Golden Christmas
Chapter 1
Jingles rang through the chilly night air as Crystal traveled with Xatee back to the orphanage. She hadn't visited for Christmas Eve, and resolved to cook them an early breakfast. She was held up by rogue Team Rocket goons robbing a toy store on the way, and when she finished she had lost about 10 minutes of traveling time.
"I hope we get there in time," said Crystal to her Xatu, the bird Pokemon nodding along.
Her feet touched lightly upon the powdered ground. Recalling Xatee back to her Pokeball, she ran towards the back door that led to the kitchen, expecting hungry children all around. She was shocked to see the children eating all by themselves, towers of pancakes gracing the table. There were ordered rows of toppings on the counter in labeled containers like choco chips, mint cream, and the like. Bottles of honey and tubs of butter were neatly spread out on the kitchen sink.
The biggest surprise though, was that the kids were actually tidying up after themselves! As the capturer was busy thinking up a valid explanation for all of it, Earl came down the stairs still in his pajamas.
"Ah, Chris, has your cold finally been cured now?" asked the jolly owner. "Merry Christmas once again to you!"
"Hi Mr. Dervish," waved a flabbergasted Crystal. This is weird. I've never visited the orphanage in a month, how come they're treating me like they never missed me?
"Well, you're free for the day," smiled Earl. "Where are you going to go? To your boyfriend, perhaps?" He wiggled his eyebrows and mustache for extra emphasis.
"Uh, um, yeah, um," she stuttered. "I'm just going to make a few calls outside." Closing the back door behind her, she got her Pokegear out and dialed her mom's number.
"Sweetie, Merry Christmas to you tooo~" her mom sang on the phone.
"Mom, did you visit the orphanage at any time when I was in Sinnoh?"
"No I didn't, why do you ask?"
"Sorry mom, forget I asked."
Crystal didn't need to rack her brains for the second person.
"Emerald, did you visit the orphanage during my absence?"
"You're not there, why would I go? Anyway, get a load of this. Ruby and Sapphire are getting on my nerves so much, they invite me for Christmas and they fight once we get to eating! Isn't it so annoying that ..."
Crystal spent 30 minutes listening to Emerald talking. After he was done, she called Green next.
"No."
"Oh, okay."
She heard the sound of scuffling, then a new voice greeted her.
"Before you call me dearie, I've also never visited the orphanage when you were gone."
"Blue-senpai! What are you doing with Green..?"
"Pesky woman, give me my gear back!" exclaimed an annoyed Green in the background.
"I'm just saying she doesn't need to call me," replied Blue while still on the phone.
"You don't need to ask what I'm doing with Greenie," she continued. "We're all mature adults here aren't we?"
"Uh," was all Crystal could say as she listened to distant sounds of arguments over the phone. As soon as silence graced her ears she immediately turned it off. She didn't need to know what her seniors were doing for Christmas. After calming down for a minute, she dialed the Champion's number.
"Didn't we just see each other yesterday?"
"What did you say, Red-senpai?" There's a clue, gotcha!
"Did you forget? You were even asking me for battle tactics."
"Why would I ask you anything about that?"
"Why wouldn't you? I'm the Champion, it's perfectly normal."
Crystal once again needed a moment. Her seniors were definitely out of this world.
"What about Yellow-senpai?"
"We were together at that time. I thought it was common sense. Anyway, you have to go to the party tomorrow! Yellow and I have been busy packing until you called."
"Party?" Once again, something that didn't make sense.
"Didn't you read your invitation? Your work must be getting to you. Rest sometimes, Crystal. Senior's orders."
"That's my line, Red-san," chimed in Yellow in the background.
"Oh, haha. Credits to Yellow, of course. She's been telling me that ever since I got back from Mt. Silver. Been a great help too."
Thanking the normal pair of the quartet, Crystal dialed in Silver's number.
"No, of course not. Instead of asking me that, why not try to ask the culprit directly?"
"What do you mean, Silver?"
"You'll find him in New Bark Town."
Crystal didn't wait for Silver to click the End Call button, she called Arckee up and went full speed towards Gold's house.
"Chumee, Wake-up Slap."
"Ow! Ow ow! Okay mom, I'll wake up now!"
"I'm not your mom, Gold."
Gold woke up to Crystal standing beside his bed, arms crossed.
"What an angel. Am I still dreaming?" asked Gold to nobody in particular, rubbing his eyes.
"Chumee, do that again."
"Woah woah Chris, you're too serious! Jeez, I was just joking."
"Well I'm not," replied Crystal, taking off her hat. "Tell me, what were you doing while I was away?"
"Me? I've been an upstanding citizen of Johto as usual," said Gold, puffing up his chest. "Flirting at the Kimono Dance Theater, buying presents at Goldenrod, being a ladies man through and through."
"Not so impressive with your Marill pajamas," snarked Crystal, one eyebrow rising.
"You like it though, with my messy bed hair and all," defended Gold, smirking.
"Ohh, where did you learn that line?" countered Crystal. "From '100 Lines to Making a Girl Swoon For Dummies' book?"
Gold's stomach growled. "Look, I'm really hungry right now, so why don't you cook me up breakfast?"
"Oh, like you did to the kids early this morning?"
"Kids...?"
"I have it all figured out Gold. You don't even bother cleaning up your tracks."
"Tracks? Seriously, you serious person, I seriously don't get you," he joked.
"When the kids said I had a cold, I deduced you were wearing a mask to hide your face. When Red-senpai told me I asked him about battle tactics, I deduced you asked him that since you're still the weakest out of us Johto holders. A wig that looks like my hairstyle is on a stand near the window, and a letter addressed to me is on your bedside table right now."
Gold stared at her for quite a while. He knew Crystal was smart and could deduce it, but he hadn't expected it to be this soon. At that moment, Crystal's face softened.
"I have a pretty good idea why you did it. I just want to hear it from you. Why?"
Gold clammed up and started towards the kitchen. Crystal looked at Chumee, who nuzzled up to her. She picked up the envelope addressed to her, opened it and started to read the card within.
Christmas Day Dinner Party
The Sinnoh Dexholders would like to request the pleasure of your company to the Christmas Dinner at Berlitz Mansion, Sinnoh, on December 25, 8:00 pm.
"Gold, are you done packing yet?" called Crystal from his room.
"Nah, I'm doing it after I'm done eating," replied Gold, busy baking some cookies. Crystal came down and started admiring his handiwork.
"I never thought you knew how to cook," started the capturer, picking up stray crumbs and tasting them. "Delicious, by the way."
"Thanks," replied Gold, who was mixing the batter. "I always watch mom cooking, that's how I learned, and because I was tired of eating ready-mades from convenience stores. It's not like I'm desperate enough to eat Pokeblocks. Aibo, that's enough. You can put that in the oven now." The Ambipom nodded and immediately complied.
"Great job, Aibo," smiled Crystal. Ataro scratched his head, feeling sheepish from the praise.
"Don't let it get to your head boy," deadpanned Gold. "Super serious over there is gonna trash around like Gyarados sooner or later."
"I'm not like that!" said a defensive Crystal, a hint of humor in her tone. "Well, maybe a little."
"A little? You mean a lot!"
After a somewhat peaceful interaction between the two trainers, Gold motioned Crystal towards the table, telling her to release all her Pokemon in the process. It turned out Gold had lots of food left over from Christmas Eve since he couldn't deliver it to the orphanage, and pleaded Crystal to help him finish up the leftovers. Along with the Pokemon Gold grew up with, they spent almost an hour eating everything. Crystal then helped Gold tidy up his things for the party later in the night.
"It's really annoying going back to that cold region when I've just been there," laughed Crystal. "I thought I was going to run out of jackets."
"I wonder why I never felt cold during that tangle with Arceus," said Gold, reminiscing. "My lower legs were bare, and I don't wanna start with you."
"Adrenaline, maybe?" They both laughed after that, each reveling in the other's presence. "This is the first time I've never heard you laugh at that outfit."
Gold folded a turtleneck. Really? I laughed just now. "I can be a gentleman too, you know."
"Really? So you mean the you right now, this is your gentleman side?" asked a skeptical Crystal. "I find it hard to believe."
"It's alright," grinned Gold. "This is just one of my sides. Arceus knows the world needs more wild men. There are enough stuffy people in our group as it is."
"Speaking of stuffy people, d'you think Silver will come to the party?"
"You bet he will. Red-senpai told me Green-senpai would be spending the eve with Blue-senpai, and as a loyal buddy I told him," shrugged Gold, palms upwards.
"That's cruel."
"Silver knows why I did it, I'm sure. I think he's slowly coming to terms with it, too."
"No I mean, you're cruel, Gold." Gold turned towards Crystal, a perplexed look on his face.
"What do you mean...?"
"You're always direct during our journeys. We've all become accustomed to you speaking your mind. Yet here you are, being all secretive and expecting us to get every meaning behind your actions."
Gold clammed up again and turned his back on her. Crystal sighed, calling Chumee back to her Pokeball.
"If you don't want to tell me right now, fine. But please, just tell me in the future. We're friends, right?" Crystal took out a Pokeball right after and flew off on Xatee through the window.
Gold stared after her and turned towards his Togepi. "Togebo, you think she likes me?"
Togebo looked at Sudobo, and they both nodded together.
"You liars."
A/N: I wanted to try a more serious Gold, instead of the overtly romantic ones and the super perverted ones we mostly see.