless (Play this when they leave the concert for the hotel until the end of the part)

Part VIII – Summer Skin by Death Cab for Cutie

Part XII – Passion Play by William Fitzsimmons

Epilogue – Blood by The Middle East

Update: There's a midquel out that follows Ethan in Johto titled "How Do You Live Your Own Life?" Go check it out, too!

When Do You Start Living?

{this is about life being ahead of you and you run at it}

Intro – When does life truly begin?

They called him a child prodigy, but he never thought he was anything special. He didn't deserve or want all of the hype and attention he received. Like any other trainer, he had a rough start – it took winning his second gym badge before his Pokémon were even content to follow him. So, you see, he really wasn't that different.

Once he was older and looked back on his life, he wondered when he truly began to start living.

Did it happen when he was born?

Did it happen when he graduated?

Did it happen when he received his first pokémon?

Did it happen when he left home for the first time?

Or did it happen once he'd accomplished all the things he'd set out to do and had started the adventure that was the rest of his life?

Yeah, he'd say it was the last one, too.

Everything before that was just the prologue.

Part I – How long before you grow up?

Growing up, he and Gary were best friends. They were typical young boys, always roughhousing and managing to get dirty. That was a good thing, though, because boys have way too much energy and need some way to burn it all off – or at least that's what his mother had always said.

Thinking back on it, it was probably puberty that caused them to drift apart. That's the time when the hormones began to rage and all of a sudden there were so many pretty girls and too much competition for their attention. In fact, his and Gary's friendship initially ended because of a girl. They'd know Angela forever, but it wasn't until they were fourteen that they noticed she was actually quite pretty, had a cute smile, and the biggest tits in the class.

Yeah, that's when the rivalry truly started.

They'd both pursued her, but she ended up choosing Red over Gary. Red had dated her for a while, if you want to call it dating. They would hang out at each other's houses whenever possible, sneaking kisses when his or her parents were home and having sex when they were gone. She was his first. It was more physical than emotional, but that didn't stop him from punching a hole in the wall out of anger and hurt when he found out she was cheating on him with Gary.

They stayed intense rivals for many years. It wasn't until much later that they realized they were acting like immature little pricks.

-x-x-x-

Red tilted his head back and felt the liquor burn as it slid down his throat. Vodka was rough and tasted like rubbing alcohol, but Gary had said that round was on him so Red decided he didn't really care.

"Why did we even start hating each other?" Gary asked with a chuckle.

"Angela," Red reminded him.

"Oh yeah, Angela. Fuck, she was hot. I saw her not too long ago and she's not much to look at anymore, but back then – damn." He leaned against the back of the bar chair. "And her hands… do you remember that thing she'd do with her hands?"

Red could remember.

"I've never been with a girl that was able to do that since her," Red told him honestly.

Gary laughed, "Man, me either! But hey, speaking of girls – that blonde hasn't taken her eyes off you for the last five minutes."

Red didn't want to turn and make it obvious so he mentioned the brunette that had been watching Gary instead. Gary wasn't so discreet. Before Red knew what was going on, Gary had spotted the girl, ordered another round for Red, and then left to go talk to her.

He made eye contact with the blonde at the end of the bar, and she smiled coyly back at him before the bartender slid the shot glass back. It was vodka again. Red sighed knowing he'd probably feel it in the morning, but he downed the shot nonetheless. Not long after, Gary returned, brunette in tow.

"You know, we've been idiots for the past few years. It's time we grow up already. There's nothing better than a little competition, but I'm tired of going out of my way to prove I'm better. So let's just call it a truce for now. We can compare the size of our dicks when we get to the Elite Four." The girl shimmied up to his side and ran her finger down his arm teasingly.

"I'll go with that, man."

And with a nod, Gary slid his arm over the girl's shoulders and left the bar. Once the door had closed, Red slowly got up and made his way towards his admirer. She was all legs and had a short, form-fitting dress that didn't leave too terribly much to the imagination, which was exactly the kind of lay he felt like tonight. No more than fifteen minutes later, Red left in much the same way as Gary and took her back to his hotel room.

Part II – How do you recognize a significant moment?

The first time he met her, he wasn't blown away. Sure, she was gorgeous, but he knew that all the looks in the world couldn't make up for a one-dimensional mind. It took spending time with a girl to find out if she's made up of more than just good looks. He'd had more than enough experience dating self-absorbed girls growing up to figure out they were a waste. Now don't get him wrong – if you're only interested in one thing, you couldn't find a better girl. Hell, where do you think he learned it all? But nothing turned him off more than having a girl follow up a mind-blowing blowjob with 'Now where is Pallet Town again?'

They met in a café in Celadon – that's where she grew up. He was taking a break from training to get some lunch when he heard someone call his name.

-x-x-x-

"So then, I sent out my Raticate. He laughed at me and said that was the stupidest move he'd ever seen because it couldn't hurt his Haunter, but then he realized that his Haunter couldn't touch Raticate either." He took a bite of the burger to let her digest the situation he'd been in during the recent battle.

"Well, if it was a stale-mate how'd you win?"

The brown-haired boy couldn't help but grin. "Thankfully, Raticate knows Bite."

"Gary, you have to be the luckiest son-of-a-bitch alive," she laughed. "Anyone else in your situation would have…"

"Hey! Red!"

"… probably lost." The girl frowned and trailed off as she glanced over her shoulder to figure out who he was yelling at. He really hadn't meant to cut her off, but there was no mistaking that hat and jacket.

Several of the restaurant's other patrons turned to look in their direction, obviously annoyed at the interruption, but Red just casually turned to face them, not looking surprised in the least. He always had been good at that – ever since they'd been young, Red had been able to hide most of his emotions to the point it was hard to know what he was thinking or what he felt. Gary had always mentioned that he should play cards professionally because he had one hell of a poker face, but Red would brush it off, saying that was ridiculous. Red's face eased into a slight smile as he got out of line and made his way toward their table.

"I'm sorry, babe, I didn't mean to cut you off," Gary muttered to the girl as he grabbed an extra chair from a nearby table.

She stared over her shoulder for a second before turning back to the table, "Don't worry about it, Gary. But I've told you before to stop calling me babe," she reminded him fiercely. He conveniently didn't hear anything after 'don't worry,' though, because Red walked up.

"Hey man, what are you doing in Celadon? Don't tell me you're getting ready to challenge the gym leader?" He motioned to the additional chair he'd pulled up.

Red shook his head as he sat down. "No, I still need to train a bit before I challenge her. I've heard she's pretty strong."

"Eh, I wouldn't say strong. More like barely decent. I challenged her a couple days ago and came out just fine. A few scratches, but nothing major," he bragged. Truthfully, the battle was brutal, but there was no way he was about to admit that.

"Maybe so, but I'd feel better if I trained some more first," the trainer insisted.

They carried on for a while talking about the best training spots in the area, how close their pokémon were to evolving, and the best places to travel to next. It was still a little new for them to have this easy-going companionship after so many years of bitter rivalry, and, with so much to talk about, time passed quickly as they talked.

"Gary, I think I'm going to head out."

Gary glanced at her in surprise. He'd been so caught up in the conversation that he'd almost forgotten she was there. The two guys rose together as she stood up to swing her bag over her shoulder.

"Dang, babe. Well I guess I'll see you around."

She sighed, "Okay, but for the last time – don't call me…"

"I'm Red."

She paused and looked at the unfamiliar boy.

"Umm… what?"

"Gary's a moron and doesn't know how to introduce people," he said coolly. "I'm Red. Gary and I grew up together."

Gary frowned at Red for calling him a moron, but he was ignored as Red extended his hand to the girl. Slowly, she reached out and shook his hand.

"Nice to meet you, Red. I'm Leaf," she said with a small smile. She released his hand and straightened her bag out. "Gary, it was good to see you again. Red, I'm collecting the gym badges too, so I'm sure I'll see you again at some point." With a small wave she turned away as they sat back down.

"So man, seriously – how long until you challenge the gym? If you wait too long, you're going to get even further behind me. Then what kind of competition would you be?"

But Gary noticed his friend's attention wasn't focused on the conversation at hand as he blatantly tried to provoke a reaction, but on Leaf as she walked out the door.

Part III – When is the line between friendship and something more crossed?

The second time they met it was completely unexpected and he had to double take when she'd called out his name. But there was never a moment of hesitation, trying to place her from his memories – he remembered her the moment he saw her. She chatted to him for a while outside the pokémon center, asking what he'd been up to and where he was headed. He'd been impressed when she mentioned that she'd just acquired the gym badge from Erika. It didn't last very long, though. They'd only talked for about ten minutes before she looked at her watch and said she had somewhere to be.

The third time they saw each other, he was in the middle of a battle. He'd been on his way to Rock Tunnel when some young kid had thrown out the challenging and rambled about how awesome his shorts were. Apparently, wearing shorts made it easier to move around during a battle and see opportunities for an attack. It was a ridiculous theory – he never wore shorts and hadn't experienced a loss yet. They were in the middle of the fight, his Charmeleon versus the kid's Pidgeotto, when he saw her running down a trail that wound around the patch of grass where they stood. From the look of her clothes and her easy pace, she was exercising. The trail looped around until she was making her way towards him. When their eyes met, she smiled and waved, and he gave a distracted order to Charmeleon to finish the fight as he returned the gesture. She kept running, though, so he didn't get to talk to her that day.

The times he would see her added up over the months: a fourth meeting in Lavender Town where they got into an intense conversation on battle strategies; a fifth meeting at the base of Cycling Road where they rested while their pokémon chased each other; a sixth meeting on Nugget Bridge where he helped her reel in a particularly strong Goldeen; a seventh, an eighth, a ninth, and so on.

They got to know each other throughout their conversations – their home life while growing up, embarrassing moments while in school, their dreams when they were kids, their favorite foods, what pokémon they thought was the best, their favorite actor, and a million other little things that seemed so insignificant but meant so much as their friendship grew.

She'd known Gary long before she ever met him, though. Neither of them had ever said exactly how they met or how long they've known each other, but there was a history between them. They apparently dated for a while, although Gary would always tell him that nothing really happened between them.

-x-x-x-

"Hey, punk!"

Red grabbed the pokeball containing the newly-caught Ekans and turned to face Gary.

"Hey, man, what's up?" he greeted.

"Not much, not much. Dude, I'm starving – take a break and let's go get some grub. I don't want to sit at a table by myself like a lame ass."

He couldn't help but chuckle – Gary never changed. "Well, since you asked so nicely."

Forty minutes later, they had finished eating and were sitting at an outdoor café. Red let his eyes flow from person to person as they walked down the busy street. It was amazing how many different types of people someone can see when they just sit and watch.

"So, I've heard some interesting stuff lately."

His eyes slid back to Gary. "Oh?"

"Yeah, some of the guys I know have noticed you hanging around with Leaf quite a bit."

The brunette must have been practicing his poker face after always calling Red out on his because it was impossible to tell where he was going with this; his face was a complete blank slate. Red wasn't stupid, though. There was obviously something going on that would make him ask that.

"We see each other every once in a while, but we usually don't even know when we're going to be in the same town. It was a couple months before we even traded numbers. Still, we don't talk much. It's usually just to see if we'll be in the same area so we can catch up." Gary just stared. "Does it matter that I talk to her?"

That was the real issue and they both knew it. The first time Red had met Leaf, it seemed obvious nothing was going on between her and Gary. If anything, they just seemed like friends – much like his relationship was with her now. And in all of the times they'd seen each other since then, she hadn't mentioned Gary once.

"You know I dated her."

It wasn't a question; it was more of a statement. Like he was expected to know something that intimate about Gary that must have occurred during a time when they hardly talked due to their rivalry. Red didn't know what to say, so he didn't say anything. Gary's eyes slid over Red's shoulder and stared down the street, but Red could tell he wasn't really staring at anything.

"It was probably a little over two years ago. You remember when my parents and I went to visit my family in Lavender Town? That's when I met her. She hasn't changed much since then – maybe a little taller, hair a little longer. She was easily the hottest girl I'd seen back then, but it really didn't amount to much because it never went past that August. We hung out that whole summer messing around. Nothing serious, though. I think the farthest we ever got was taking shirts off while making out in my uncle's basement. It was too dark, I couldn't even see anything. Bet she would've looked perfect though. She sure as hell felt perfect."

The trainer blinked, coming back to reality, and took a swig of his beer.

"If you don't want me to talk to her, I won't," Red said. He didn't want to say it. He enjoyed spending time with her, and he liked when her name came up on his cell. But it felt like it was something he should say, as a friend.

Gary's poker face faded and he smiled slightly. "Nah, man, you should go for it. She obviously didn't want to stay with me – she said I wasn't her type and that it wasn't fair for her to lead me on. It took a while, but we're cool now. It's not awkward anymore. But she likes you, man. I could tell the first time the two of you met. Plus, she always finds some way to bring you up in the conversation when we run into each other."

It was surprising to hear that she mentioned him.

"It's pretty annoying, actually. Seriously though, you should make a move. You think any normal guy would walk by and not consider taking a pass at her?"

A recent memory floated up in his mind. They'd met up a few weeks back to do some training together, and after a couple days of training, she'd challenged him to a battle. The battle was short-lived, she couldn't pull out a win, but she was a gracious loser. He could remember how she looked after the battle, though. There was a smattering of freckles across her nose that just seemed to enhance her smile. The wind was blowing through her light brown hair that swept past her shoulders. Her fitted tank revealed her slightly tanned arms. And that short skirt that led to legs that seemed to go on for miles.

Yeah, Red could definitely see how every guy would want to make a pass at her.

Gary grinned knowingly, "You know what I'm talking about."

It was like getting some kind of blessing from her father, except it was Gary he was talking to instead of her father and the blessing was being received from someone that had already done things with her that he'd only imagined. Definitely weird.

"So you're saying you never think about her?" Red asked skeptically.

Gary looked up in surprise.

"No, man, I'd be lying if I said that - I think about her all the time. She's the one that got away."

Part IV – How long can feelings be denied?

The first time they slept together it wasn't as amazing as he'd imagined it to be, but that was mainly because nothing happened. Simply sleeping together in the same bed isn't nearly as much fun as having great sex and then sleeping together in the same bed. Still, given the option, he'd choose to sleep next to her rather than by himself any day.

He'd been training outside of Vermillion when she called and insisted he call it a night and go to dinner with her. So he did. They ate at a swanky place by the ocean – great view, nice atmosphere.

-x-x-x-

She'd come into town earlier that afternoon to get in some training in the grasses north of town. Between some fishing and battling, she'd struck up a conversation with a couple girls thinking of taking on Lt. Surge for a gym badge. They were nice girls, albeit a little ditzy, so she graciously decided to give them some pointers for battling the electric-type user.

"Thanks, but we already got tips from a guy that came through here earlier," one mentioned with a grin towards her friend.

"Yeah, he was dreamy and super strong! I was no match for him," the second one insisted.

Leaf had to force herself not to roll her eyes. "Well, okay then. I need to head into town to heal up – good luck against Surge," she said with a farewell. They waved before turning back to their conversation.

"Do you think we'll ever see him again?" one asked excitedly.

"Oh, I hope so! We'll just have to keep an eye out for him. What did he say his name was? Red?"

Leaf paused mid-step as she heard the girls say his name. He was in town, or at least he had been that morning. Resuming her trek towards town, she pulled out her cell to call the dark-haired trainer. When he answered and agreed to dinner, she couldn't help but smile.

The evening passed by quickly, and Leaf sighed contentedly as they left the restaurant and walked to a hotel. Vermillion was probably one of her favorite cities in Kanto. Ever since she was young, she'd always enjoyed being near the sea. The heat of the sun with the cool breeze off the water – it really couldn't get any better than that. Except maybe having dinner with a handsome trainer.

The conversation flowed easily between them throughout the evening, only stopping when they approached the hotel's check-in desk. For someone that didn't say much, she found him to be very easy to talk to.

"One room with one bed," Red said to the lady behind the desk.

"Ocean view alright?" she asked curtly to which he nodded.

Leaf waited as he paid and stepped up to the desk when he moved to the side. "I'd also like one room with one bed, please."

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but that was our last room."

"What? Seriously?" she asked in disbelief. The receptionist just stared at her. "Well could you call the other hotel in town and see if they possibly have any rooms open?"

The lady sighed as she picked up the phone. She and Red waited in silence as the receptionist talked to the administrator at the other hotel. When she hung up, Leaf looked at her expectantly.

"They're all booked up too."

Unbelievable.

"Well, it's not too late yet," Leaf said with a glance at the clock. "I guess I'll head back up to Saffron."

"No."

She looked at Red in surprise. "No?"

He shook his head, "No, you don't need to be walking that far this late at night."

"I'll be fine, Red," she laughed. "It's not like I've never travelled at night before."

"I know, but I'd feel better if you didn't."

"Well, I don't exactly feel like walking to Saffron either, but there's nowhere for me to stay," she motioned around the lobby. "Everything's full." And she wasn't sleeping on the streets.

He paused, considering what to say. "You can stay with me."

She stared at him. Surely he wasn't being serious. He stared back at her, never flinching. He was serious. "No, I'm sorry. I can't impose on you like that," she insisted.

"It's not imposing, I'm inviting you. Come on," he said as he picked up her bag and began to walk away.

"But you only have one bed!" Leaf cried out desperately.

He paused and smirked over his shoulder, "Don't worry, I'll be a gentleman."

Her heart did some strange beat that was definitely not normal before he turned to make his way to the elevators. She trailed behind him; she knew she was blushing.

The room was nice. A small bathroom opened off the hallway to their left as they continued on to the main room. A bookcase that housed a television was mounted on the right wall, opposite of which was a queen-sized bed flanked by two nightstands. The far wall was solid windows that showed off a gorgeous view of the ocean.

"Oh, look at that view," she breathed as she walked up to the windows. The moon was almost full and the sky was perfectly clear so it reflected gorgeously off the water. Too bad there wasn't a balcony. If there had been one with a chair, she probably wouldn't have minded falling asleep outside.

"Do you want to take a shower first?" he asked, dropping his backpack on the edge of the bed.

"No, I'll probably just take one in the morning," she said distractedly. She was still staring out the window. She probably wouldn't have been able to afford a room this good on her own. Red must win more battles than she thought to pay for this without even a hint of hesitation. Even still, she'd have to offer him something before they left tomorrow.

"I'm going to go ahead and take one then," he said as he dug in his bag, eventually pulling out some extra clothes.

Leaf only tore her gaze away from the water when she heard the bathroom door shut and the water turn on. She might as well get ready for bed while he was busy in the shower. Digging in her bag, she pulled her pajamas out and hurriedly changed before crawling into bed and turning on the TV. It didn't take her long to get lost in some reality show. It was a good twenty minutes later when she heard the bathroom door open. Not wanting to miss the ending, she didn't look away from the show as Red made his way back into the room to put his dirty clothes away.

"Suspenseful show?" he joked.

"Ha ha," she said sarcastically. "Actually, I'm just curious who the winner will be. I'm all caught up in the finale of a show I've never seen," she laughed glancing at him.

But then the show didn't seem all that important. Red was bent over, still putting his clothes away neatly in his backpack. He was shirtless, only wearing a pair of black shorts with a small line of his boxers peeking out over the top. His hair was mussed, still wet from the shower, and she could see a few small drops of water run down his bare back. He was thin, but not scrawny; he was all lean muscle. Her mouth went dry. Red was nice to look at when he was fully clothed – only partially clothed, he looked even better.

She jumped and turned back to the TV as he straightened up and stretched.

"I'm beat. You ready for bed?" he asked as the winner was announced and the audience screamed.

"Absolutely," she said, turning off the show. In all honesty, she wasn't tired at all anymore; now she was nervous. She was no naïve schoolgirl – she'd been with a couple guys and had made out with plenty others – but she felt nervous nevertheless.

Her first time was with a guy she'd known her whole life. They were both fifteen and were up late watching movies in her living room. She couldn't remember what they were watching, but she clearly remembered their conversation. Out of nowhere, he asked her if she'd ever had sex. Taken aback, she told him she hadn't and then quietly asked if he had. He hadn't. After talking, they decided that they should sleep together. He had always been interested in another girl but was never confident enough to go after her – he said that getting his first time out of the way would help him not be as nervous around her – and she didn't really care one way or another when she lost her virginity. She figured it was better to lose it to a guy that genuinely cared for her than some punk that would drop her the next week.

It was messy. And awkward. They were shy and unsure, removing each other's clothes carefully. Every time he touched her, he'd ask if it felt good, and she was timid when touching him. At first she didn't feel much of anything, but then he'd touched a spot while fingering her and she'd gasped. It felt good – oh, it felt good. She had been stroking him when it happened and her grasp tightened without her even realizing it. After that point, they'd been more confident. He pulled out a condom and rolled it on and she remembered wondering how many times he'd practiced that. And as he settled himself between her legs and slowly began to push into her, she closed her eyes. It hurt, but only for a moment. Soon, the visual senses were too much for her when combined with the sensations she was feeling as he moved in and out. It didn't last long – it was his first time, after all – and when it was over they cleaned up, got dressed, and finished their movie.

They'd remained close even after their first time, often getting together to experiment and try new things. How else would they get better if they didn't try everything out? Nothing was ever emotional or romantic between them. They were just childhood friends that transitioned into friends with benefits. It was a mutual arrangement and they both benefitted from it. She got the experience and he got the girl.

Her second time was with some guy in a bar. She'd just graduated and had decided to leave home to train and go after the gym badges – it was the first time she was out on her own, able to make her own decisions. After a couple weeks of travelling, she arrived in Pewter City, ready to start her challenge. Then, once she'd won the badge, she decided to celebrate in the local bar. She hadn't been there long when a guy approached her and started up a conversation. He was nice enough, but, more importantly at the time, he was nice to look at. Maybe it was her high from winning at the gym, maybe it was finally being away from her parents, or maybe it was the fact that she had entirely too much to drink. Whatever the reason, she didn't give a rat's ass about morals that night as he fucked her against the bathroom wall in the bar. She didn't even remember his name.

But for some reason this felt different.

She couldn't put her finger on why exactly it felt different, but it was. She'd never been nervous after her first time, but she was anxious tonight. The sexual tension felt thick in the room as he crawled into bed and told her goodnight, but she must have just been imagining it because nothing happened that night.

Part V – How Much Is Too Much?

The next few times he met up with her, it was always for dinner. They would happen across each other in the center, the mart, the street, the fields – and no matter the time of day they'd agree to get together that evening. The first time he ate with her after they shared a room in Vermillion, she casually mentioned that they should always share a room when they could, that it would save them money. She was stunning and he's a normal, straight guy so of course he'd agreed.

And so it went on.

They shared rooms in Saffron after going to see the newest movie out in theaters, near Rock Tunnel after surfing around to the Power Plant, in Fuchsia after letting their pokémon play in the water on the beach, in Cinnabar after exploring the mansion, near Mt. Moon after training, and here and there and everwhere. Two months passed of that situation and they were comfortable with each other by that point. But he never said it was easy.

-x-x-x-

"So where are you going next?" Leaf asked as she dried her hair in the towel. She was sitting on the edge of the bed staring at him with her head tilted to the side, wet hair over her shoulder.

He leaned back against the pillows on the bed, Pikachu curled up beside him. "Not sure, maybe down the piers to Fuchsia. I haven't been out that way in a while and there are always plenty of trainers over there. I need to get some more training in before I take on Koga."

"You're probably a lot closer than I am. I had more trouble beating Sabrina than I'd like to admit. I definitely need to get some more practice in before I even think about Koga."

"You'll get there," he said as she took her towel to the bathroom.

She crawled into bed, lying on her stomach and wrapping her arms around the pillow.

"Night, Red."

"G'night."

Later that night, he had to go to the bathroom - he hated having to get up in the middle of the night. The room was cold, he was groggy, and it was hard to walk like a normal human being. Once he was done, he quietly walked back towards the bed and stopped when he got there. Leaf was still in pretty much the same position she'd been in when she fell asleep, except now she'd pulled her right leg up causing her to face away from him slightly. She must have gotten warm during the night because she'd kicked the blankets off; they were tangled around her lower legs. Her tank top had shifted up to reveal a creamy portion of her lower back. It was smooth skin, and he wondered if it felt as soft as it looked. Her shorts, already short to begin with, didn't do much to hide the outline of her butt.

As he stared at her, he felt himself harden, and all of a sudden the room didn't feel so cold and he was decidedly more awake. When his hand brushed his length he wondered when he'd moved his arm. With a sudden jerk, he turned on his heel and went back to the bathroom. He closed the door, not even bothering to turn the light on, and dropped his shorts and boxers. His forehead pressed against his left arm which rested against the cool tile wall, and his eyes were closed – he couldn't remember the last time he'd wanted anything so bad. His hand moved of its own accord, stroking. He was hard and hot and, oh god, he wanted her.

Bad.

His breathing quickened as his pace sped up. He didn't do this very often anymore, but after all the practice from when he was younger, his hand never really forgot what felt best. He didn't even have to think about it, which was good because he wanted to think about her. His thoughts were disjointed. He could see her…

On the bed – legs open. Motioning to him. Wanting him. Her hair was splayed out – no clothes. Naked. Eyes closed. Moaning. She said his name – Red. Calling to him. And then she moaned his name – oh god, she moaned it. And just as her hand drifted down her stomach to the apex between her thighs…

He came, jerking violently with the strength of his orgasm. The picture of her in his mind disappeared like smoke and he became aware of his surroundings again. He didn't move for a few minutes, letting his heart rate return to normal and his breathing slow. Then he straightened up. He grabbed a towel, wiping off his hand before swiping it across the floor to clean up the places his cum had dripped off his hand.

With a small sigh he placed his hands on the counter and stared at his reflection in the mirror.

Just sleeping in the same bed was much harder than he thought when he agreed to this arrangement.

Part VI – What is the point of it all?

He'd never been much of a talker growing up. Instead, he preferred to listen. Some people are just like that. Gary, on the other hand, talked a lot.

He'd boast and brag and puff himself while simultaneously attempting to bring someone else down, but it was all filler. The type that was all hot air and no meaning. He knew that Gary worried about things – it's impossible not to – but he also knew that Gary wouldn't ever admit to it. After all, he'd spent his whole life building up his cocky, arrogant persona that he couldn't afford to let his walls down.

-x-x-x-

Gary sat there at the bar and pretended to watch the football game. He didn't like football and couldn't tell you the names of either team, but he needed a drink and knew from experience that people were less likely to talk to him if it looked like he was into whatever was on TV. He waved the bartender over and pushed his glass out.

"Another."

The bartender pushed the refilled glass back before moving on to the other patrons. He stared down at the drink, swirling it around, watching as the ice cubes clinked together. He'd never been much of a liquor kind of guy, but sometimes he needed something stronger and faster than beer.

"Drinking alone now?"

Gary set his glass down. That voice was unmistakable.

"Sometimes you just have to."

Red slid onto the stool to Gary's left. "Jack and coke," he told the bartender.

They sat there, both pretending to watch the football game, without saying anything. Their drinks were emptied and refilled, and Gary could feel the numbing effect of the liquor cloud his mind. It was one of the best feelings in the world. His thoughts receded into the depths of his mind and he let his mind go blank, staring at the TV. But then, out of nowhere, a thought forced its way out of the depths of his mind. It was a deep-rooted fear of his that he never really allowed himself to think about because Gary Oak refused to admit he was afraid. The liquor he was drinking thought otherwise, though.

"Do you ever wonder if there's any point to it all?"

It was a vague question, but Gary knew that Red would understand the depth of it. He waited for an answer. Out of anyone, he knew Red should be able to make him feel better – give him some philosophical answer that would help his existence make sense. But his friend just sat there silently and didn't say anything. So Gary went on.

"I just don't understand it sometimes – the constant battling and training and challenging and struggling and for what? Once you win and you're at the top, you're alone. There's no one beside you because all anyone else can do is look up to you and admire you from afar. They won't approach you because you're too damn inspirational, and no one is truly inspired by someone they personally know because then you can see that the person has faults and isn't so goddamn perfect."

He was drunk and he knew it. But he didn't care.

"I don't know, man. Sometimes I feel the same way," Red told him quietly. "I wonder what the hell I'm doing. I'm running around Kanto chasing this dream, but what happens at the end? I can see myself at the top, but I'm alone – and when I try to look past that point into the future, I can't see anything and it scares the fuck out me."

It wasn't the answer he had expected to hear, but he felt a little better nonetheless. Then the liquor made him say something else.

"You know, I used to want to be just like my dad. I thought he was the greatest. But then he decided he wanted something more than a small town and a wife and two kids so he left with some slut that was passing through town. The bastard didn't even have the decency say goodbye, he just left a note. Then, a couple years later I see on the news that he'd killed some punk. Apparently, that girl he'd been with had left him for someone else so he'd killed him. Last I heard he's still rotting away in prison."

"Your dad was an ass..."

Gary laughed before downing the last of his drink.

"And you're not him," Red finished as he also emptied his glass.

Gary didn't laugh that time. It was what he wanted to hear, needed to hear. After his dad had left, his mother had cried for months. She'd pulled herself away from Daisy and himself and his Grandpa Oak. He'd always wondered if being a bastard was hereditary – wondered if he was a jerk to everyone else because it was in his blood or if it was because of the things that had happened in his life. It felt good to know that someone thought he was in control of his life. That he wasn't destined to turn out like his dad. That he had a choice.

He leaned forward, laying his head on his forearms, shielding his face. Tears stung in his eyes and he'd be damned if anyone would see them. Even with his eyes closed, he could feel Red beside him. If it were anyone else, he'd be ashamed of the things he'd said this evening, but he knew that Red wouldn't say anything to anyone else or even to him. This evening was one of those times that just fade into history – if they'd try to recall it, they'd remember it, but they sure as hell would never say anything out loud about it.

That's the type of friendship they'd come to.

Gary sighed, lifting his head and sitting up in his chair once more. He stared at the empty glass in front of him and refused to think about the emptiness he felt in his life.

"Come on, man. Let's get out of here."

Gary just nodded as he stood up. The room spun a little and the floor swayed up to meet him, but he managed to make his way out of the bar. Like a true friend, Red never made a move to help him. They'd known each other long enough that Red would've known he shouldn't try to help – it would be like pointing out a weakness. So they walked in silence.

Back in his room, he laid on his bed. The ceiling swirled lazily above him, and out of the corner of his eyes he could see the walls flowing like waves on the ocean. And like the ocean, he felt his moroseness flow out with the tide. He didn't know what his future would hold once he'd accomplished what he'd set out to do, but it couldn't be all that bad. Things would work out – they had to.

Part VII – Is it possible to stay in a moment forever?

Sometimes he and Leaf would go weeks without seeing each other, sometimes only a few days, but it seemed like they never waited longer than three or four days between talking. She'd call to tell him about a rare pokémon outbreak, he'd call to give her advice on her training. She'd call to tell him of her accomplishments, he'd call to tell her about stories he'd heard. She'd call to tell him to go outside and look at the stars, he'd call to tell her he could see Orion and Sagittarius. She'd call to tell him good morning and have a good day, he'd call to tell her good night and sleep well.

But then time went by and he didn't hear from her. He'd called to tell her about the rumor of the legendary pokémon in the Seafoam Islands, but when she answered the phone she quickly told him she was in the middle of a battle and would have to call him back. But she didn't. Sure, he was worried. But he had to remind himself that she didn't have any obligation to call him back.

That was almost three weeks ago.

Then, out of nowhere, his cell phone rang and it was her name lit up on the screen. He didn't even know he smiled when he saw it.

She asks where he is – he's on Cycling Road. She says cool, she's been in Celadon visiting her family – he says that's nice and asks if she's had a good time. She has. She asks if he has plans tomorrow evening – nothing that he knows of, why? She explains there's going to be a concert in Celadon with some of her favorite bands and that he should definitely go with her – he says sure, he'll see her tomorrow.

He can hear the smile in her voice as she tells him bye.

He feels infinitely better at the thought of seeing her again.

-x-x-x-

Red stood against the posts on the street outside the game corner waiting for her. She'd said she'd meet him here. The concert had already started, but she'd told him the first bands were going to be lame and that they'd go later once the headliners were playing. He didn't care either way, he was just looking forward to seeing her.

There were tons of people milling around the street – people standing in groups talking, people headed to the entrance of the concert area, kids dodging in and out of everyone else as they ran around. He almost started to wonder if he'd missed her when she was suddenly in front of him. She was wearing skinny jeans and a black lacy top. She was all smiles as she leaned forward to give him an unexpected hug.

"Well hey there, stranger," she said jokingly.

"Hey yourself," he said back with a smile.

They talked easily on the way to the entrance, like they hadn't just gone three weeks with no contact. He asked how her family had been, she asked how his training was going. He paid for her ticket even though she insisted he shouldn't, and they moved inside. There were even more people in here than on the streets, but the area was big enough that it wasn't claustrophobic feeling. She stood a little ahead of him and he could see her nod her head in time with the music as she searched the crowd.

She waved excitedly before grabbing his hand – his stomach twisting at the contact – and dragging him towards a group of girls she obviously knew. She introduced him to each girl, but he forgot their names immediately after she said them. He never was great with names. He let her talk while he watched the band. The bass beat loudly, he could feel it in his bones almost more than he could hear it. The band was good – alternative rock with a nice beat. The singer had a smooth voice too, easy to listen to. She turned back towards the stage as her group of friends walked off. She liked this band – he could tell. He leaned down to talk directly in her ear. If he didn't there'd be no way she could hear him.

"Do you want a beer?"

She started a little, not expecting his voice that close or his breath on her ear. "Sure," she said over the music with a smile.

"Anything in particular?" He'd never been this close to her before. The back of her shoulder was almost touching his chest.

"Nah, surprise me." He gave her a small smile before he headed for the bar.

It took him longer than expected, but soon he was asking the woman behind the bar for two beers. She was a hot mess – all short shorts and cropped top and cleavage. Obviously working for tips. He couldn't knock her for it, though. By the looks of the tip jars, there were too many guys here eating up her show of skin, deluding themselves into thinking she really was interested in him and not the wad of cash in his pocket. While he was waiting for the beers, he noticed Gary farther down the bar. He waved to get his attention, to which Gary grinned and motioned him to come over. After trading a bill for the two beers for Hot Mess, he walked up.

"Hey man, long time no see," he shouted. The music was still loud even here at the bar.

"True that – what the hell have you been up to?" Gary asked.

"A lot of nothing. Training as always."

"Yeah, same here. I've been building up my team lately. I'm taking a break right now, but after this weekend I'm headed out to Cinnabar to challenge Blaine. That old bastard's going down and I'll have badge number seven," he shouted with a smirk.

"That's awesome, man. I'm right behind you, though – he's up next for me too."

"Always behind," he reminded. Red just shrugged, playing it off. Gary had always been one step ahead of him through their whole gym leader challenge, but he never really minded. He was able to get pointers that way and was also able to see his rival's fighting technique more often than Gary probably realized. That gave him the advantage so that when the day came for them to face off again, he'd win.

Red noticed Gary look past him before inclining his head with a smile. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Leaf. She was swaying slightly with the music, waving towards them.

"Did you finally ask her out?" he asked. Here it comes. Gary was grinning the way guys do when they're about to give each other shit.

"Not really, she called me and asked me to come with her."

"Come on, man! How long have you two been hanging out now? Almost eight months? Dude, it's time to stop pussyfooting around and do something already. Hell, the two of you share hotel rooms when you're in the same town! Yeah, yeah," Gary cut him off before he could say anything, "it 'saves money.' But either you're satisfied being in the ultimate of friend zones with her or you need to man up. Grow some balls already and make a move." He glanced towards her again, "Before he does."

Red looked over his shoulder and saw a guy talking to her. He was leaning towards her much like he'd been earlier, but now she was leaning away from him shaking her head.

"Dude, seriously. She's obviously into you – no girl could put up with you for that long if she wasn't interested."

"Thanks," he said sarcastically.

"Hey, I'm just trying to help you out," he shrugged, grabbing his beer and walking off. "See ya later, punk!"

Red stared after him, wondering when they'd come to this point. They'd gone from best friends, to bitter rivals, to an easy friendship, to giving relationship advice. It's funny how life happens. He looked back to Leaf and saw the guy still bothering her – she was facing him now, still shaking her head, pointing in his direction. He liked the idea that she was telling this guy she was here at the concert with him.

The music had stopped momentarily, the singer talking to the crowd, so he could hear some of their conversation as he came up behind her.

"Come on, honey. You're too pretty to be here by yourself." He reached for her arm, but she tore it away from him.

"Ugh, I told you – I'm here with someone! Would you leave me the hell alone?!"

He chuckled, he was drunk. "I don't see anyone here."

The guy had started towards her again when he stepped up beside her, put his arm around her waist, and pulled her to his side. She squeaked in shock, but her eyes shifted from anger to relief when she looked up to see it was him and not another sleaze ball touching her.

"Hey, you weren't messing with my girl here were you?" he asked coolly, narrowing his eyes a bit for good effect. If he was like most drunks, he'd move on to some other girl before starting a fight. Not that Red would ever back down from a fight for her.

He looked at them, his mind trying to comprehend the fact that she really was here with someone and didn't want to go home with him. "No, man, not at all. Just seeing if she needed any help is all. I'm just going to go…" he trailed off as he stumbled back into the crowd.

Red could feel her bristling, "Need any help?! What a joke… that liar. Ugh!"

She was fuming and it was cute. He tried not to think about the fact that his arm was still around her waist as he held out her the beer.

"Thanks," she said with a smile before taking a long drink.

The band had stopped talking and started up another song – it was one of their biggest hits and the crowd responded enthusiastically, Leaf included. She yelled and pumped her fist in the air with the other concertgoers; his arm dropped after her sudden movement. It was a great song, he had to admit. He'd liked it since the first time he'd heard it and listened to it on the radio often. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye.

She was a vision.

Singing along with the band, eyes closed, smile on her face, hand raised in the air. She reminded him of something free and wild and completely untamable. She'd go where the wind blew her, flowing with the tides, but she'd always come back to what she loved. She was beautiful and funny and smart and dazzling and everything a guy would look for in a girl so why the hell was it taking him so long to kiss her, to make a move for her? Because that's what he wanted, right? He wanted this free and wild and untamable girl. Yes, more than anything, he wanted her. All of her. With him. He wanted all of her – all of her perfections and imperfections, her flaws and her strengths.

And before he even knew what he was doing, he was reaching towards her. Cupping his hands around her face, turning her towards him. He briefly saw her eyes open in surprise before he pulled her forward, meeting her in the middle.

And then his lips were on hers and she tasted as sweet – no, sweeter – than he'd ever imagined. Her eyes slid closed and they both let go. The people around them were singing and the song played on in the background and it couldn't have been more perfect because he was kissing her and she was kissing him and it just seemed like time stood still. He kissed her deeply, one of his hands straying down to her side to pull her body closer to him – and she responded, kissing him deeply in return, her body falling forward eagerly. One of her hands gripped his jacket while the other rested on his arm. He could feel the heat of her, the strength of her, and he wanted her so bad that his heart literally hurt.

The song ended, the band playing its last few notes, as he slowed the kiss, pulled away, and stared down at her. She gazed up at him, eyes slightly dazed, but completely trusting and open and sweet.

"You want to get out of here?"

"Yes."

No hesitation.

He didn't say anything else, just grabbed her hand and turned, making his way through the crowd to the exit. She followed him closely – he could feel her behind him, clasping his hand with one of her hands and the back of his jacket with the other. They weaved through people for way too long before the spaces got bigger and they could move faster. The band played on in the background, but he could care less about how good the music was now. All he could think about was her.

As they exited the concert area hand in hand, neither of them noticed Gary leaning against the fence watching them with a slight smile on his face. They didn't hear him, either, when he muttered to himself, "About fucking time."

The walk back to her hotel wasn't far. She'd told him earlier that evening about how big her family was and how some of them had checked in to hotels to keep the house from getting too full. Thank god she'd gotten a room at one that was close because he didn't know if he would've been able to make it any farther than that. When he would think back on it days later, the elevator ride was the worst. They were alone the whole ride to the nineteenth floor, hands still clasped, silent as they stood side by side. When the doors opened, she took the lead – she pulled him along as she wound her way through the maze of hallways before stopping at the room.

She took an agonizingly slow amount of time to unlock her door, or at least that's what it felt like to his heat-filled mind, but then the lock clicked and she opened the door. He followed her inside, moving past her to stand behind her while she faced the door, turning the locks back into place. Sealing out the rest of the world.

He could see her take a deep, steadying breath.

Leaf turned to face him and he pushed her against the door, pressing his lips against hers. He cupped her face and neck, and she wrapped her arms around his neck while she arched her back forward to touch his body. It was like he was dying and she was his lifeline, pulling him from the edge of death and loneliness and the dark ever after towards the brightness of life and happiness and light.

She unwound her arms from his neck and grabbed the front of his jacket, pushing it over his shoulders. He released her just long enough for the clothing to drop from his arms before reaching for her waist. Her black top slid up easily and his hands were on her stomach and back, her skin just as smooth and soft as it had always looked. Their kisses never stopped as her fingertips trailed fire down his chest through his black undershirt, and he's pretty sure his heart stopped beating for a second when her hand brushed the front of his jeans.

She didn't linger there long. Instead, she grabbed the bottom of his undershirt and pulled it up over his head, breaking their kiss for the first time since she'd locked the door. His hat fell to the floor with the shirt. The break made him pause, the fog in his head clearing slightly. He stared at her.

Her hair framed her face, her lips were swollen, her chest heaved with her breathing, and her eyes were needy. Needing him. She needed him.

He wanted her and she wanted him and they were both wearing entirely too much clothing.

Slowly, he dropped his gaze from her eyes to her body. He touched her waist softly, taking hold of the hem of her shirt, before lifting it over her head. The top was tossed aside unceremoniously as he met her eyes again. She gazed back at him, completely comfortable in her own skin – nothing was hotter than a girl that was confident in herself and her body. He reached for her again, only touching her with his hands. They slid up her sides and she shivered as a chill swept through her body. He reached her bra and slid one finger under the band before dragging it behind her back to the clasp.

The bra came off easily and, as he looked at her, he couldn't help remember Gary mention how he bet she would've looked perfect if he could've seen her in the darkness of his uncle's basement. The last thing he wanted on his mind right now was Gary, but he had to admit that he was right. She looked pretty fucking perfect.

He closed the space between them and the feeling of skin on skin was delicious in a way he couldn't even describe. They kissed desperately again – like there wouldn't be enough time if they slowed – and her hands were around the back of his neck, on his chest, at the fly of his jeans. Growling into the kiss, he grabbed the back of her thighs and lifted her up against the wall. He held her with one arm and braced them against the wall with the other as her legs found their way around his waist and why the hell were they still wearing so much clothing?

He pushed them off the wall, carrying her down the short hallway to the bedroom. Leaf held his face as she kissed him and moaned softly into his mouth, and when the edge of the bed bumped his legs, he paused before kneeling on the end and laying her down. She stayed there, open and unashamed, and her eyes were on his as he stood back up. Slowly, she sat up, scooting to the edge of the bed until he stood between her legs.

She glanced up at him with a wicked smile that made his stomach tie up in knots before touching the sides of his thighs. She leaned forward, pressing a kiss to his stomach while his skin twitched in response – he always had been ticklish. Meanwhile, her hands slid up to his hips, then around his butt, before returning down the backs of his legs. He could feel himself start to get lightheaded but it didn't matter because he wanted this so bad. When her hands slid up again, this time to the fly of his jeans, he vaguely wondered if his body had forgotten how to process the oxygen he was breathing.

She slowly released the button of his jeans and he could hear the rasp of the zipper as she pulled it down. Then she was working his jeans off, pulling them over his hips, followed by his boxers. He was naked in front of her and absolutely positive his body had forgotten how to do anything except feel. But then she touched him. His eyes closed and it felt so good. She was stroking him and he couldn't hold onto reality anymore so he reached out and grabbed her shoulders to keep from falling. Her kisses were like fire on his skin and then he was consumed by fire as her mouth – hot and moist and completely fucking amazing – was around him.

She moved over his length and he was pretty sure he would die at any second. It felt perfect. Heart racing, he couldn't keep his body from reacting. His hips moved of their accord, thrusting slightly to meet her mouth. One of her hands gripped his thigh while the other was wrapped around the base of his shaft and he could hear her moan faintly with each thrust into her mouth. The heat of her mouth was causing his body to burn and he could feel the tension building. He was close – so very close – when he pulled away from her.

He pushed her back onto the bed before reaching for her jeans. There was no teasing anymore – no slow, sly removal of clothes. Instead, he unclasped her jeans and jerked them off along with her panties. And then she was finally naked in front of him. Red knelt on the bed, leaning over her, and his fingers crept between her thighs. Her eyes closed and a sigh escaped her mouth as he slid two fingers in. It didn't take him long to find her sweet spot and he knew exactly when he hit it – her hips lifted slightly and she had to fight her body to keep from writhing too much.

She was perfect.

When she was on the brink of an orgasm, he pulled his fingers out, stood up, and backtracked to his jeans for a condom – he always carried some, even though he hadn't slept with anyone in a while. He lowered himself on top of her, his elbows propping himself up, and stared at her. The tip of him pressed against her but he waited.

"Please…" she breathed. "I need… Red, please."

With that, his hips snapped to hers.

She was so tight and warm and wet – he had to take deep breaths to keep from finishing right there – and she moaned his name. He began to move steadily but his breathing was ragged and he could hear her panting in his ear. The fire was so hot. How the hell had he waited this long? She dragged her fingernails across his back as she wound her legs around his waist, meeting him thrust for thrust.

He could hear her whines rise in pitch before she suddenly called out his name and came, her body squeezing around him. It was quite possibly the sexiest thing he'd ever seen. Her eyes were squeezed shut, her mouth was slightly open, and there was a look of complete and utter ecstasy on her face. It only took three sharp thrusts after that before he buried himself deep inside her and came. His body bowed above hers with the force of it and he jerked slightly as he emptied himself. Blackness swept away his sight, burned away by the fire – he was so light-headed. But then it returned again and he was staring down at her.

Leaf's eyes were slightly glazed over but she smiled up at him with a look of contentment. Easing down until he was only partially laying on her, he swirled his fingertip in a figure eight around her breast and bellybutton. It was a while before either of them moved, but she eventually shifted. He let her get up and she walked around to the foot of the bed. She tossed him the discarded boxers from the base of the bed before sliding on her panties and his black undershirt.

"Hot," he told her with a smirk. She looked good in his shirt.

Returning his smile, she crawled back into bed and curled into his side. With her hand on his chest and head on his shoulder, he lazily put his arm around her and rested his chin against her head.

As they drifted off to sleep, he felt at peace. It was like the world had shut down for a while just for them. And it was nice.

Part VIII – Do opposites really attract?

Leaf had a bold side that not many people saw. She was sweet and polite in public, but he had seen an incredibly sexy side of her and a side that craved for thrill-seeking adventures.

He'd been getting ready the following morning wearing only his jeans since she still wore his shirt. When he'd requested it, though, she'd told him he could have it if he could catch her. He'd proceeded to chase her around the room, jumping on the bed and over the furniture until he had her cornered. She laughed as he put his arms out to the wall on either side of her body, effectively trapping her, and she moaned when he captured her lips with a kiss, lifting her up and pressing her against the wall. But he was the one who gasped when she deftly undid his fly and zipper, pulled him out, pushed aside her panties, and slid onto him.

Their sex the night before had been relatively slow and gentle. Their sex that morning was rough and fast and hot.

They made it a point after their first night together to not wait so long between seeing each other. Talking would get him through their days apart, but there was no true alternative to being able to touch her and hold her and kiss her. But despite their rendezvous and preoccupation with each other, they both understood that training and collecting the badges was important.

Still, he enjoyed being able to cut loose when he was with her – although, she was always eager for adventures that pushed him outside of his comfort zone.

-x-x-x-

Leaf rolled her eyes at her – dare she say – boyfriend. For someone that came across as so tough, he could be kind of a wimp at times. Her toes curled over the edge of the cliff. With her eyes closed and arms outstretched she could feel the cool breeze on her face, hear the waves crashing far below her.

"Leaf, seriously, get away from the edge. You're going to fall." Red stood roughly ten feet behind her. She knew he was unwilling to come closer to the brink of the precipice to pull her back.

Slowly, Leaf turned to face him – she still stood right on the edge, her heels nudging the empty air. "Would you come save me if I did?" She smiled at him mischievously before she leaped backwards off the cliff. The wind howled in her ears, preventing her from hearing Red's startled outburst, as she plunged towards the water. The cliffs were a blur and her stomach felt like it trailed her descent by a few feet, like it wasn't a part of her body anymore. Then the water surrounded her as she sank below the surface. Her body slowed and she opened her eyes, floating in the blue expanse. A group of Staryu removed themselves from the cliff wall behind her at her sudden intrusion while a Tentacool drifted lazily past her, undisturbed. In the distance she could make out the shape of a whale-like pokémon. Kicking her feet, she swam up to the surface and was met with yelling.

"What the hell were you thinking, Leaf? That was so fucking stupid!" He was angry. "You could have died – you could have hit a rock or drowned or…" He trailed off as she laughed at his tirade. He wasn't really angry with her; she knew he was just worried.

"Then why don't you get come down here and punish me?"

Red glared at her, "You think this is a joke?"

"Come on, Red! Just jump!" She did a flip underwater. Between her fascination with the beach and her love of swimming, she sometimes wondered if she should have been born a water creature.

"Abso-fucking-lutely not. No way."

"Don't be such a chicken! How many times can you say you've had the opportunity to jump off a cliff? Just jump out and you'll be fine – there's no rocks this far out or anything."

She was wearing him down. When she saw him bend over to take off his shoes, muttering the whole time, she knew she'd won. He hesitated at the edge before he took a calming breath and vaulted off. Leaf watched as he fell and sliced into the water. Turning in a circle, she waited for him to break the surface. Finally, with a splash and a gasp for air, he did.

"That was the stupidest, craziest, most idiotic thing I've ever done in my life," he shouted. "Never again – never!"

She laughed and swam up to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "It couldn't have been all that bad. You're still alive, right? And I'll never ask you do it again."

He stared at her reproachfully then glanced back up at the cliff. "Sometimes I wonder why I'm with you," he grumbled.

Leaf kissed him and stroked his cheek, "Because you love me."

He kissed her back deeply and said with a smile, "Yeah, I guess I do."

Part IX – Can your heart literally stop beating?

When he first began his journey, he was too young to think much about good versus evil and right versus wrong. What kid honestly thinks about those things when he's finally doing something on his own and his away from his parents for the first time in his life. The most difficult decision he ever faced was where to head to next. It's funny how, even when you don't want to be a part of it, those problems work their way into your life.

-x-x-x-

Red had been battling this Team Rocket trash since Cerulean City. Now, after fighting through their ranks, he was finally facing their boss. The man introduced himself as Giovanni. He was tall and imposing – all dark suit and tie. He reminded him of a drug-dealing gangster boss from an old movie.

"What you're doing is wrong, and I can't just stand aside and let you do this."

Giovanni's eyes narrowed in annoyance before he smiled at me in a way that made my insides crawl.

"Well, it really is too bad you feel that way," he said coolly. "I've worked for too long building up this organization for it to fall apart in the homestretch. So you see, if you refuse to leave our operation alone, I'll be forced to take drastic measures." He paused for effect and leaned back in his chair, touching his fingertips together. "It would be a shame if something were to happen to your little girlfriend."

"If you even try to hurt her, I'll…"

"You'll what?" he yelled. "You'll stop me?" The silence seemed to ring as Giovanni took a deep breath to calm himself after his outburst. "Let me be more clear - if you don't back off, I'll kill her."

Something strange happened in the office at that point.

Red's vision tunneled and the room seemed to get a little smaller. A shiver ran down his back as his blood turned a little icier in its veins. And his palms began to sweat as his heart forgot how to beat and his lungs forgot how to breathe and his muscles forgot how to move or maybe he was just imagining it all because he was sofuckingangry that this guy was threatening Leaf.

"Think about it, hero."

And with that, one of the Team Rocket grunts threw a smokescreen ball towards his face, and by the time the smoke had cleared and he could see properly again, the whole group had teleported out of the room.

Part X – Is it possible to always protect someone from harm?

He couldn't remember ever hearing his parents argue. Granted, his dad was away on business a lot, but when he was home, they always seemed happy. Maybe his mom was just so happy to see him and spend time with him that it was never worth it to bring up anything bad. Or maybe they were just really good at hiding it. Or maybe they really were always happy.

He liked to think it was the latter, even though he knew better.

-x-x-x-

"You need to leave Team Rocket alone," he told her firmly. "They're strong and ruthless, and I don't want you to get hurt."

She frowned at him, obviously upset. "I can protect myself. I was perfectly capable before I met you and I'll be fine now!"

"I never said you weren't capable." God, she could be so frustrating. "All I said was that you should leave them alone rather than actively seeking them out for a challenge. What you did the other day was reckless." He couldn't believe she'd chased after a group of those grunts just to fight them.

"You're being ridiculous," she yelled. "I'm not some baby that needs to be coddled and taken care of and hid away from the world! I know they're horrible people, but I've proven that I can handle them." Her hand strayed to the pokeballs that lined her belt. "We can handle them."

He sighed, pressing his fingers to his temples. She was too obstinate to listen to what he was saying – he knew she could handle those stupid Team Rocket grunts that ran around picking fights. What worried him was Giovanni and the direct threat that had been made on her life. But he couldn't tell her that.

"Look, Leaf. I know how hard you train and I know you're tough. But I'm asking you to please not mess with these guys. Just back off."

She didn't even miss a beat, "What, so you can fight them and get all the glory? You know, maybe that's what you really want. You probably just want all the attention you'd get from beating them!"

It was the last straw. He had been handling the situation fairly well, but her jab was too much. When had he ever given the impression he desired attention? And when had he ever given the impression that he would push her down so he could bask in the limelight alone?

"You're acting completely stupid, Leaf!" He was yelling now, but he didn't care. "I wanted you to stop going after them because I care about you, but that clearly doesn't mean very much to you. You're so stubborn that you're blind to why I'm asking you do something. Instead, you'd rather think I'm a selfish jerk that's only after the attention! If that's the case, there's probably not enough room in my circle of fame for more than one person!"

When he was finished, he huffed irritably and looked away from her. The silence felt deafening after their yelling.

"I think I'm going to get my own room tonight," she said quietly. Her temper was no longer raging but smoldering.

"Yeah, maybe that's best."

He was too angry to care at the moment. She was stubborn and willful and prideful and frustrating. He refused to watch as she gathered up her things, stuffing them into her bag. Then, with a slow look at him that he didn't return, she turned and walked out of their camp. He let her go. Pikachu chattered at him softly, aware of his anger but unwilling to let him go through it alone. Silently, he picked up the yellow mouse and tried to think about anything but Leaf.

Fate, it seemed, had other plans.

It couldn't have been more than ten minutes later that he heard her scream in the distance. Red had never heard Leaf scream before, but somehow he knew it was her. He jumped up, Pikachu falling to the ground, and sprinted towards where he'd heard the noise, forgetting all about their pointless argument.

Something was wrong. He could feel it in his gut. And his instincts were confirmed when he came to a fork in the road. He saw her bag lying on the side of the road, but there was no sign of her anywhere. He scanned the forest before noticing a white slip of paper on the ground. Stomach in a knot, he picked it up and read.

"I told you to back off, hero. Now she'll have to bear the consequences."

Part XI – What does it mean to be a hero?

Looking back, life was so easy when he was younger. He'd wake up and spend the whole day playing. Gary and he would make up games, pretend that the town was under attack and that only they could save the helpless people from the invading menace or maybe that some natural disaster was headed their way and only the two of them with their superpowers could prevent certain death. It never failed to be dramatic, but, whatever the event, the end result was always the same – they would win and be heroes. Every young boy wants to be the hero, wants to save the damsel in distress.

He just never thought it would happen outside of his imaginary childhood games.

They'd taken over the Silph Co. building in Saffron. It was unexpected and yet it made complete sense. Team Rocket had grown strong but it was more of a strength in numbers; individually, they were weak and he knew he could take them.

The stupid, high-tech director of Silph Co. was the one that had decided on implementing the locking rooms and warp pads. Seemed like a convenient solution, until an evil organization decided to take over, that is. Thankfully, an employee hiding in an abandoned room told him that she had dropped her card key on one of the upper floors and that it would unlock the doors. It didn't take him long to find it. He went through every floor, merciless as he beat grunt after grunt, until he had reached the director's office on the top floor.

He knew that she would be there.

-x-x-x-

Red stepped into the office and felt the anxiety wash away from him as he spotted Leaf in the corner of the room. She was bound and gagged. Her lip was busted, dried blood on her chin, and there was a nasty bruise on her left temple. He could tell she was afraid, but at the same time he knew she was defiant. There was an angry glint in her eyes that told him she hadn't been abducted easily – that and the hand-shaped bruise on the face of the grunt guarding her.

"I figured you'd come, hero."

His gaze shifted to the man behind the desk.

"Giovanni, let her go."

The Team Rocket boss smiled, "I'm going to have to say no." He stood up and walked to the front of the desk, leaning against it casually. "You see, we took her to make a point. If we were to give her up freely, it would negate that. Would make us look weak. And if there's one thing I can't stand, it's looking weak."

Red clenched his jaw and his hand drifted to the pokeballs on his belt. Giovanni's eyes followed his movements – he seemed pleased at the prospect of a battle. Without warning, their battle began.

"Blastoise!"

"Nidoking!"

It was a powerful battle, but Red managed to pull out a win. The victory came at a price, though – his pokémon were badly injured and would need to go to the center immediately. After Giovanni had lost and fled with his team of grunts, Red rushed over to Leaf. The gag came off easily, as did the cords securing her arms and legs. She threw her arms around his neck and, though she was silent, he could feel the hot wetness from her tears on his neck. They stayed there for what seemed like forever – she held onto him desperately while he wrapped his arms around her – until the hurt and worry and fear had passed and the world seemed to settle into normalcy again.

Part XII – Can you ever run away from fears and problems?

After beating the Elite Four, it was a surprise when he found it was Gary he faced for the champion's title. It seemed fitting, though. They had started their journey so many years ago with a battle and now they would end it with a battle.

Their fight was epic.

Leaf had run into the room after his victory and jumped on him in her excitement, nearly knocking him down. When he had originally told her that he was getting ready to take the challenge at Indigo Plateau, she had been beyond supportive. He knew she must have been in the center waiting area the whole time with her eyes glued to the screens that displayed the battles. He was smiling and she was smiling and, even though he'd just lost, Gary looked pleased.

The following weeks were a blur. Filled with pictures and interviews, he felt like his whole life was being exposed, but eventually it calmed down. But then there was nothing. He'd sit there, day after day. For weeks he waited. He waited for a challenger to come, someone to battle. Even when Leaf came to visit he was distant. What was the point of hearing the stories of travelling to Johto if he had nothing to share in return.

He remembered that drunken conversation with Gary in the bar and the fears they'd both felt, and he shuddered to think his greatest fears had come true. He was at the top. And he was alone. The years stretched out before him but they were dark and empty and meaningless. He couldn't do this – he couldn't just wait here.

He told the other members of the Elite Four that he was going to travel. Then he left.

He wanted to go home.

-x-x-x-

Aurora loved her son more than life itself. She'd watched him grow from an adventurous boy to a strong, handsome man and she couldn't have been more proud. He'd left a few years ago to chase after the league dream and, though it had been hard, she'd let him go. Now he was sitting at the kitchen table drinking tea as if he hadn't been away travelling, conquering the world, becoming a champion.

But there was something wrong. He'd been silent and contemplative since the moment he'd arrived.

"Red, you can't just run away from your responsibilities. What if someone wants to challenge you? What if they need you there at Indigo Plateau?"

"They're all strong, they can handle whatever might come up. They said I could leave. They all said they understood."

Aurora had to fight to hide her frown. "And what about Leaf? Will you just leave her, too?"

While on his journey, Red had always stopped by every few months to check in, but on one of his more recent visits he hadn't been alone. Her name was Leaf and she was pretty and sweet and seemed absolutely perfect for her son. Aurora had hardly been able to contain her excitement at this new development and had insisted that they stay for dinner; she'd made spaghetti and meatballs. By the time the young couple had left late that evening, Aurora was already having visions of a white wedding.

"She doesn't know. I mean, she knows I'm leaving to travel and that I need some time alone, but she understands. I just don't know what to do now. All my life I've had some kind of goal, something to work towards. Now what do I have? Mom, that's why I have to leave, I need to go figure out where to go from here."

He opened the door and stepped into the sunshine. She had tears in her eyes as she stared after him.

"But where will you go, honey? You've already travelled all over Kanto."

He paused, his gaze focused on a mountain range in the distance.

"I'll go to Mt. Silver."

Part XIII – How long is too long?

The mountain was awful, easily the hardest thing he'd ever done, and the trip pushed his pokémon and his own resolve to its limits. It took two weeks of wandering through tunnels and caves before he exited a cavern and saw daylight. Pikachu had squealed in excitement at the strange white substance that coated everything before dashing off to play in it. The wind swirled the snow around him as he made his way up the trail to the peak.

He stopped at the edge of the outcrop. There was a dense layer of clouds below him about a third of the way down the mountain. He couldn't see through them, but he could see the clear, blue sky above them that seemed endless. It stretched on – untouched by human buildings or structures – as far as he could see in any direction, seemingly endless. And to the east, the sun rose above the clouds, the morning light causing the snow to glint like diamonds. It was so beautiful and perfect and glorious that he couldn't breathe.

He sat down in the snow, not even caring that it would melt into his clothes, and stared at the sunrise. After a moment, he felt Pikachu push his way under his arm until Red's hand rested on the electric mouse's back. So he sat there at the top of the world with his first pokémon, the one that had started it all.

And it felt like a weight lifted from his chest and his soul was free.

-x-x-x-

Red hadn't told her much. She had been sitting on the beach in Cinnabar when he flew up to her and hopped off Charizard. It was a short conversation – he told her he was leaving, that he needed to travel and wander and sort out the dark future in his life. He needed something to strive for, something to work for, something to live for. It was something he had to do alone.

She understood. There were things he needed to work through on his own, but she made sure he knew she'd wait for him and that he better come back to her when he was done with his soul-searching. There'd been a relieved smile, a deep kiss, and then a goodbye.

That was three years ago.

"Aurora, please – you have to tell me where he went. You're the only one that knows. You're the only one he told."

Red's mother shifted uncomfortably in her chair and stared at her clasped hands in her lap. Leaf had made sure to visit her many times over the past few years to keep her company, but they never spoke of him. Not until now.

"It's been so long and neither of us has heard anything from him. And I can't wait for him any longer."

"Mt. Silver." Aurora whispered it so softly that Leaf almost didn't hear her.

"He said he was going to Mt. Silver."

Leaf smiled at Aurora graciously and headed for the door. The mountain was famous for its winding paths, strong pokémon, and harsh conditions, but there was no way in hell that was going to stop her. She'd crawl all over that mountain if need be to find Red.

She was tired of waiting.

It was time for him to come home.

Part XIV – When do you realize you don't have to be afraid?

It really wasn't so bad, in the end. Using his pokémon, he'd managed to shape a house-like hollow inside the cavern wall and would send them out to bring back supplies. After a month, he called it home. There was a straw bed in one corner, food stored on shelves carved into the rock, and a constant fire courtesy of Charizard to keep him warm. And time passed – he couldn't have told you how long since he'd first arrived at the peak of Mt. Silver because he refused to check his communication devices. It was nice being away from all the hustle and bustle and commotion of civilization. Here, he could simply be.

But he missed Leaf – god, did he miss her.

Then, one day, he saw her.

The blizzard was harsh that day so he almost didn't see her small figure through the thick snow. But there was no mistaking her. Her form became clearer as she walked towards him, and he drank in the sight of her. She was wearing significantly more clothing than her usual attire – there was a beanie pulled low to cover her ears, a scarf wrapped around her neck, a sweater covered her torso, and jeans were tucked into her snow boots. He'd never seen so little of her skin. He waited at the edge of the outcrop and watched as she came to the top of the incline and stopped.

Red.

The wind blew the sound away, but he'd seen her lips form the word. No more than twenty feet must have separated them. Her scarf fluttered in the wind, pulling away from her body and Red's heart ached. He was absolutely sure he'd never been happier to see her and he suddenly wondered what the hell he'd been doing staying away for so long. A scowl settled on her face as she stared at him and crossed her arms. He remained silent.

"Are you about done up here on this god-forsaken mountain?"

An overwhelming sense of relief and happiness fell over him and he tried to move towards her but his step faltered. So instead, she rushed to him. Three feet away from him, she leaped into his arms and he held her tightly, burying his face in her hair. She hadn't changed a bit. The way her hair felt against his hands – the fresh, clean scent of her bath soap – the way her body fit so perfectly against his – the feeling of her lips against his own. It was like coming home.

The life he had created for himself here on the mountain had seemed ideal. Away from the world, he'd been able to take a step back and look at his life. He'd been able to see his motivation, what drove him on and spurred him forward. And then he'd been able to sit and look forward. Instead of fearing that dark emptiness of the unknown that was his future, he'd plunged headlong into it. He could see his life laid out before him like a canvas painting. And he found that it was wonderful. It was filled with family and friends and pokémon and Leaf – oh, Leaf – and it no longer seemed scary and dark but joyous and bright.

He pulled away from the kiss and cradled her face. He was ready, now.

"Let's go home," he whispered.

And she smiled.

Epilogue – Is it possible for happiness to last forever?

"Look! Uncle Red, look at me! Look at how high I'm going!"

The little girl swung fearlessly high on the swing set, her hair flying around her face.

"I see you, May – but be careful," he warned.

"I won't get hurt, Uncle Red. When I can get high enough, I'll just make a big circle!"

Red's friend Gary had secretly dated the same girl for two years. It was a surprise when Red found out – he didn't know his fellow trainer even had the desire to commit to one girl. But apparently he did, and when he proposed the couple spared no expense on the wedding. Gary was still a hot topic in magazines and his fiancé, Callie, was an aspiring model, so the reporters went wild. They called the wedding 'the event of the year.' After their wedding, the publicity died down, at least until Gary announced they were expecting. Their daughter, May, was a celebrity child all the way – sweet as a button, but spoiled rotten.

Red and Leaf's wedding hadn't been nearly so extravagant. They'd opted for a small wedding, only inviting close family and friends. It was nice, though. There was great music, plenty of food and cake, champagne and beer, and Leaf wore an amazing dress that he absolutely couldn't wait to get her out of later that night. He'd held her close while they danced that night and could remember being amazed that a person could feel that much love for someone else.

"What are you pondering about over here by yourself?" Leaf asked him as she hugged him.

"Nothing really. And I'm not alone," he motioned to May still striving for her complete loop on the swing.

"Yeah, Aunt Leaf! He's with me!"

Red looked back at his wife with a grin and captured her lips. She didn't fit as easily into his arms anymore, though – not with her being as pregnant as she was. They were expecting their first child in a little over a month, but she'd insisted they not find out the sex of the baby. She wanted to be surprised. He had a feeling it would be a boy.

"Come on, man, there are children here," Gary yelled from the barbeque pit. "Quit sucking face and come help me with these steaks!"

Leaf smiled up at him, "You better go help. I need to help Aurora with the pasta salad anyway."

Red watched his wife walk to the picnic table where the other women stood. It had turned out to be a gorgeous day and all of his closest friends and family had made it to the picnic Callie had planned – there was Red and Leaf; Gary, Callie, and May; Red, Leaf, Callie, and Gary's parents; Gary's sister Daisy; and Professor Oak. They talked and cooked and ate and relaxed and swam until the sun began to set. They weren't able to get together, everyone at once, very often anymore. They were all busy. Gary, Leaf, and Red had taken gym leader positions and still trained their pokémon, although Red had given up his championship title to Lance a few years back. Last he heard Lance had recently lost to a kid from Johto, some new prodigy.

Red sat on the bank of the pond, Leaf tucked against his side under his arm. Even after five years, he would occasionally have thoughts about the dark unknown. There was no way to know what the future held for him and his family. But he found he didn't really care all that much anymore. He had come to terms with his fears and he was overwhelmingly happy with his life.

And he didn't think it could get much better than that.

fin.