Tiring, it was.
The battle between Red and Giovanni had taken its toll on both trainers, with the aforementioned trainers sustaining serious injuries, both physically and emotionally.
Red's lips quirked up into a smile. It was all worth the Earth Badge.
Red sat on a couch waiting for his Pokémon to be healed in the Viridian Pokémon Center. Although he was tired after the battle against Giovanni, he was also excited. He had finally done it.
It took several minutes for Red to process it in his mind. Eight badges. Eight badges!
Red thought of all the travelling he had done during his journey. Pewter, Cerulean, Vermilion, Celadon, Fuchsia, Saffron, Cinnabar and finally, Viridian.
Red was planning on going back to Pallet Town before going to Indigo Plateau; he was in no rush.
"Pardon me, sir. Your Pokémon have been healed," said Nurse Joy. Red simply nodded in acknowledgment and walked towards the desk to take his Pokémon. He had been limping.
"Thank you and come again," chirped Nurse Joy. Red couldn't help but beam back, he was very optimistic after winning the Earth Badge.
Walking out of the Pokémon Center, Red releases his Pikachu, which had been very uncomfortable being in a Poké Ball so he can be healed. Pikachu walked beside Red without saying anything, reflecting its trainer's personality. Red was never one for words, he was more of a man of action. In Pokémon Battles, he surprised trainers by not only the fact that he was one of the three trainers chosen for a Pokédex, but also by using the device to lay out his commands to his Pokémon through high pitched sound waves only Pokémon could hear. Shouting your commands to your Pokémon wasn't Red's style.
He trudged along the road towards Pallet Town. Route 1 was quieter than Red remembered it to be. Suddenly a rush of nostalgia overcame Red, as he remembered the first time he and his friend-turned-rival, Blue, had their first battle in Professor Oak's lab.
He thought of the time his twin sister, Leaf, had also announced on the very same day he was going on his journey that she was going on one as well. She had picked a Squirtle, while he picked a Bulbasaur and Blue picked a Charmander. He wondered where his sister was now. Last time he saw his sister they were in Cinnabar, where he got to see her battling skills, which he discovered were quite impressive that she might even be enough competition for him or Blue.
As he jumped over ledges leading up to Pallet, he released his Venusaur. His Venusaur did not falter but instead walked calmly and quietly behind her trainer, observing the quiet road in recognition.
Red remembered having his first gym battle. It was a breeze, considering he picked Bulbasaur as a starter. The second one was also easy as his newly caught Pikachu at the time excelled in destroying the gym leader Misty's Pokémon with powerful Electrical attacks.
Red entered the gates of Pallet Town reminiscing all his gym battles, and wincing when he remembered his most recent one. Giovanni had actually broken down and cried in front of him. Well, maybe that's an exaggeration, but he did shed a few tears after he, the leader of Team Rocket, was finally defeated, marking the end of his organization. Red remembered the brash attitude of Giovanni during their battle, the way he gambled with the game and attempted to take a toll on his opponent rather than his opponent's Pokémon. Though Red was different, he wasn't one to take criticism or nonsensical blabber from an angry old criminal.
Red stopped in front of his house. He sighed, and then entered the house as the familiar smell of… He wasn't really sure. But he called the smell home. He didn't know why, he just did.
His mother smiled at him from across the room and ran over to him, trapping him in her embrace. Red chuckled slightly under his breath as his mother hugged him. A few seconds later she let go and kissed Red's forehead. He couldn't blame her for those actions. She had the right to worry about him when he was out on his… Err… Excursion, let's call it.
Red silently walked upstairs while his mother simply smiled at him. She knew he was a man of few words, and so did not engage in unneeded conversations.
Red sheepishly returned his Venusaur to his Poké ball as he realized she couldn't go up the stairs. His Pikachu yawned, leaping onto Red's bed. Red wasn't going to stay here for a long time, just enough to recuperate from his wounds. As he sat on his bed, he realized how tired he was. He wasn't really tired, he decided, he was more exhausted.
A frown tugged his face's features. As excited as he was about his journey finally ending, he was also sad about it. What would he do after he becomes Champion? He wasn't sure.
But that's the beauty of Pokémon… It never ends.
R&R Please