The sounds of happy Wingull fill my ears as the boat slowly makes its way to Vermillion City, the waters calm and fair as the hull slices through the blue depths like a knife. Our trip has been painfully slow for some—or painfully fast if you happen to be me—and it seems after a week out at sea, we're finally catching our first distinguishable glimpses of the city of orange.
I hate him. The words pop into my mind as I stare out at the nearing dock of Vermillion City, one hand on the railing of the upper deck's look-out and my dominate hand slipped quietly into my lone pocket. I hate him, and he can't change that.
It's funny, for some reason I've bought a ticket to Kanto from my current home of Lilycove City and somehow packed up enough of my belongings for a two-week visit to my hometown of Pallet Town. I don't know why I did such an impulsive move, I'm perfectly content in my new region of Hoenn and I'm certainly not missing him.
Ugh, him. It's as if just the pronoun alone is enough to send me rushing to the nearest toilet or bucket and promptly hurl anything I've ever eaten in my entire life. I've shoved him out of my mind for so long, it's as if he's suddenly right in front of me and just waiting to start the endless cycle of torture all over again.
Everything about him sickens me; from his Sandslash-like hair, his annoying smirk, his heartless eyes, his looming figure and all the way down to his big feet, everything makes me hate him even more. It wasn't always like this. In fact, I used to...dare I say it...love him.
It wasn't the love of the silver screens, with roses, kisses in the rain and smiles. It was the love of a naive girl, filled with tears, handwritten notes of friendship and the innocent feelings of compassion. I was a blind girl, blind to the raw feelings of hatred that he possessed for me.
We weren't always so cruel to each other. In fact, back when we were still young, we were inseparable. We'd go exploring in the woods to see the Caterpie and the Pidgey, happily gawking as the little creatures went about their daily business. He would hold my hand as we walked along, always making sure that I was by his side.
If things got scary, such as a mother Beedrill deciding we were too close to her nest, he would always push me ahead of him, always making sure that I was safe above even himself.
When we got older, things changed. He started to lock himself away, absorbing book after book of Pokémon facts and ignoring my visits to his house. His older sister would always give me a smile and say that 'he'll grow out of it'. I, being the trusting girl I was, would smile and nod in agreement, dreaming about the day that he would forget these books and return to our hunts in the woods together. Then, we achieved what every child dreams of.
We finally turned ten years old.
That, was the day that everything fell apart.
On that day, he never looked at me the same way. We were always 'enemies', 'rivals', 'adversaries', 'competitors' and 'opposites'. We never again were just 'friends'. He grew cold and cruel, always mocking me and my talents until it took all I had not to burst into tears. He would call me names, taunt me, put me down and even shove me out of his way, always saying I was nothing compared to him.
After defeating the League and becoming the Champion, I decided I had enough. I packed up my things late one night, snuck out my bedroom window, bought a ticket to Hoenn and set sail, leaving my home of Kanto far behind for a tropical mystery. I shoved all thoughts of Kanto and him out of my mind and focused on a new dream, conquering this new region.
Now, after five years, I'm suddenly on a boat bound for Kanto as it pulls to a stop at Vermillion Harbor.
My name is Leaf. For six years, I've been training to become the very best trainer I can. For five years, I've hardened my spirit to withstand the burning heat of a volcano, the freezing extremes of a mountain and the pressure of a thousand leagues under the ocean. I've become a girl who fears nothing, who can withstand anything that will be thrown at her.
His name is Green Oak, and he will never hurt me again.
Part II: Love
The roar of the crowds meets my ears as I stand on the Vermillion City docks, waiting for the S.S Maria to make her annual stop to my home of Kanto. I'm impatiently waiting for her giant motor to pull her to the harbor and release her passengers to the vibrant city's awaiting crowd, rocking on my heels as the ship inches closer.
I love her. The thought suddenly pops into my mind as I watch the ship slowly draw closer, my dominate hand in my spiky hair and my other hand resting on my bag. I love her, and nothing can change that.
It's so strange, I was just sitting in my Gym in Viridian City when I happened to overhear one of my challengers talking about a relative stopping by from Hoenn on the S.S Maria. Suddenly, I find myself closing my Gym for the rest of the day and racing to Vermillion City on my Arcanine. I have no clue as to why I'm suddenly so impulsive, but I'm standing here anyway, all for the slim chance of seeing her.
Ah, her. It's as if that single pronoun alone makes me want to jump into the air, sprout a pair of wings and fly alongside my Pidgeot. Crazy image, I know. But it's as if all I ever think about is her and how we used to be all those years ago, and suddenly there's a chance that I can see her again.
Everything about her excites me; from her long locks of chocolate-brown, her sweet smile, her Stantler eyes, her petite form and her pixie feet, everything about her makes me love her even more. Although, it wasn't always like this. In fact, there was once a time that I...actually hated her.
It wasn't the hate of the movies, with red eyes, a thirst for blood and curses upon their name. It was the hate of a stupid boy, with taunts to irritate, names to bring down and laughs to drive in the nails of her tears.
We weren't always so hurtful to each other. In fact, back when we were little kids, I never left her side. I'd take her on grand adventures through the woods surrounding our hometown of Pallet, claiming myself the bravest by taking her deeper into the lush foliage to show her the Weedle and the Spearow, feeling a surge of pride in my chest as she would laugh and smile at our findings. I would always hold her hand, making sure that I would always guide the small girl through such a dangerous playground safely.
When things turned sour, such as when the mother Fearow caught us sneaking glances at her offspring, I'd pull her along as fast as I could before pushing her ahead of me, making sure that if that beak hit either of our butts, it was my rear under fire.
Then, I changed. I became obsessed with Pokémon to the point that I would lock the door to my room and read book after book about the creatures, trying to prepare myself to become the greatest trainer in history. She would still come by my house and talk to Daisy, always asking if I could come outside and play. The answer would always be the same, a sad smile accompanied with a 'not today, dear. Perhaps he'll play with you tomorrow.'. She would just nod and wait patiently for that time, a time that never came. Then, the day came that every kid dreams of.
We turned ten years old.
Those days are the days that I despise, the days that make my gut churn with guilt until I feel like I'm about to puke. I became so obsessed with becoming the best, that I turned into a monster. I was cruel, rude, impatient and worst of all, hateful to the only friend I ever had. On that day, I dubbed us 'rivals' instead of 'friends', pitting us against each other when all she ever wanted was to be by my side.
Then, everything hit rock bottom.
In the middle of the night, soon after her win against me to become Champion of Kanto, she disappeared. At first, no one knew where she went. I searched the whole region for her, trying desperately to find her somewhere. Then, I found my answer.
As I searched Vermillion City, I discovered that a girl matching her description was last seen buying a ticket to a region called Hoenn and setting sail on the S.S Maria.
On that day, I swear my heart stopped beating.
Now, after five years, the boat is suddenly making a return voyage to Kanto's shores and giving me the slimmest of chances of finding the girl I've been waiting for.
My name is Green Oak. For six years, I've been training to become a Pokémon Master. For five years, I've been training to maintain my status as an elite trainer and trying to return to the way things were before I decided to throw everything away. I've become a boy who fears everything, hiding behind a mask of sarcasm and self-confidence.
Her name is Leaf, and I will never hurt her again.
Author's Note: This is my first time writing anything for ConflictShipping, so I'm not as familiar with them. I changed things up by making Leaf a bit more hard-headed and Green a bit more emotional. Still, I hope you like it!