Pokémon Crimson Gold
Chapter 55: Family
After wandering endlessly from Mahogany, Ethan and Bayleef finally returned to Goldenrod to which the young Trainer would be meeting his father in.
Upon entering Ethan felt a nostalgic feeling despite being in the City not even that long ago.
"Well, were finally here." Ethan said walking along Bayleef past the route entrance.
"Bay!" Bayleef said relieved as it had taken them a week to get here, there legs would finally be getting a break.
Ethan got on his Pokégear and dialed his Mom's contact. "Hello Ethan, you finally made it." She spoke.
"Yup, we're here, where are you guys at?" Ethan asked.
"We're staying at a hotel near the Pokémon Center, you can't miss it." Mom said.
"And Dad?" Ethan asked.
"He's off training right now right outside of the City." Mom said. "He should be back soon."
"Already back to training, huh." Ethan muttered. "Oh, what about Professor Elm."
"He got his own room; I think he's currently on an investigation about a different colored Noctowl found in this city.
A shiny... Ethan thought. "Akright, well I'll see you soon."
"Love you Ethan, bye." Mother said hanging up.
"You're going to be meeting my old man Bayleef, how does it feel?" Ethan asked his starter as they made their way to the hotel.
Bayleef shook her head not really sure what to think, she heard a lot from Ethan about his Dad, and she had mixed feelings.
"I know Bayleef, I know. I'm not so psyched either, to have to interrupt my whole journey to make my way back to Goldenrod." Ethan groaned. "But that's what you do for family, I guess..."
Ethan stopped at the Hotel but before entering bumped into a man, Ethan looked up to see the Professor.
"Hey, you've finally arrived kiddo." Elm said.
"Professor!" Ethan said happily.
"Bayleef, it's good to see you too!" Elm said patting Bayleef on her scalp.
"Bay!" She exclaimed.
"Oh, any luck finding that rare Noctowl Mom told me about?" Ethan asked.
"Hehe, not yet. But it'll happen one of these days." Elm said rubbing the back of his neck.
It was then when the elevator opened and out came Ethan's Mom.
"Ethan!" She screamed running to hug her son. Ethan took two steps back before she grabbed him holding him so tight he could hardly breath.
"G-Good to see you Mom." Ethan struggled to say.
"And you too Bayleef, group hug!" Mom said raising one of her arms for the grass starter.
Bayleef joined the hug,
"I'm so happy to see you boy, it's been over three months since you left and I missed you every day." Mom said crying. She finally let go of her son and his starter.
"I've missed you too." Ethan said finally able to breath.
"I-is everything alright Ethan?" Mom asked taking notice of her son's appearance. "You've lost a lot of weight since you first left."
"Well... sometime food is scarce when I'm traveling, guess I've gotten pretty used to it." Ethan sighed.
"Yeah, and on top of having to share it with six Pokémon." Mom said sadly. "Alright, go and say hi to your father and by the time you two come back let's all go and eat out tonight!"
"Sounds good to me." Ethan said. "You coming Professor Elm?"
"Ethan, I wouldn't want to ruin some good family time." Elm said. "Maybe some other time."
"Nonsense, you've been so close to us over the years you should come." Mom argued.
"Yeah, maybe even closer to a Father than my actual Dad." Ethan mumbled under his breath.
"Alright, when you put it like that." Elm agreed.
"So, where's Dad training at." Ethan asked.
"It shouldn't be too far, just right outside the city on the outskirts to Ilex Forest." Mom told Ethan.
"Okay, see you when I get back, let's go Bayleef." Ethan said.
"Bay!" She agreed.
Ethan left the hotel running to the opposite end of the town to find his Father, who he'd be seeing for the first time in what felt like forever.
"Get ready to meet him Bayleef." Ethan told his starter as they dashed past the route exit.
I'm going to see my Dad again... The boy said taking a split second to soak it all in.
….
"Dear Ethan,
First off, I'd like to apologize for not being there for your big day. Thirteen is a big number, you're all grown up now, feels like yesterday your mother was just changing your diapers. I'm sorry for not being there, but I promise I'll come back, and once I do, I'll show you this really cool Pokémon I just know you're going to love.
Yours truly,
Dad."
Ethan recalled receiving the letter from his Father and his lack of interest for it, but now he'd have to meet with him.
….
Entering the forest Ethan saw the back of a man in which he instantly recognized him. The man was quite tall standing at least six one. He had slick back black hair and wore a orange and blue poncho with a repeated Pokéball print on it. Underneath his Poncho he wore a black long sleeved shirt with fingerless gloves.
"It's him." Ethan whispered to Bayleef as they hid behind a tree. Ethan's father appeared to be in the middle of a Pokémon battle with a pink haired girl whom Ethan also knew.
Whitney! Ethan realizing who she was.
"That's the third Gym leader we ever faced!" Ethan told his starter who nodded her head.
Ethan's father and Whitney stood fifteen feet apart from each other both readying their Pokéballs.
"Alright Allen." Whitney said with an annoyed look on her face. "You're going to lose this time! No way I'm losing to you again."
"You look like you've gotten much stronger since we last faced off, let's hope that's the case." Allen said stroking his chin.
"Tauros, make me proud boy!" Whitney said throwing a Pokéball and releasing her Pokémon.
"Tauros!" The Pokémon roared. It was covered in light brown fur with a thick dark brown mane around the neck. The angry Pokémon with a single hove scraped at the ground.
"She never used that Pokémon in our battle..." Ethan muttered quietly.
"Let's go, Feraligatr, let's put Whitney to work!" Allen said as he released his starter.
"Feraligatr!" The Pokémon cried. It was quite bulky with blue scales. It had large powerful jaws lined with several sharp fangs. It had three red spines on its body, including the top of its head, its back, and its tail.
"Bayleef, observe him carefully, cause you're going to have to battle him one day." Ethan said to Bayleef.
"Bay." She agreed.
"Tauros. We'll start with Horn Attack!" Whitney yelled, Tauros listened and with smoke releasing from its nostrils charged at Feraligatr.
"Feraligatr, dodge it." Allen commanded.
"Feral!" Feraligatr snarled as it quickly dashed to the right avoiding the bull Pokémon's attack.
"Err, Tauros! Turn and use Body Slam!" Whitney said.
Tauros jumped and leaped into the air in an attempt to crush its opponent. Feraligatr leaped to the side again on the defensive but in the process Tauros destroyed some of the ground below it.
"Feraligatr!" Allen yelled as his Pokémon leaped back into midair to dodge the shockwave the move caused.
"Hyper Beam!" Whitney screamed.
Tauros pulled his mouth back and from his mouth charged an orange powerful looking beam.
"Dragon Claw!" Allen ordered, Feraligatr listened and charged his hand which glistened in a purple aura. Feraligatr prepared a slash as it pounced to Tauros.
"Do it!" Whitney bellowed.
"Tauros!" The Tauros yelled as it launched the Hyper Beam straight for Feraligatr who was closing in.
"Agility!" Allen yelled, Feraligatr listened and formed many afterimages of itself allowing for it to dodge the Hyper Beam.
"Oh no!" Whitney said chewing on her fingernails.
Upon reappearing Feraligatr smashed the recharging Tauros with a Dragon Claw sending it flying back. Tauros fell in front of Whitney unable to continue.
"Tau... ros..." The Pokémon moaned in pain defeated.
"How... could I lose again!?" Whitney said on the verge of tears as she returned her Pokémon.
"Feraligatr!" Feraligatr said triumphantly while crossing its arms.
"You did good Whitney; I can indeed see some improvement in you since the last time we battled." Allen complemented her. "If before you were a six out of ten stars then now you are a Seven."
"And... where are you!?" Whitney asked wiping her tears with her sleeves.
"A nine." Allen said pulling his poncho back. "You can stop watching by the way, Ethan."
"Huh, Ethan?" Whitney said turning her head in the direction Allen was looking.
"Y-you knew where I was?" Ethan said stepping from behind the tree. He looked his father eye to eye and Bayleef stood stunned at the sight of her Trainer's father.
"Welcome to Goldenrod Ethan, first time here?" Allen asked his son.
"Well... no, see this?" Ethan said pointing on the badges pinned to his jacket.
"Oh wow! Seven badges already!" Allen said running over to Ethan, he then turned his attention to Ethan's Pokémon. "And that's Bayleef, Mom told me a lot about her!"
Allen took one step towards Bayleef causing her to take one step back. She still had no idea how to feel about the man after all Ethan had told her.
"I know you, you're Ethan!" Whitney remembered. "We battled all the way back when a month or two again, how do you know Allen."
"He- the old man's my Father." Ethan said surprising Whitney.
"Wow! Allen you never said you had a son!" Whitney reacted in awe. "And it so happens to be Ethan huh."
"Haha, I'm sure I've told you about him plenty of times before." Allen said laughing.
"I've got to go and get my Tauros healed up, but I'll defeat you next time Allen!" Whitney announced as she took her leave. "And that's a promise!"
"W-who is she to you, don't tell me you're being unfaithful to Mom!" Ethan said accusing his father.
"What!? Nonsense, I helped her a lot back when she was first becoming a Trainer, she was almost like my little protégé." Allen explained. "Every time I'm in the city I always battle with her to see how far she's come."
Just then Feraligatr walked up eying both Ethan and Bayleef, Bayleef returned his gaze almost looking uneasy.
"Feraligatr..." It said sizing her up.
"Don't try and intimidate it Feraligatr, here return." Allen said returning his Pokémon. "Sorry, but you know how starters are always trying to make enemies out of other starters."
"Really." Ethan said.
"So, how's your journey been so far, how many Pokémon have you caught?" Allen asked in a wonderous tone. "Can I see them?"
"Maybe you'd have known that if you called more." Ethan said walking away. "Come on Bayleef!"
"Bay!" Bayleef said as she followed her Trainer.
"Hey, where are you going!?" Allen asked.
"Home, Mom's getting dinner or something, think we're eating out." Ethan told his Dad.
"Good, think you could probably gain some pounds." Allen replied.
"W-whatever..." Ethan muttered.
"Wait, before we go why don't you show me, come on please!" Allen asked. "I caught a really cool Pokémon in Hoenn, I could show you mine as well."
"I don't really care to show you right now, maybe try again when I'm in a better mood." Ethan said turning his back on his father.
"Hmm, well what if we have a battle then?" Allen asked. "You have seven badges now, you should be decently strong, a six on six."
"A, a six on six!?" Ethan said alarmed. "You actually want to have a battle?"
"Of course, I want to see how strong you've become! Come and show me Ethan!" Allen said pulling out a Pokéball.
"This just your way of getting to see my Pokémon?" Ethan finally asked.
"Maybe, plus it's always a father's dream to see how well their son has developed!" Allen said with a wide grin. "So what do you say?"
"Bayleef, you think we can handle this?" Ethan asked his starter.
She turned her head to Ethan and smiled, she knew it was the time they had both awaited.
"Alright then, let's do this, hopefully shouldn't take too long." Ethan remarked.
"Oh it shouldn't take too long." Allen stated. "I won't be holding back just because you're my kid I should warn you."
"R-right." Ethan said pulling out a Pokéball.
I always knew I'd eventually have to face my Father, but I never would have thought it'd happen so soon... Ethan began to think.
Allen took a few steps back standing apart from his son across the battlefield, pulling out a Pokéball of his own.
"Let's do this!" Ethan exclaimed.
And now we finally meet Ethan's father! Pretty short chapter I know but next chapter will be much longer as we'll see the full battle between Ethan and his father, I wonder who is stronger...?