"Red" - Person Talking
"Red" - Person Thinking
"Red" – Pokemon Talking
"Red" - Pokemon Thinking
And here is a sudden new chapter. Let's a go.
Requisition - Chapter 4
In a private room in Stadium A, a trio of young adults could be seen sitting around a small coffee table smiling and laughing like they had in their youth, cups of tea, coffee and water resting on the surface of the table as their conversation was mostly headed by the two brunettes. After reuniting with their childhood friend, Blue and Leaf quickly ushered him to the healing station before booking it to a private room for the three of them. Trading tales of their adventures after his disappearance, Leaf and Blue couldn't help but smile when they saw the shine that took root in the crimson eyes of the raven haired young man as they shared the travels to the various other regions that the world had to offer. Soon enough, Leaf wiping away a few tears while Blue recounted the tale of his last Gym battle, the two turned towards the raven haired young man with small smiles on their faces as they awaited his tale.
"So spill, where've you been these past ten years?" Blue asked with a bit of hurt in his voice, Red's eyes softening as Leaf tightened her hold on the capped young man's hand.
"Mt. Silver." Red answered equally softly as the eyes of the two widened, the raven haired youth smiling as they sighed in tandem.
"I can't believe you, Red. You were barely eleven! What were you thinking, you idiot!" Leaf snapped at him as she reached up and pulled on his ear, the crimson eyed man wincing as he endured his much deserved punishment.
"I was training." He added quickly in an attempt to placate them as they shot him blank stares, Leaf yanking his ear a bit harder as Blue shook his head in disbelief.
"There are plenty of places that could've worked better then that death trap, Red. Heck, Gramp's place would have been perfect with the number of people you could train and battle with." Blue said in a disbelieving tone while Leaf nodded as she released his ear, Red shaking his head slightly after rubbing his ear as they turned to stare at him in curiosity.
"I wanted to be somewhere quiet. You two know how I am with people..." Red said in a soft and slightly self-loathing tone, the eyes of the two softening as Blue moved to pat him on the shoulder while Leaf cuddled into the other.
"But it wouldn't have killed ya to write every now and again. Your mom passed out when she found your letter, and let's not talk about how much she cried after." Blue said softly with a wry tone, Red's eyes having a deep flash of guilt and shame pass them as Leaf gently rubbed his arm to help calm him.
"While what you did was completely stupid and something Blue would do, all that matters now is that you're back. Safe and sound." Leaf told him in a soft and loving tone, Blue nodding his head in agreement before freezing when he realized her choice of words.
"The heck is that supposed to mean, Leaf? Something I would do?! I wouldn't do something as crazy as that!" He snapped at her with an incredulous tone, Leaf offering him a pitiless smile as his brow twitched in turn.
"Come'on Blue, who was the wise guy who planned to have Professor Oak's Charizard fly us to Johto when we were six?" Leaf asked with a smug look on her face, Blue gaining a tinge of pink as he looked away to avoid seeing that haughty look.
"Remember when Blue blamed the two of us for letting the Tauros out of their pen to see if we could catch one of them and ride it when we were seven?" Red added as Blue turned pale at the horrific memory, Leaf giggling as they poked at the bitter failures of their so-called 'leader's' plans.
"Ah, god damn it! I get it, sheesh! Yeah, sure, I wasn't one hundred percent perfect when it came to plans, but at least I had the brains to make them!" He snapped at at the pair, getting blank looks in turn as he remained undeterred.
"I was the one who managed to convince our parents into letting us stay at Professor Oak's lab overnight when we actually went and camped out in the forest when we were eight."
"Remember the time I got my mom's Dragonite to fly us all to Cinnabar Island and back to collect rocks from the volcano before anyone noticed we were gone?"
Silence falling between the trio at the memories of their exploits and failures, it broke when Leaf and Blue cracked grins while Red had a smile cross his face. Their current squabbling, the petty arguments and attempts to outshine each other, that was what had eluded the three for nearly a decade. Leaf and Blue nearly had a falling out a few years following the raven haired youth's disappearance, only managing to reconcile due to the combined efforts of the families and the strong bonds that they held with each other. Hearing that, Red fell into a slightly more sullen slump as Blue continued to prattle on about the negatives of what had happened during his decade of solitude. That tirade was once again cut short when a hand swatted the back of his head, the brunette yelping before flashing a heated glare at an equally irked Leaf. But as they had done time and time again in the past, Red stepped in to help cool the two hot-heads that were an integral part of his life; Leaf calming nearly immediately when she felt his hand run through her brown locks, Blue was a bit harder to calm but a few reassuring pats on the back helped ease him back to a cool state.
"Have you two battled yet?" Red asked after soothing his childhood friends, Blue flashing him a grin while Leaf shook her head in the negative.
"Heh, not yet Red, I've got about an hour to kill before my match. But judging from what I saw from my opponent and their achievements, I ain't worried, they aren't you or Leaf." Blue reported in a nonchalant manner, Red offering him a small smirk while Leaf flashed him a smug grin.
"Now that you reminded me, what's our current record? I know for a fact that I'm thirty one, twenty four and fifteen." Leaf asked as Blue seemed to twitch in response, Red blinking as he realized much that they had been battling each other during his absence.
"Tch. Thirty, twenty five and fifteen." Blue stated in a slightly bitter tone, both of them turning to Red as he furrowed his brows slightly to recall the battles that they had.
"Twenty two, two and two." He answered with a small pout forming on his face, his friends snickering before realizing how absurd his win, loss and draw record was with them.
"W-Wait, have we really only beaten and had a draw with you once, each?" Leaf asked in a slightly shaken tone, Blue's eyes wide as he remembered the humiliating and devastating defeats he suffered at the hands of his raven haired friend.
"You've got to be shitting me!? The hell was wrong with us?!" Blue groaned as he palmed his face in humiliation, Leaf begrudgingly sharing the vulgar statement as she buried her face into her hands.
"You two did your best." Red reassured them with a smug smile and matching tone, instantly drawing the ire of the two as they shot heated glared at him.
"Oh, you think you're hot stuff, huh? We'll see how hot you are when I mop the floor with you in this tournament! Don't think we've been sitting around, twiddling our thumbs while you were up on that mountain training. My Blastoise is just itching for a rematch with your Charizard!" Blue snapped at him with vigor and heat in his tone, his eyes shining with an all too familiar competitive light.
"You'll be begging for us to go easy on you when we battle, Red. Just because I love you doesn't mean I'm going easy on you! Venusaur has been waiting to stomp all over your Charizard for all the times he's set her on fire when we were kids!" Leaf added with an equally fired up tone, Red's haughty smile melting to a warm and nostalgic one as Leaf and Blue turned towards each other.
"If there's anyone who's gonna stomp that guy into the ground, it's gonna be me."
"Cute. Real cute, keep dreaming pretty boy."
The two of them snapped as they started to grind their foreheads against each other, their eyes full of vigor and competitive spirit as they butted heads with lightning arcing between their gazes. But their stand down was broken when the PA system suddenly sounded, the three gaining curious looks as they turned to face the loudspeaker mounted on the wall.
["Will Leaf of Pallet Town please report to Stadium E for your battle, this is your first warning! Please report to Stadium E for your first battle!"]
Hearing the loudspeaker announce the absence of such a prominent trainer, one of Pallet's 'Legendary Trio' no less, caused a bit of a stir through the tournament grounds. For those who didn't know Leaf personally, her fans, they were in a bit of a panic as they began spouting and spreading possible situations that could have led to the disappearance of their idol. But for those who knew her, they all shook their heads in disbelief and exhaustion as they knew exactly where she currently was, if the shocking and sudden reveal of her beloved childhood friend was any indication. And for the brunette herself, she had a crimson colored face while steam seemed to billow from out of her ears, Blue holding his abdomen as his laughter began to cause him physical pain. Red was a bit more understanding as he merely offered her a small but wry smile while rubbing her head to help ease her embarrassment, knowing that it was partially his fault that she was late to her match. Without uttering a word, she lashed out and snuffed out the laughter that was escaping Blue with a blow that would have made a Hitmonchan impressed. A gurgle leaving Blue's mouth, he turned pale as he slumped to the ground with both hands clutching his stomach; Red offering him a silent prayer as he was once again reminded of the young lady's frightening physical prowess and short temper.
"L-Let's go, Red! I don't want this asshat at my match!" Leaf spat out in a tone of mixed embarrassment and anger, latching onto Red's hand before sprinting and dragging along the raven haired young man by result.
(Scene Change: Pokemon World Tournament - Stadium E)
With a mix of anger and panic fueling her body, Leaf sprinted towards Stadium E in almost record time with Red in tow. The entire trek having taken five minutes in comparison to the nine that it had taken Blue and herself earlier, though the two times couldn't be compared as she currently wasn't fueled by a decade's worth of Red deficiency. Quickly moving into the waiting room, she tossed Red onto a bench before bolting onto the field. The sudden entrance and departure of the brunette startling everyone in the vicinity, they turned to look at Red as he merely remained quiet with an aloof expression on his face. Ignoring them, he turned towards the screen displaying the battlefield and watched with shining eyes as the embarrassed but ready face of Leaf came into view. Seeing her appear the crowd went wild as she bashfully rubbed the back of her head while smiling and waving, her family and friends all sighing as they shook their heads.
["Looks like Leaf is finally here, folks! Due to her tardiness, Leaf will release her Pokemon first! Now, let's see what field she will choose!"]
"I'll take a grass field, please!" Leaf chirped towards the referee as she smiled in turn, the official following through as she typed into the device on her wrist before the ground opened.
"This will be a three on three battle between Leaf of Pallet Town and Alilo of Anistar City! The green trainer will release her Pokemon first and substitutions are allowed! The match will end when all of one's Pokemon are unable to battle!" The referee announced as the crowd cheered for their favorites, Leaf growing a bit more embarrassed when she saw the banner with her face being held by her family and friends.
The open field was soon replaced with a field full of lush grass, tall enough to cover the ankles of the two trainers staring the other down. Across from Leaf, Alilo flashed her a grin that was returned as Leaf moved to secure her first battler. Grasping a worn looking pokeball, she smiled fondly before releasing her most trusted and oldest partner, a brief flash of light shining before fading from the form of her Venusaur. A mighty roar leaving its mouth, the crowd went wild at the sight of her strongest and signature Pokemon, Alilo having a calm smile grace her face at the sight of the grass type. Reaching for her own pokeball, she released her first battler as a flash of light soon faded from the form of her Medicham. The eyes of the Pokemon meeting, so did the eyes of their trainers as the referee nodded as she raised her hands.
"Let the battle, begin!" She called out as Medichan took the initiative, rushing towards Venusaur with her fists lit aflame.
"Sleep Powder." Leaf called out in a calm tone, Alilo's eyes widening as she tried to order Medicham to halt her charge.
That proved to be futile as a large cloud of bluish powder was expelled from the flower on the grass titan's back. The spray of powder seemingly denser and being spread at a larger and faster rate then normal, Medicham was unable to avoid it as it washed over and covered her body. Taking an inhale of the somniferous powder, the Meditate Pokemon felt her senses dulling and her body growing heavier. Then, she collapsed onto the ground as Venusaur took advantage of the situation to intensify the daylight with her Sunny Day. Seeing that, Alilo quickly recalled Medicham and released her Tropius to battle, Venusaur's eyes shinning as she eyed the confident looking grass type in front of her. With a cry, Alilo's Tropius spread its wings before taking to the skies, a bluish-white spiral of energy began to build around its leaf-like wings as it hovered above Leaf's Venusaur. Soon, that energy was released as a wicked cross-shaped Air Slash was sent racing towards Venusaur. A bit intrigued by the other grass type's speed, Leaf quickly lost it when she remembered that the sun's rays were amplified by her partner. Issuing an order to her Venusaur, she acted as a quickly charged up Solar Beam tore through the offending cross-shaped blade of energy. The beam having lost little to no power, it impacted against Alilo's Tropius as it let out a cry of pain despite the type advantage that it held.
"End it." Leaf quipped in the same calm tone from before, her Venusaur following the orders of her trainer as she had a blue glow pulse off her body.
Letting a fierce roar leave her mouth, she took a breath as a bluish-white spiral of energy began to build in front of her mouth. Soon enough, she released an Air Slash that she had copied using Mimic; the eyes of Alilo and the audience widened a bit at the surprising and unexpected attack. The Air Slash connecting with the injured form of Tropius, it let out another cry before unconsciousness took it, dropping to the ground and remaining motionless as it was recalled by Alilo. A grimacing crossing the face of the trainer, she gave Leaf a look of trepidation as she debated her next choice, gritting her teeth before releasing her next battler.
A ready cry leaving the mouth of Alilo's Heatmor, it focused its attention on Leaf's Venusaur as a fire lit up in its eyes. Turning to look at its trainer, Alilo shot it a resolute look as it lowered its body and rushed forward, a light blue glow trailing off of its claws as it closed in on the grass type. Stopping in front of the titan, it let loose a quick and powerful Aerial Ace that caused the head of the titan to tilt slightly. The triumph that it felt was soon shattered when an eye cracked open to look down on the fire type, Heatmor's eyes widening before it was sent reeling back when a vine of the behemoth connected with its abdomen. A pained shout leaving its mouth, it laid on the ground before collapsing when an Earthquake set off by the titan rocked its body. Seeing that she had already lost two of her Pokemon and the last was still asleep, Alilo offered Leaf a pained but congratulatory smile as she forfeited the match.
"Alilo has forfeited the match, Leaf is the victor!" The referee announced as the crowd cheered for the two, the two young ladies moving to exchange handshakes before vacating the field.
["Looks like that's it for this match folks! With her Medicham still sleeping, Alilo has decided to forfeit the match! Let's hear it for these two great trainers, ladies and gentlemen!"]
Quickly vacating the field, Leaf returned to the waiting room in a better mood then she had left it, a content smile on her face as she scanned the room for her beloved raven haired childhood friend. Before long, she found him staring intently at a holographic screen that was displayed in front of his eye, her own eyes sparkling at the amazing and interesting looking piece of tech. Making her way over, she instantly froze when a trio of familiar faces were quickly moving to surround the raven haired youth with utter joy etched onto their faces and in their eyes.
Misty, Erika and Sabrina were utterly ecstatic as they finally pin pointed the location of their region's youngest and greatest Champion, having left the Gym Leader's box in Stadium A faster then they could ever remember moving in their lives. Ignoring the voices of their fellow Kanto colleagues as they scrambled to follow after the three, the were currently red faced and breathing a bit harder then usual as they found the vigor and excitement that had spurred their actions from earlier a shell of what it was. Exchanging glances with each other, a silent agreement formed between them as the three moved to greet the young man who had stolen their hearts.
"R-Red! It's been a while!" Misty chirped in a bright and nostalgic tone as the young man flinched upon hearing his name from a person other then his friends and family, stiffly turning to glance at the orange haired young lady with wary crimson eyes.
Those same eyes widened a bit when he saw the faint image of a certain tomboyish girl who had given him quite possibly the largest migraine of his life when they battled nearly a decade ago, though to say that she was the same tomboy from before couldn't be further from the truth. Her previously tied up hair was freely flowing down, framing her face slightly and curled a bit at the ends. What was previously her signature outfit consisting of a simple blue swim top with matching bottoms was revamped to a form fitting white one piece swimsuit with blue trim. A light blue jacket with cyan cuffs laid over her swimsuit to help preserve a bit of her modesty, with the orange haired young lady wearing a simply pair of white sandals.
"Misty?" Red asked in a surprised tone, the eyes of the young lady growing moist as a tearful and melting smile soon crossed her face.
"Red!" She squealed when she heard his voice, a voice that broke all bastions of self restraint that she had placed on herself.
Forgetting the truce that she had recently erected with Erika and Sabrina, she lunged at the capped youth and wrapped her arms around his neck. Burying her face into the crook of his neck, Misty ignored the others present as she snuggled deeply into the now frozen man. But slowly, Red's stunned expression melted away to a nostalgic one as he returned the young lady's embrace, Misty's heart practically soaring as she let out an extremely content and happy sigh. But that sigh turned to a squeak as she was forcibly pried off of the raven haired youth when a shroud of light green energy covered her person.
"Already breaking our agreement..." The cold and emotionless voice of Sabrina stated as Misty froze before offering the psychic and florist a sheepish smile while rubbing the back of her head, Erika and Sabrina giving her both unamused looks as the psychic gently set her down.
Seeing the display of psychic power caught the attention of the capped young man, Red's eyes widening as he saw the very changed form of quite possibly the scariest person he had met who wasn't a complete threat to his life, his mother and father being the only two who could trump the psychic type expert. Gone was the long haired, red dress with a black sash wearing girl who had threatened to throw him out of her gym should he disappoint her. Now, Sabrina had a completely different look, her long hair cut down to her mid back, curled enough that it was hanging above her shoulders. A red spaghetti top that showed off her toned midriff, she had a pair of white pants with a black belt and matching red flats. But the most defining feature of hers were the two bangles that were hanging around her wrists, black with green markings etched onto them.
"Sabrina?" Red asked the still scowling grayish-blue haired young lady, said young lady freezing upon being addressed by the young man as she stiffly turned to face him.
In an instant, the cold mask of indifference that the psychic type Gym Leader prided herself on and kept on at all times slipped almost immediately upon being spoken to by the young man who had stolen her heart all those years ago. The fourteen year old girl who had found her first love and had it so quickly taken away came rushing forth as a deep blush covered the face of the grayish-blue haired young lady. Quickly covering her face with her hands, Sabrina desperately tried to hide the messy smile that was currently split across her face, crimson coloring it along with a few tears of complete happiness beginning to edge to the corners of her eyes.
"H-Hello, Red..." The psychic type expert said with a slight stammer, though the radiance and joy that her voice held could be felt by all who heard it.
Turning to the final young lady, Red saw that out of the three, Erika hadn't changed her appearance or state of dress as radically as the other two. Gone was her yellow kimono and red hakama, in its place a naples yellow kimono with a red sash, orange maple leaves and light orange clouds lining of the bottom of it. Finishing off her look were a pair of white kneesocks, with a pair of orange tabi. Though, her signature red hairband was still in its rightful place, her hair unchanged if a bit longer then it was originally. When the grass type Gym Leader noticed his stare, she instantly flushed and adverted her gaze, demurely hiding the bottom half of her face with the sleeves of her kimono.
"I-It's been quite some time, Red!" Erika chirped with affection and warmth coloring her voice, gazing at him with eyes of equal intensity.
"It's great to see you all again." Red told the three with a small but warm smile on his face, the hearts of the three gushing as a shade of deeper pink colored their cheeks.
Rushing over to him, Erika shocking the other two young ladies with how quick she was, they immediately started pelting him with the questions that had plagued their hearts during the ten years of his absence. A bit overwhelmed by the three in front of him, Red shrank back a bit as his innate shyness began to surface once more. Seeing that, along with the torrential flood of jealousy that filled her person, Leaf marched up to the capped young man before wrapping her arms around his neck and bringing him to her chest. The sudden action startling everyone, Red flinched upon feeling someone hug his neck only to relax when he realized it was just his other fiery childhood friend.
At the sight of Red being embraced by another beautiful young lady, shock and disbelief filled the three Gym Leaders. But that shock wore off when they saw the way the raven haired young man seemed to relax in the brunette's arms, jealously quickly filling their bodies when they finally realized just who it was that was embracing the young man who they held affection for.
"Leaf." Misty spat out in a distasteful tone, having already been on bad terms with the brunette with how much their personalities overlapped and clashed.
"Could you three cool it with the questions? Can't you see that you're making Red uncomfortable." Leaf asked with a slightly haughty tone, emphasizing her point by bringing her childhood friend deeper into her chest.
"Leaf, I'm fine now. You can let go." Red told her with a bit of pink on his cheeks, internally cursing himself with his weakness in social situations.
"I agree with Red, Leaf. I think it would be best if you release him." Erika added as she offered the brunette a friendly smile that held no malice, though the slightly glazed look in her eyes spoke volumes of how she truly felt inside.
"..." Sabrina chose to remain silent as she glared at the other woman, Leaf turning to meet her glare with one of her own as a tense chill overtook the area.
The tension in the waiting room beginning to creep in intensity, it was suddenly broken when a boisterous voice called out to the capped youth currently in Leaf's arms. The five turning their heads, they saw the entirety of the Kanto Gym Leaders, Elite Four and Champion as they entered the waiting room, Surge leading the group as a wide grin covered his face. The sight of all of Kanto's prominent trainers gathered in one place being a stunning sight, even more so when the other trainers in the waiting room saw that their sights were all trained on the mysterious capped young man who caused such a stir during his first battle, they followed the large group as Lance motioned for the others to follow him to a private room off to the side.
"So, you got some explaining to do, kid! Where've you been these past ten years!?" Surge asked the capped youth as he scanned him from head to toe, grinning approvingly as he saw that the years had indeed been kind to him.
"Training." Red answered in his usual stoic and cool tone, the former military man blinking before a loud chuckle left his mouth.
"Ahaha, course you were! Where else would you have been? I doubt that you've got yourself a lady given how you are, so that makes the most sense, Red." Blane added with a light chuckle of his own, though he shrunk slightly when he felt a number of frigid glares on his person.
"While I am glad that you're safe and unhurt, it was rather irresponsible to have simply left after attaining the title of Kanto's Champion. Do you understand the headache that your sudden disappearance caused?" Lance said in a serious and tired tone as he recalled the countless media and public addresses that were made to appease the masses, Red having a grimace pass his face as he recalled Blue's words about his mother.
"Stop that, Lance. Can't you see the child is well aware of the repercussions that his decision caused. What happened in the past has already happened, do not bind him to it." Agatha told the dragon master in a stern tone, Lance grimacing a bit before lowering his head a bit in apology to the younger man.
As the Kanto natives were catching up with their youngest Champion, smiles, laughs and stories being shared with one another; elsewhere on the grounds of the Pokemon World Tournament, a certain brunette was smirking with his eyes closed as he recalled his oldest partner. Running a hand through his hair, Blue offered his defeated opponent a small smirk that was returned with a wry smile of their own. A content sigh leaving his mouth, he turned and exited the battlefield, entering the waiting room and expecting to hear the voices of his childhood friends showering him with praise for his one-sided victory in his opening match. But when he heard no such praise, or voices for that matter, Blue opened his eyes and stared with a blank look on his face at the now empty waiting room that he and Leaf had entered earlier.
"Where the hell is everybody!?" He shouted in exasperation, moving around the nearly empty room as the other occupants shot the youth confused and concerned looks.
It wasn't until a slightly distressed employee in the lobby who heard the brunette's shouting helped him towards the private room that his companions were residing in. At his knocking, a slightly annoyed looking Lance peeked through the door to dismiss him only so blink in surprise at the sight of his face. Seeing the Champion's surprised face brought a bit of anger and disbelief to Blue's face, unable to comprehend that his fellow Kanto trainers had forgotten about him. When he entered the room and voiced his question, to his utter horror, they indeed forgot about his person and his match, even his best friends much to their embarrassment.
Guiding the pale faced brunette into the room, Leaf and Red sat beside him as they patted him on the back, reassuring the young man that it was an honest mistake. Before long, the matches for the day had concluded, preparations for the main event of the tournament which were the 'named battles' between the region's prominent trainers. As the Kanto trainers began to depart from the room, Red had managed to sneak away from the large group as they were bidding each other farewell, a fond smile on his face as he watched the exchanges occurring.
"Where do you think you're goin?" The voice of his childhood friend suddenly said as he was about to head back to the forest, Red turning to see Blue staring at him with a raised brow while Leaf had a slightly hurt expression on her face.
"Back to camp." Red answered softly as the brunettes blinked a bit in confusion, turning to look at Red before looking towards the forest as they connected the dots.
"Wait, you didn't reserve a hotel room?! Red, this tournament is going to last at least two weeks, you're going to seriously be sleeping outside the whole time!?" Leaf snapped at him with an incredulous tone, Red tilting his head before nodding as the young lady nearly fainted at the thought.
"Come'on Leaf, it is Red we're talkin about. Remember back during Gramp's little summer camp thing? Red was the only one who slept outside past the first few days, even when I wanted to camp out with him I gave up after three." Blue added as the memories of being rained on in his sleeping bag still brought the brunette a slight wariness towards camping outdoors, Leaf shivering as she remembered the morning she awoke with a Weedle cuddling beside her face.
"Where are you two staying?" Red asked in a soft and curious tone, the two smirking as they pointed towards two large looking hotels off in the city.
"Driftveil Royal for me!"
"The Vanilluxe Grand Hotel!"
At their prideful and smug faces, Red couldn't help but smile wryly as he applauded them both for their choice in hotels. Taking the praise in stride, the two soon pushed aside their haughty facade as they offered their childhood friend a pair of concerned looks. While they weren't at all concerned for his safety, knowing that he could easily take on anything that was foolish enough to attack him and his Pokemon, they were more worried about his well being.
"You sure you'll be alright out there, Red? I can make room in my suite for you if you need me to."
"You know I don't mind sharing a bed with you, Red. There's plenty of room for the both of us, even if we sleep on opposite sides."
Hearing the concern and worry in the voices of his childhood friends brought a warm smile to the raven haired youth's face, Red shaking his head as he pointed towards the mountain range that laid beyond the sea of trees near the city. Turning to look at the rock formation, the brunettes in front of him gained curious and slightly confused expressions as they returned their gaze to their childhood friend.
"I was staying there the past three months." He told them as they slowly processed the piece of information, their eyes widening as once again remembered just how much of an idiot their childhood friend truly was in regards to his safety.
"Why not spend the night together? Like old times?" Red added as they were about to unleash a volley of questions for the capped young man, pausing as a pair of nostalgic smiles soon crossed their faces at the idea.
"Heh, why not? It'll give us a chance to really catch up."
"I think it's a great idea! We can let all of our Pokemon meet and catch up!"
Smiles and grins crossing the faces of the three, Leaf and Blue bid Red a quick farewell to return to their hotel rooms to gather the small amount of outdoor gear that they always brought with them, something hammered into them by their parents and Professor Oak. Promising to meet at the western most gate of Driftveil City, they nodded and went their separate ways. As their forms disappeared into the city, Red glanced around and saw that the sun was just hovering above the horizon, the raven haired young man activating his Pokedex and seeing that it was half past six in the evening. Seeing that it would take a bit for his childhood friends to pack, even more so Leaf as she always overpacked, he took a seat on a nearby bench while fiddling with the encyclopedia, reading over the various new Pokemon that he had seen being used by the other competitors. Lost in the descriptions and data that each article held, Red was unaware of the person who had taken a seat beside him, intently watching his face with a coy smile on her face.
"Hiya!" A cheerful voice chirped beside the capped young man, Red jumped slightly as he snapped to stare with slightly wide eyes at the source of the voice.
Sitting beside him with a barely controlled laugh filled grin was the Gym Leader of Sinnoh's Snowpoint City's Gym, Candice. For the black haired, braided pig tailed young lady, seeing the man who had stolen her heart upon first sight during their faithful encounter in the ice cream shop was a blessing from the world itself. But despite her best efforts and those of her good friends, she was unable to find her prince on the tournament grounds. But low and behold, she saw him once more as he gallantly entered the battlefield for his own match, a match that displayed both his kindness and ruthlessness. If she was honest, Candice wasn't all that much impressed after he sent out his first Pokemon and let it get beat down in such a ruthless manner, it was the opposite as she felt a bit of spite rise up inside of her at his treatment of his Pokemon and a sense of pity that her crush was a complete weakling.
But as soon as his delicate and fragile Flabébé was defeated and on the ground, he ignored all spectators and their jeers, opting to focus on ensuring that his little fairy was fine. After that, as soon as he released his second battler all former feelings that she felt about the capped young man were shattered as his Venusaur completely dismantled and defeated Clyde and his Pokemon with a searing type disadvantage, the memory of the green titan tanking the Ice Beam sent to it and literally yawning it off brought a wave of respect and awe towards both it and the trainer responsible for raising it. So, imagine her heartache when she rushed to personally meet her prince only to see that he had vanished once more, the poor ice type Gym Leader having drowned her sorrows with Whitney and Gardenia at the same ice cream shop that she had her faithful encounter.
Parting after out eating even Whitney in sheer volume of ice cream, something that brought a bit of fear into the eyes of the normal and grass type Gym Leaders, Candice wandered off in a daze as she tried to rid her mind of the gallant and mysterious image of her prince. After what felt like hours of wandering around the tournament grounds, which in reality was a meager four minutes, she took a seat on a bench and let loose a sigh that carried all of her hopes and dreams, the raven haired young lady beginning to accept that perhaps it wasn't meant to be. That statement was shattered in its entirety when she turned by chance and glanced at her companion sharing the bench she taken a seat on, her heart hammering harder and faster then she could ever remember feeling as her eyes widened with her mouth becoming agape. In her daze the Gym Leader had, by complete and utter chance, taken a seat beside the one person she had spent the greater part of her day searching for.
Seeing that he was lost in thought, most likely due to reading the holographic display that was currently resting in front of his eyes, Candice took the lucky opportunity and simply watched him. Taking in his features in full, she found herself growing more red as she carved the image of his face into her mind, his crimson eyes shining with a serious glint that held a childish hint of excitement as he scanned whatever it was that he was looking at. Before long, Candice decided to make herself known, greeting him and watching with a grin on her face as he jumped slightly in surprise. The sight nearly bringing a fit of laughter to her, she had to forcibly fight it down as he focused his attention to her.
"...Hello..." Red greeted the strange young lady beside him in a soft and slightly dubious tone, Candice sweat dropping a bit when she could practically feel the anxiety in his voice.
"D-Don't be nervous! I'm definitely not a suspicious person!" The black haired young lady quickly added to help set the man's heart at ease, panic beginning to set in when she saw him shift away from her slightly.
"I-I'm being serious here! Please don't act like I'm a dangerous person, I-I'm completely normal! See, look!" Candice whined in a tearful and pleading tone, her face growing red from both the misunderstanding and her sudden outburst as she pulled lightly on her cheeks to show it wasn't a mask.
Red watching the black haired young lady wave her arms around to try and smooth over their current situation with a wary gaze, he began to feel a tinge of pity for her when he saw her eyes begin to moisten with a thin sheen of tears lining them. The sight reminding him a bit of Leaf when Blue would tease her when they were younger, which Red had absolutely no connection to despite what the two brunettes would say otherwise, he leaned over and reached out to place his hand on her head. In her current flustered state, Candice's eyes being nearly perfect swirls with how embarrassed and mortified she was, she was unaware of the offending appendage until it connected with her head. A startled and surprised squeak sounding from her when she felt his hand on her head, the ice type Gym Leader stiffly and bashfully craned her head up and met the pitying gaze of the crimson eyed man.
"It's fine." Red whispered in a soft tone as he started to pet her head, his voice and action causing a shiver of pleasure to dance up and down the spine of the black haired young lady.
"S-Sorry, I didn't mean to come off as a creeper, but I've been wanting to meet with you." Candice admitted in a flustered tone, Red raising a brow in curiosity as he removed his hand from her head much to her disappointment.
"W-Well, you see, I... I... I fell in lo-" Candice stammered out before a sudden pair of call outs made it the ears of the two, Red's attention shifting towards the source of the voices as the black haired young lady felt a bit of her soul chip.
"Candice! We finally found you!"
"We've been looking all over for you!"
A sullen and deflated look taking over the face of the ice type Gym Leader, Candice turned her head and saw the concerned faces of her best friends moving towards her. Now that she thought about it, she did leave them in the ice cream shop without a word, not to mention the bill. Thinking about it that way, her budding feelings of slight animosity towards them for ruining her confession melted to genuine gratitude for their concern for her. Offering the pair a small but warm smile, the worry that covered their faces soon melted as Whitney and Gardenia stopped before her. But before she could get a word out, Candice was grabbed and promptly put in a headlock by Whitney as a surprised squawk left the mouth of the black haired young lady.
"Finally! Now I can give you what's coming to you! What in the world were you thinking leaving Gardenia and I with the bill!? Especially since you ate four tubs of ice cream by yourself! I only ate two and she only ate one!" The normal type Gym Leader shouted with a face colored red with anger and indignation, Candice laughing wryly as she tried to placate her irate friend.
"H-Hey, I was going to pay you guys back! I-I just had some stuff I had to take care of! Yeah, that's it!" Candice stated in a sure but shaky tone as a pair of dead eyes from Whitney were all that met her.
"Gardenia, you know what to do."Whitney said in a low and dangerous tone, the eyes of the black haired young lady locked in her arms widening as a merciless grin crossed the face of the grass type Gym Leader.
Then, without waiting for a chance for their friend to voice her protests or pleas, Gardenia's hands shot out with speed that would have made a Machamp impressed. As soon as Gardenia laid her hands on her body, Candice sucked in a breath as the horror of what was to happen finally struck her. Then, just as quickly as she drew in a sharp intake of air, it was released as a cacoffiny of laughter was loosed from the throat of the black haired young lady. Laughing and thrashing about in the arms of Whitney, Candice struggled to pry the arms of the normal type Gym Leader off of her neck while trying to bat away Gardenia's wriggling fingers.
"A-Ahaha, s-stop! G-Guys, I-I a-ahaha! I'm serious! S-St-ahaha! I-I'm gonna! Gonna p-pee!" Candice shouted while laughter was woven with her words, tears beginning to form and fall from her eyes as the torture she was being subjected to only seemed to increase.
"Be nice." Red said in a slightly reprimanding tone as he lightly patted the two perpetrators on the head, the two stopping and blinking as they turned to look at the stranger who stopped them.
"Huh?"
"What?"
As they faced the stranger and saw his face, the confusion and slightly miffed expressions on their faces fell off almost immediately. Shock and awe coloring the faces of Whitney and Gardenia, they released Candice from their clutches in favor of addressing the man that they had spent the greater part of their day searching for. Seeing him up close, Whitney found herself blushing as she took in his features, a devilish mix of innocently boyish and charmingly handsome making up his face. As for Gardenia, the grass type Gym Leader was also smitten by the face of the young man, but there was a much more pressing matter concerning the capped man that she had to address.
"Please let me see your Venusaur!" She asked as she clapped her hands in front of her in a pleading manner, Red blinking at her rather enthusiastic demand as Whitney bopped her lightly on the head.
"G-Gardenia! Have a little modesty for pete's sake!" Whitney admonished her friend in an awkward tone, feeling extreme second-hand embarrassment from her fellow Gym Leader's demand.
The two falling into a little squabble, Candice took the momentary infighting between her friends to catch her breath and compose herself. Her face colored a deep crimson from both humiliation, exhaustion and utter mortification, the black haired young lady turned towards Red with teary eyes as he offered her a small and wry smile that only caused her spirits to fall even lower. Turning towards her still arguing friends, she vented her frustrations, embarrassment and fury on the two of them as a pair of squeals left the mouths of the two. Seeing the aftereffects of her handiwork, Candice puffed out her chest slightly as Whitney and Gardenia held their abused rears, turning with tearful eyes to glare at the ice type Gym Leader.
"...Are you two ok?" Red asked softly in an attempt to break and dispel the rather heavy and awkward atmosphere that permeated the area, the two wounded young ladies turning towards him with embarrassed expressions before their eyes gained a devious glint to them.
"Oh, it hurts so much, sir! Candice is always this violent, even when it comes to playful teasing by her dear friends!" Whitney cried in an overly dramatic manner, sniffling deeply as she rubbed her left eye with a single finger.
"That's right, sir! She's so violent and frightening at times I don't know what to do!" Gardenia added as she realized Whitney's intentions, following her overly dramatic manner of acting as she sniffled and dabbed at the corners of her eyes.
Seeing her two best friends acting in such a manner, Candice could only gape at them with a crimson colored face. Anger, embarrassment and a myriad of other emotions filling her body, it soon shifted to absolute mortification as she snapped to look at her prince, growing a strange shade of pale and pink as she could see the mirth that was swimming in his crimson pools.
Red, seeing the two girls act in such a manner was a surprising but amusing sight, something that brought him back to the days where Leaf would weasel her way out of punishment and leave Blue and himself to the wolves. The fact that they could argue, fight and joke with each other spoke volumes about their trust and connection with one another. It was something that instantly shone the three in a positive light for the crimson eyed young man, as evidenced when he knelt down slightly and pulled a small handkerchief that was handsewn together by his mother, a lucky keepsake of sorts he always kept on his person. Suppressing the small laugh that wanted to dance out of his mouth, he wordlessly dabbed away the faux tears that were lining the eyes of the two acting young ladies, causing them to instantly freeze as she gained a heavy dusting of pink on their cheeks.
"Beautiful girls shouldn't cry." Red said as seriously as he possibly could in his current comedic situation, which from the viewpoints of others was as serious as it came.
Finishing with gently wiping away their faux tears, he offered them a small smile before standing and heading towards the promised meeting place. Watching him go with wide eyes, crimson colored cheeks and rapidly pounding hearts; Whitney felt herself melting slightly as she replayed how gentle and kind the crimson eyed man was in contrast to his oppressive and frightening demeanor the first time she had encountered him.
For Gardenia, the grass type Gym Leader had never had any feelings of attraction towards others. For the most part, only grass type Pokemon could get her heart pounding with excitement and joy, something that some found to be rather unsettling and strange, not that it really bothered the orange and black haired young lady. But now, for the first time ever, Gardenia could truly and honestly attribute what she was feeling was the feelings of 'love' that her best friends constantly gossiped about during their chats. She had all the telltale signs that she had read in the books forced onto her by her friends, the poor young lady swallowing slightly as she found herself at a loss for words.
"Oh no..." Candice whispered in a horrified manner as she took in the current expressions on her friend's faces, growing pale with both horror and shock at what she was witnessing.
"H-Hey, Candi, y-you weren't seriously going for him, right?" Whitney asked after snapping from her enamored state, quickly turning to look at the black haired young lady with hopeful eyes.
"W-Wow... This feeling... I-It feels so... Warm and fluffy... I love it..." Gardenia whispered in a heartfelt and radiant tone, causing the two other ladies to snapped to stare at her in shock.
Wordlessly, Whitney and Candice stiffly craned their heads to stare at each other, the shock in their eyes melting to a competitive and serious glint as they nodded in agreement to the battle that had now started between the three of them. Turning to face their still dazed friend, they grabbed Gardenia and headed back to their hotel room to settle the ground rules for the upcoming battle, a battle that would only become larger and more chaotic as the days of the Pokemon World Tournament carried on.
With Red, the crimson eyed young man was heading towards their meeting place agreed upon by him and his childhood friends, moving at a sedate and calm pace. Being apart of the bustling streets did bring a bit of anxiety to the black haired young man, still not too comfortable being amidst a sea of people who he had no familiarity with. The pitiful thought brought a bit of self-loathing to the mind of the young man, Red sighing softly as he still hadn't overcome his innate shyness to the degree that he would have liked. A bit lost in his thoughts, he flinched when he felt someone gently tug on the hem of his jacket. Turning slightly, he saw a little girl around the age of ten staring up at him with shining eyes, something that unnerved the young man truth be told.
"Mister, are you the one who used that pretty Pokemon in your battle?" The girl asked with a hopeful voice, Red internally groaning as he saw her utilize the most powerful technique a girl could have when her eyes grew wide and shining.
Mentally debating what he should do, Red shifted his eyes slightly when a woman stepped forward and offered the young man a wry smile. Seeing that, along with the woman lightly scolding her daughter for being rude, Red felt his decision shift as he simply knelt down as the pair turned to look at him. Offering them a small smile, he took Flabébé's Pokeball and released the tiny fairy. A demure and cheerful cry leaving her mouth, she glanced around before a cute sounding squeak left her as she hid in the jacket of her trainer.
"Ah! Look, mommy! It's that pretty Pokemon I was telling you about!" The girl exclaimed with shining eyes, Red smiling softly as he gently nudged Flabébé from her hiding place.
The little fairy peeking its head out, she timidly glanced at the girl staring at her with those entranced eyes of her. Seeing that she wasn't as scary as the Weavile she had faced the first time she was called upon, the fairy type offered her a small and shy smile that was returned ten-fold. The sight bringing a bit of ease to the heart of the fairy, she slowly but surely began to come out of her shell as she started to play a bit with the grinning girl. Before she knew it, she was bidding a fond farewell to the girl and her mother, the woman thanking Red for entertaining their overly energetic daughter.
"You did great. Better then me." Red told the still smiling fairy currently nuzzling against his cheek, Flabébé turning to look at her trainer as a bit of an understanding light entered her eyes.
Gently giving his cheek a tiny kiss, she continued to nuzzle him with all that she had to help ease and erase the murky thoughts of self-doubt that she could sense in him. Feeling her earnest and heartfelt emotions, Red lost the traces of self-loathing that started to fill his person, raising his hand and gently stroking the head of the tiny fairy. A pleased sound leaving Flabébé, Red had a soft laugh leave his mouth, ever grateful towards fate for bringing such a brilliant light into his gray world.
It was a bit strange to the crimson eyed man, that such a pure and sincere Pokemon wouldn't have been befriended by anyone during the time she was stranded in Unova. There wasn't a soul, save those who were pitch as black, that wouldn't have jumped in to save her in her time of need. And even more so, there was something special about the tiny fairy happily snuggling into in, Red could practically feel raw emotion and energy radiating off of her as she helped ease his troubled emotions.
"Thanks, Flabébé." Red whispered in a soft and grateful tone, the tiny fairy staring at him for a bit before shaking her head in the negative at his words of gratitude.
Instead, she just opted to point towards herself then hug his cheek once more. Seeing that, no more words needed to be exchanged as they shared warm smiles with each other. Flabébé finding a comfortable place on the bill of Red's cap, she let out a content sound as she nestled there. The sight bringing an amused and fond smile to the raven haired young man, he simply continued on his way, intent on showing the world the true potential that was held in the tiny body of the fairy sleeping on his hat. Before long, Red found himself at the appointed meeting place, leaning against the wall of the gate as he opened his Pokedex once more. But it wasn't long before he was broken from his reading, as a certain brunette was nearing the raven haired young man's location.
"Oi, Red! Wait long?" The ever boisterous voice of Blue called out as Red broke from his reading as did Flabébé from her nap, shifting their heads to see Blue heading towards them with a small backpack slung over his shoulder.
"Four minutes." Red reported as he deactivated his Pokedex, Blue flashing him a grin as he followed Red's example and leaned against the wall after setting his pack down.
"So, now that Leaf isn't here, how bad was it." Blue asked after a few seconds of silence, his usual haughty and loud tone gone and in its place one that held utter seriousness.
"...I almost died a few times." Red admitted after keeping silent for a second, Blue's eyes hardening as clenched his fists tightly at the idea of his best friend passing somewhere where no one would find him.
"You're a complete idiot you know that? Answer me honestly, Red. Did you even think about us when you left?" Blue asked in the same serious and hard tone as before, Red turning to face him with a pair of sorrowful eyes as the brunette sighed and shook his head.
"I won't tell anyone else, so level with me man. What happened up there." Blue said as Red gained a somewhat hollow look in his eyes, the sight immediately raising red flags for both the brunette and the fairy as Red began to weave the story of his decade on Mt. Silver.
(Time Skip - Fifteen Minutes Later)
"-nd that was what happened the first year while I was up there. I don't remember what happened after I woke up, just that Eevee had evolved into Espeon to save me." Red reported softly as the wide eyes of both Blue and Flabébé were trained on his person, Red glancing around warily before raising his black shirt slightly.
As soon as the crimson eyed young man raised his shirt, Blue and Flabébé could only gape at the number of scars that littered his abdomen. Each scar varied in its origin, be it cut, stab, bite or otherwise; the eyes of the two nearly popping from their sockets when he reached his chest. Before, the two could make out the faint trails of what seemed to be a large scar spanning the length of Red's body, but now, they could only imagine what horrific incident caused the scar that crossed diagonally across his body, Blue estimating that it spanned from his shoulder to his hip judging from the scar tissue.
"What... What the fucking hell... Does anyone else know?" Blue whispered in a stunned and disbelieving tone, Red offering the brunette a small and apologetic smile as Flabébé immediately rushed to embrace her trainer.
"It's ugly, I know... And just you..." Red whispered with a mirthless laugh, Blue snapping from his horrified state to slam his hand onto the shoulder of his best friend.
"Tell me. What did that to you. I swear, I'll get back at it no matter what it takes. No one, man or Pokemon, fucks with my best friend like that." Blue spat out in a tone of absolute hatred, his eyes ablaze with anger and rage unlike the usual competitive fire that it typically held.
"It was a long time ago, Blue. I... I don't remember what happened..." Red answered with a visible grimace of pain, wincing as he raised a hand to clutch at his head.
Seeing his childhood friend become visibly pained with trying to recall the memory of what had attacked him, Blue lost a bit of the spiteful fire that was raging in his eyes. A shaky and tired sigh leaving the mouth of the brunette, Blue simply gave the shoulder he was holding a reassuring squeeze. Whilst he was trying to comfort his best friend, Flabébé had a determined look on her face as she closed her eyes. Soon her body began to glow with a light blue-green aura before a gentle cry left her mouth, pulses of that same light blue-green aura coming off with a bell-like chime.
With the use of Heal Bell, Blue let out a sigh of relief when he saw the pained expression on the face of his best friend lessen before it faded away completely. Turning to look at the tiny fairy responsible for healing his friend, Blue's look of gratitude slowly gained an edge of suspicion as he realized the implications of what he had just witnessed.
"Flabébé don't naturally learn Heal Bell, heck I don't even think I've seen one use that move at all since I've known about them. Something is way off about that thing, not to mention the weird vibe that I'm getting from it. It's like I can physically feel how it feels, and that ain't normal." Blue thought to himself as he continued to stare at the close-eyed fairy with critical eyes, making a mental note to ask his grandfather and cousin about known cases of Flabébé utilizing Heal Bell.
But he pushed his suspicions aside for the moment in favor of checking on Red, feeling his anxiety fade when an eased sigh left the mouth of the raven haired man. Turning to look at his Flabébé, Red offered her a grateful smile as he rose his head to gently stroke her head, a demure and exuberant cry of happiness and content sounding from the tiny fairy as she hugged her trainer's nose. The action surprising Red, he blinked before a light laugh left his mouth as Flabébé joined in with absolute joy in her voice.
Watching the scene play out in front of him, Blue felt the concerns he had about the fairy fade slightly as something that could laugh as pure as the Flabébé in front of him wasn't necessarily evil or a complete threat. But still, the fact that Blue could physically feel the Pokemon's joy and happiness, as if it were an invisible mist or aura radiating from her tiny body, brought a level of intrigue that he needed to sate later on. But for now, he opted to simply watch as his childhood friend played with his newest addition, a small smile crossing his face as the ghastly memory of Red's pained face was set aside in favor of supporting the joyous one he was currently wearing. Lost in their little moment, the trio were able to pass the time quickly, the exuberant shout of the final member of their trio breaking them from their minor stupor.
"I'm here! All ready!" Leaf shouted as she eagerly waved towards Red and Blue, stopping before them as she panted a bit from her rushed trek from her hotel.
"Took ya long enough, Leaf. I see you packed enough for one night." Blue told the other brunette in a sarcastic tone, a disbelieving look on his face at the backpack and suitcase that she was carrying.
"Bite me, Blue! Just because you two like sleeping in the mud doesn't mean I do! And I'll have you know that I pack just enough for one night, thank you very much!" Leaf snapped back in a heated tone, Blue feeling his eye twitch as she happily hopped next to Red before leaning towards him while trying to appear small and meek.
"Red, can you please carry my bags for me? I'm really tired from my match earlier today, it would mean a lot to me." Leaf asked her best friend with her usual pleading tone, batting her eyes cutely and maidenly as Blue made a gagging sound in the background.
Shooting him an irritated glare, she quickly swapped to stare back up at Red with a pair of wide and watery eyes, Red groaning internally for the second time in the day as he fell victim to the same technique twice. Shooting the brunette a dry look, she merely giggled as he took her bags, slinging her backpack over his shoulder while taking the suitcase with his hand. Now that her arms were free of their 'worldly' weights, she latched onto Red's free arm before snuggling into him with a content sigh leaving her mouth. Watching her act so clingy with her trainer, Flabébé garnered Red's before pointing towards the purring brunette with a confused look on her face. Seeing that look, Red just smiled wryly as Blue snickered beside him. The gang all together once more; Red, Blue and Leaf all headed towards Red's campsite, smiles on the faces of the three as they chatted happily with one another.
(Scene Change - Unova: Route 6 - Red's Campsite)
"Huh, not too shabby, Red. Nice log."
"Wow, I expected it to be just a sleeping bag and a fire pit."
Upon entering his campsite, Red showed Blue and Leaf the luxurious amenities that he had to offer. A sizable fire pit, a few logs that functioned as chairs, and a larger log that acted as a table of sorts and his sleeping bag with a simple leanto to keep the rain and snow away. Overall, it was much nicer then the campsites that they remembered Red having in the past, having been as minimalistic as humanly possible. Settling into the campsite, the duo gained fond smiles as the many memories that they had with camping with each other came flooding back to them, each of them pitching a tent in a triangular formation using Red's sleeping bag as a reference point. Finally settled in, the three shared looks before barely controlled smiles appeared on their faces as they moved to their beloved and trusted partners.
"Everyone, come out."
"Come on out you guys!"
"Everyone, come out and say hi!"
Thirty two Pokeballs flying into the air, multiple flashes of light signaled the release of the titans that the prodigies of Pallet Town called their trusted and beloved partners. Behind each of them, standing tall and ready for battle were the Pokemon that were with them through thick and thin.
Behind Blue stood his mighty looking team at the ready, consisting of: Blastoise, Jolteon, Pidgeot, Alakazam, Arcanine, Exeggutor, Heracross, Tyranitar, Rhyperior, Beartic, Bisharp and Noivern.
Behind Leaf stood her own team of adorable and powerful Pokemon, comprised of: Venusaur, Wigglytuff, Gengar, Ninetales, Kangaskhan, Vaporeon, Milotic, Lopunny, Sigilyph, Emolga, Vivillon and Goodra.
And behind Red, his ever loyal companions were: Charizard, Pikachu, Blastoise, Venusaur, Snorlax, Espeon, Tyranitar, Hydregon and Flabébé still on his hat.
Roars and cries resounding loudly in the clearing, they quieted when they locked gazes with each other. For Leaf and Blue's teams, it had been a few months since they last saw each other, challenging and friendly smirking crossing their faces as they exchanged glances with each other. But it was when they turned to face Red and his party, eyes narrowed at the foreign Pokemon in front of them. A tense silence taking over the area, Leaf and Blue were a bit worried that the past ten years had erased the memories of battling against Red and his Pokemon from the minds of their partners, but that was a worry that wasn't warranted as Blastoise, Jolteon, Venusaur and Wigglytuff stepped forward as Charizard and Pikachu followed suit.
There they were once again, the starters and first Pokemon that belonged to each of the prodigies. During their childhood, even before they were trainers; Red, Blue and Leaf had Pokemon that were given to them by their parents. For Red, it was Pikachu. For Blue, it was Eevee. And for Leaf, it was Jigglypuff. They were the first partners that each of them had befriended and battled with far before they were official trainers, and that bond only grew over time. While each of the three were more known for their choice in their starters, it was their partners that truly defined who they were and were with them the longest. So, for the first time in nearly ten years, Blastoise, Jolteon, Venusaur and Wigglytuff were seeing their closest friends and rivals for the first time. Then, the tension finally broke as the four charged the two. Panic setting in, Leaf and Blue were about to shout and demand that their partners stop only to pause and smile fondly when they exchanged rather heated greetings.
Blastoise and Venusaur smacked Charizard across the back of his head, or tried at least in Blastoise's case as he wasn't able to use his arms or vines to reach the taller Pokemon's head. A sheepish expression crossing the fire-flying type's face, he was subjected to questioning by the two other starters who had been with him since the beginning, all three having hatched together at the same time.
As for Pikachu, he was instantly beset by a Double-Slap attack and Headbutt by both Wigglytuff and Jolteon. But after those attacks, he was embraced by Wigglytuff as the normal-fairy type squeezed him tightly. Off to the side, Jolteon was offering him a warm smile as they reconnected like their trainers did, having been together far longer then any one else in either of their parties.
Watching their starters and first Pokemon reconnect brought warm and fond smiles from the three, Leaf sniffling slightly while Blue was busy trying to rid his eyes of some dirt that was blown into them by a non-existent wind. Red merely watched the scene with gentle eyes as the other Pokemon moved to greet their old rivals while the newer additions got to know the missing Pokemon that were referenced time and time again by their companions when they talked about their most intense battles. As they watched their Pokemon connect with one another, Leaf and Blue turned and looked at their raven haired companion before their eyes fell to the two remaining Pokeballs on his waist. Red noticing their stares, he gained a serious glint to his eyes that were quickly mirrored by their own.
"...Promise me, you won't tell anyone." Red said in an equally serious tone, Leaf and Blue sharpening their gazes as they nodded their heads.
"No matter what happens, my best friends and family come first. I won't tell a soul."
"We trust you, Red. If you ask us not to tell, we won't."
Seeing the resolve and trust in the eyes of his childhood friends, Red's gaze softened considerably as he nodded softly. Taking the pair of Pokeballs, he released the two Pokemon carried in them as the eyes of his best friends quickly grew in size.
"What...?" Blue started as he saw the Pokemon that singlehandedly destroyed his entire team when he was a boy, the terrifying and bitter memories coming back to him as the psychic type moved to nuzzle against its trainer.
"Is that...?" Leaf finished as she stared at the purple mechanized looking Pokemon in front of her, the Pokemon being unlike anything she had seen before in both life and the printed page.
"Mewtwo and Genesect." Red answered the two as he moved to rub the heads of the two man-made Pokemon, getting soft sounds of content from the two as Leaf and Blue stared at the sight with wide eyes.
"What the hell have you been up to the last ten years?!" They shouted in unison as Red offered them a wry smile, the brows of the two twitching before the bastions of their self restraint finally broke.
"What the hell is up with you and your Pokemon, you freaks of natures?!"
"You're going to tell me everything, Red! Do you hear me, everything!"
With those cries of righteous fury, they lunged at and tackled the capped youth to the ground. The commotion drawing the attention of all of the gathered Pokemon, some gained angered and worried looks as they were about to move to intervene with the escalating situation. But, like they had always done in the past, the starters and first Pokemon of the three sighed and shared wry smiles as they allowed their trainers to vent their decade's worth of frustrations and anger, the six veterans simply taking a seat nearby the squabble as they watched Leaf and Blue struggle to forcibly pry the desired information from their best friend. Seeing that the most trusted and oldest partner Pokemon of the three weren't too concerned with what was happening, the twenty nine remaining Pokemon plopped down and watched the entertaining scene unfold in front of them, many of them beginning to cry and cheer for their respective trainer to emerge victorious.
On that fateful night, the three prodigies of Pallet Town were once again gathered in the same campsite, the shouts, screams and grunts that were leaving the mouths of three soon melting to laughs, snickers and playful jabs as the chaotic scene soon shifted to a comedic and comforting one; tears and smiles being shared on a night that the three of them wouldn't forget as long as the lived. A night were the three were simply, Red, Leaf and Blue, once more and nothing more.
And that's a wrap. Thanks for reading, stay awesome.