"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 6
"Ugh... My back..."
"Oww... My stomach..."
With the arrival of the morning's first rays of sunshine, a pair of groans could be heard echoing through a clearing as a few curious Pokemon skittered to the edge of the camp to observe the pitifully groaning humans writhing in their sleeping bags. Blue and Leaf could be seen cradling their back and stomach, moaning in agony as their unkempt appearances only added to the rather pathetic sight, having somehow moved enough during their sleep that they were now side by side in their dirt covered sleeping bags. Standing in front of them was Red, his eyes blank and his face set into a stony expression as he took in the sorry states of his childhood friends. Were these two really the same Blue and Leaf that had grown up with him? Battled together with him? Traveled just like he did? Red wasn't too sure that the people he remembered were the same ones who were currently begging the heavens to put them out of their misery.
Sighing, the crimson eyed young man moved over to the two before kneeling down, rubbing their backs and stomachs as their groaning slowly turned more eased and airy. Before long, the two brunettes were up and about, or at least Blue was. Leaf was still laying on her sleeping bag, offering her bare stomach for the ravenette to rub as purrs of absolute delight left her mouth. Watching the sight with a pair of dead eyes were said ravenette and Blue, the two men turning and sharing looks as the habit of the young lady hadn't left her in the twenty years they had known each other. Since they were children, whenever the trio would spend a moment to nap or sleep together, Leaf had always been the last to wake, only ever fully waking when her beloved crimson eyed childhood friend would pat her back or stomach to help ease the 'mornings' as she called it.
"Seriously, Leaf. Still have that horrible habit I see." Blue quipped with a sigh as the brunette laying down shot him a dirty glare, huffing as she rolled over to lay her head on the lap of her more affectionate childhood friend.
"Hmph! Like I care what you think, Blue! At least I still don't sleep with a plush Squirtle and matching pajamas!" The young lady answered back snidely as Red turned to look at his other childhood friend with a small smirk if amusement cracking his indifferent mask, Blue's face red with indignant rage and embarrassment as his brow twitched with utter mortification.
"T-That's! D-Damn it, Leaf! You promised me that you'd never bring it up, ever! And you! You had better have kept your promise too, Red! If you've told anyone, I'll make you wish you never left Mt. Silver!" Yelled the red faced brunette as he broke his gaze to snap a quick look at a worn looking but well loved Squirtle plush, snapping to look back at his friends as they wore amused and nostalgic expressions at his expense.
Biting back the retort that danced on the edge of his tongue, Blue sighed before moving to pack up his sleeping area and wash up whilst grumbling under his breath. With a bit of persuading, mostly telling the comfortable lump laying on his lap that he would had breakfast done by the time she finished washing up, Leaf rushed towards her tent and started getting ready for the day ahead. As for the raven haired young man, Red returned to the campfire where a large assortment of breakfast for everyone currently in his camp could be seen cooking. The tantalizing smell drew in wild Pokemon from the forest, all of them sniffing the air at the delightful smell that they had only smelt coming from the large city at the forests edge. Seeing them, Red blinked before smiling as he stood up and went to his own area of the campsite.
Rummaging through the backpack that he had, he pulled out a few containers of Pokemon food before moving towards the wild Pokemon, drawing looks of caution and fear as he neared them. Kneeling down, he poured out the canned food before offering the Pokemon a friendly and warm smile. At that sight, a strange sensation filled the bodies of the wild Pokemon, feeling as though they were safe and wouldn't be harmed while in the presence of the human in front of them. Slowly moving over, they helped themselves to the food presented to them, tentatively taking bites before happily chowing down when they tasted the food. Seeing them eating so happily and heartily, Red nodded before moving to tend back to the breakfast cooking on top of the campfire. A few minutes later, the crimson eyed young man was joined by his childhood friends as they hungrily eyed the delectable assortment of food laid out in front of them.
"Let everyone out, let's eat." Red said with a smiling tone as the two smiled warmly at him, happy that their friend still considered his Pokemon as family and dined with them.
Taking their Pokeballs, the trio released their partners as thirty five flashes of light could be seen lighting up the clearing. Powerful and earth shaking roars resounding from the titans of the three, they scanned the grounds for their opponents only to pause and relax when the heavenly smell of Red's cooking made it to their noses. Those who were familiar with his cooking instantly moved to sit down and wait obediently while those who were unfamiliar with the smell merely drooled at the scent. With the crimson eyed young man distributing the food, the sounds of happily eating people and Pokemon could be heard from the clearing soon eough, those who were unfamiliar with Red instantly taking a liking to him as they savored the delectable offerings that they had only tasted when at the homes of their trainers or at the fine dining establishments that permitted Pokemon to dine with their trainers.
As for the two other trainers, they soon stopped eating and watched with dead eyes as their teams were practically cuddled up against Red as they tried to squeeze an extra helping out of the young man. Though, those thoughts of securing an extra portion were melted away by pleasure as he seemed to know just where to scratch and pet them to draw a purr or rumble of pleasure from them; Blastoise, Jolteon, Wigglytuff and Venusaur being reminded of the young man's magical hands as he seemed to instantly remember and recall their weak points. Watching him act so naturally with their Pokemon and have even the most hardened and anti-social members open up to him when it took them months, it reminded the two of the uncanny and somewhat frightening ability that their crimson eyed childhood had to connect to and bond with the hearts of Pokemon, wild or otherwise.
Those dead eyes soon shifted to anger when Red turned to look at them, a slightly smug smile crossing his face as he continued to scratch Wigglytuff and Jolteon, getting cries of absolute joy from the two as they pressed themselves harder into the hands of the raven haired man. Small frowns crossing the faces of the two brunettes, a gloomy cloud began to hover above them as they sulked while poking at their breakfast, drawing the attention of their Pokemon as they debated comforting the two or try and get more coddling and pets from the man in front of them. Eventually, Jolteon, Blastoise, Venusaur and Wigglytuff trotted over to their partners, patting them on the back and nuzzling up against them as the gloomy air around them only seemed to be amplified by their starters' attempts at cheering them up. Once breakfast was finished, Blue and Leaf pitching in to help Red with the rather large amount of dishes, the three watched with warm eyes as their companions and partners got to know one another a bit better.
Charizard and Pikachu were flanked by their fellow starters: Blastoise, Jolteon, Venusaur and Wigglytuff as they shared stories of what had happened in the past decade, the two hermits being astounded by the somewhat unbelievable tales that were leaving the mouths of the four. While Blastoise, Jolteon and Wigglytuff seemed unaffected by the decade of separation, having picked up old conversations without issue with Charizard and Pikachu; Venusaur was openly ignoring Charizard and any and all attempts that the fire-flying type was making to try and close the gap that seemed to have formed between the two starters. Even when bringing up old memories that the two only had with each other, like when they were separated from Red and Leaf when they were still young in Viridian Forest, the grass-poison type refused to acknowledge the fire-flying type. It wasn't until Charizard was flanked on both sides by Tyranitar and Hydregon that Leaf's Venusaur started to pay attention to him, seemingly growing more and more agitated when she saw the dragonesque Pokemon being fought over by the two females before her.
Eventually she had enough of the sight, Venusaur smacking Charizard across his face with her vines as a squawk of pain left him. Without saying a single thing, the green behemoth harrumph before sauntering over and conversing with Red's own Venusaur, the other grass-poison titan somewhat surprised and wary as she hadn't payed him any mind since they had reunited, though it wasn't like she did even when they were in their pre-evolved states a decade prior. Back with Charizard, the poor Pokemon was nursing a rather bright mark that marred his cheek with confusion swimming in his teary eyes, being fretted over by the two females who were currently sending death glares toward Venusaur. Ignoring them, she proceeded to sunbathe beside the other behemoth, getting wry looks from everyone as Pikachu hopped onto and patted his oldest friend on the shoulder whilst shaking his head at his density.
Before long, the time to head back to the stadiums was at hand, the three prodigies of Kanto recalling their partners before sharing smiles and smirks with each other. Packing up their camping equipment, Leaf and Blue secured the straps on their packs while Red merely rolled up the minimal amount of supplies he had brought before slinging the pack over his shoulders, having only cleaned and straightened out his sleeping bag and the leanto resting above it. Nodding his head, the three embarked back towards the tournament grounds, their formally carefree and happy expressions melting to a somewhat mask of seriousness that completely painted the trio in a different light then usual, all of them intent on showing the entirety of the world that the Kanto trio had returned. For over five years, Leaf and Blue had been absent from any and all competitions between the regions, finding it useless when they were without the third member of their trio. For Red, having been gone a decade, he was intent on seeing firsthand what the new era had to bring. Even with their battles yesterday, they were unimpressed with what they were currently facing, only having an inkling of excitement when the idea of battling the other named trainers made it to the front of their minds.
Parting from the camp grounds, they were unaware of the shadow hidden in the shade of the tree closest to Red's original position, the form of the feminine roach-like Pokemon making itself known as it calmly sauntered over to where her treasure was laying his head. Staring down indifferently at it the sleeping bag that Red was sleeping in, its eyes soon sparkled with delight as it lunged into and began rolling around in the scent of the young man. Sighing in content as it snuggled deeper into the raven haired young man's sleeping bag, the invader almost let sleep take over as it finally had the scent of the man covering the entirety of its body, an equally content smile crossing its face as the world of dreams welcomed it with wide arms. Though, when a few curious Pokemon wandered towards the sleeping bag of the human who so graciously shared its breakfast with them, they froze before bolting from the area as if a devil were on their tails, the eye of the invader cracked open with bloodlust tainting it as it dared them to take another step towards its newfound territory. Once all potential threats were properly scared off, only then did the invader fully let itself fall asleep, snuggling deeper and nibbling slightly on the pillow of her crimson eyed treasure.
(Time Skip - An Hour Later)
(Scene Change: Pokemon World Tournament - Stadium A)
"Guess it's time to really show off how strong our Pokemon and us have gotten, hmm?" Leaf asked with a small smirk finally breaking her serious mask, Red merely nodding as Blue could be seen fiddling with his modified PokeNav that currently listed the possible opponents the three could face.
"Hmm. So far no one's too outstanding besides the Champions, Elite Four and Gym Leaders. I know a few of the newer trainers from Kalos are going to be tough because of their fairy type Pokemon, but none of them are ringing any alarms. Our first match-ups are probably going to be against the Johto region, but that's only speculation at this point. We probably won't be having much trouble until the fourth or fifth rounds, if we go region to region." The brunette reported as he scanned and memorized the many faces that had appeared on the page of noteworthy trainers, Red and Leaf still amazed that inside the head of their rather brash childhood friend sat the greatest intelligence of the three of them.
Seeing as the two were a bit lost in their own worlds, Leaf heading straight to the Pokemon Center to have her team in tip-top shape while Blue went towards a computer to dig up more information about their opponents, Red was left alone in the lobby with numerous people passing through. Luckily, no one seemed to immediately recognize him, the raven haired young man breathing a light sigh of relief as he made his way towards an empty looking waiting room when the stares finally began to occur. Entering the room, he glanced around and saw that it was indeed empty, the crimson eyes of the man sparkling slightly at the sight. Quickly taking a seat as far away from the doors as possible, Red activated his Pokedex and continued researching the concept and applications of "Mega Evolution." Lost in his research, he wasn't aware of the newcomer who also entered the vacant room, the young lady squeaking a bit in fright when she saw the rather intimidating visage of Red's face; his eyes narrowed and brows furrowed as he tried to understand the concept of Mega Stones and their connection to Key Stones. The other occupant of the room growing nervous at having to share the room with such a scary looking person, she debated leaving and finding another empty room only to recall that this was the only one that wasn't as bustling or full. Resigning herself to her fate, she slowly and cautiously edged her way to a seat on the far side of the room, which was only about four to five meters away at best.
A shaky sigh of relief leaving Jasmine, she placed an equally shaky hand on her chest to help ease her hammering heart. She had just wanted to find a room without too many people crowding it, never having been one for crowds and the noise that they brought. Even when she was invited to stay with the other Gym Leaders of her home region, she refused as she wasn't comfortable with the other trainers who had also been invited to hang out with them. So finding an empty room on the far corner of the stadium was a blessing in disguise, even if it was a little bit of a farther walk then the others and less spacious. But as her luck would have it, she ended up in the same room with a trainer who looked like they were about to wreck havoc in the room she found herself currently in.
"W-What do I do...?! S-Should I just get up and leave? No, what if he thinks I'm going to call security or something?! H-He might attack me! Come'on, think Jasmine, think! L-Let's see... A-Ah, I know! Play dead! H-He'll leave me alone if he thinks I'm dead, r-right!?" The steel type Gym Leader thought to herself as she began to sweat slightly with anxiety and panic setting in, taking a chance as she debated her next choice of action.
Breaking from her panicked and anxiety ridden thoughts, she stole another glance at her sole companion, instantly freezing when she saw him staring at her with suspicious eyes. Death. That was all Jasmine saw as the crimson eyes of the man sitting across from her pierced through her very soul, the poor brunette feeling a heavy and almost suffocating pressure resting on her shoulders as he continued to stare at her with those piercing red eyes. Never in her life had she met someone so scary, not even Silver and all of his cold anger could compare to the red eyed man still staring at her. For the life of her, Jasmine tried to close her eyes and look away, to do anything that would get the sight of him out of her mind, but alas, she was stuck staring at him with a fearful expression on her face.
"...Is something wrong?" Asked Red in a soft and slightly awkward manner, Jasmine feeling as though she needed to do a double-take as the voice of the man sounded completely opposite of what she had expected.
For Red, the young man had a slightly solemn glint in his eyes, the reason being that he recalled and remembered the look of fear and anxiety that currently rested on the face of the young lady sitting across the room from him. His appearance was something that he was slightly self-conscious of, something that surprised his childhood friends as he had always acted nonchalant and apathetic when he would garner strange looks from strangers. Leaf had always told him that she liked the way he looked, being the most handsome and gallant boy she had known. Blue had always said that Red had the look of a true Pokemon Master, someone who looked calm and capable no matter the situation. But for Red, he was fully aware of the somewhat fearful and anxious looks that his crimson eyes drew toward himself, though he wouldn't trade them for any other color as they matched the eyes of his mother and father. His eyes were something that only added to and compounded onto his shyness, they were the reason he had styled his hair and wore a hat to help shadow and cover them. So seeing someone so frightful of his eyes brought back unwanted and unsavory memories, adding to his already high social awkwardness, the young man adverting his gaze as the young lady seemed to flinch from the unexpected action.
For Jasmine, it was like she was looking at a parallel version of herself, looking at the same awkward and socially inept person she saw every morning in the mirror. Seeing him advert his gaze, a classic tactic used by those who weren't the best with social situations, was staggering to say the least. The contrasting images of the man in front of her kept boggling her mind, was he the terrifying and cold person that looked like he was an ex-member of Team Rocket or some other organization? Or was he the awkward and shy looking young man that she was currently witnessing? For the life of her, Jasmine couldn't make heads or tails of the situation, her lack of knowledge about situations such as this doing little to help her. But, there was something about the man sitting across from her that kept drawing her attention, the brunette feeling a bit of kinship with the red eyed man.
"N-Nothing...! I-I'm just... Just not very good with people... Sorry..." Jasmine apologized as she adverted her gaze as well, an awkward silence taking over the room as the pair inside of it seemed adamant about not disturbing the other.
"It's fine, I'm not either, sorry..." Red admitted as he rose his head to face her, offering her a soft but understanding smile that the steel type Gym Leader couldn't help but return at how sincere and kind it was.
"Um... I'm Jasmine, pleased to meet you, um..." Jasmine said as she rose her face to meet Red's, the brunette flushing a bit as she adverted her gaze once more when she realized that she forgot to ask the name of the man.
"It's nice to meet you too, Jasmine. I'm Red." Red replied with the same soft tone that she was using, the brunette freezing before a slight smile crossed her face as to look at Red and saw him sporting a shy smile own.
The meeting of two people who weren't the most socially outgoing was always a difficult and embarrassing one, once again proven by Red and Jasmine as silence reigned once more after they finished with their introductions. Red had a dusting of pink on his cheeks as he mentally screamed at himself for his social ineptitude, unable to believe that he was still this awkward even when it was with someone who was as kind as Jasmine appeared to be. Jasmine had an equal dusting of pink on her own cheeks as she tried to think of something to break the foot thick ice that formed between the two of them, wanting to extend a hand of friendship to Red who, despite looking like someone wicked, seemed exceptionally kind. The two running through various simulations as to what would happened should they say something, all of them having some kind of negative outcome as silence continued to reign over the room. It wasn't until Jasmine mustered up her courage and decided to take a chance, deciding the tournament would be the best approach to take.
"So, um, Red... W-What are your thoughts about the tournament so far?" Jasmine asked as Red offered her a thankful smile, the brunette giggling softly as the tension that was building inside of her began to melt seeing that she wasn't the only one overthinking and panicking about the current atmosphere.
"It seems like it's going to be interesting. I'm hoping I can see Mega Evolution in a bit more detail, I'm not too familiar with it." Red answered honestly as Jasmine blinked at his reply, the idea that there was someone who wasn't knowledgeable about the basics of Mega Evolution being a foreign one to the brunette.
"I-If you want, I can explain it, at least explain what I know of it." Jasmine offered as her anxiety and anxiousness was pushed aside by her genuine curiosity about the man's query, Red blinking in surprise before standing and making his way over to her.
Seeing him walking towards her did fill her with a bit of anxiety, though it instantly faded when she saw the child-like wonder that sparkled in his eyes as her took a seat and stared expectantly at her. Unable to help it considering how striking the contrast was, she giggled as Red tilted his head in confusion, only adding to the giggling fit that Jasmine soon found herself in. Taking a few seconds to calm herself, she squeaked a bit when Red leaned in towards her, his head resting right beside hers as he activated his Pokedex and expanded the size of its display. The sudden virtual array appearing before her startled Jasmine, never having seen such an advanced model before but soon she found herself fascinated with the number of open articles concerning the concepts and intricacies of Mega Evolution. Before long, what was once awkward silence had melted to amiable and warm conversation, the two socially awkward trainers finding a mutual understanding and companionship with the other as they shared smiles with each other whilst browsing the various articles laid out before them.
["Good morning, ladies and gentlemen! We hope that you're all ready for our named battles! Battles will begin in the hour, so please don't be late and come support your favorite trainers!"] The tournament announcer spoke as the two inside the room jumped at the sudden voice, Jasmine holding onto the arm of her newest friend as a sudden shriek of fear left her.
Red wasn't in much better of a situation though he was shielding the brunette as the sudden voice startled him as well, his first instinct being to protect the gentle and soft spoken young lady beside him. Though once the two calmed themselves and realized that it was only an announcement, they turned to look at each other while wry and embarrassed laughs left them with equally embarrassed looks on their faces. It was only when Red tried to move that Jasmine noticed just how tightly she was holding onto his arm, letting an embarrassed squeak leave her mouth as she seemed to jump away from as if he were made of fire. Crimson coloring her face, she focused her gaze downward as steam seemed to rise from her face, Red having a light dusting of pink on his own cheeks as he awkwardly looked away. Silence prevailing in the room, they slowly shifted their gazes towards each other before quickly adverting them once more when they locked eyes. But it was quickly broken when Red had a soft laugh leave his mouth, turning to offer a somewhat wry and shy smile at Jasmine as the light brunette returned it with a soft smile and giggle of her own.
"We should probably get going." Red said with a soft tone, Jasmine nodding in agreement as they stood and moved towards the door together.
Walking side by side, they were quietly but happily chatting about everyday things, drawing the attention of a few when they saw the normally soft-spoken and shy Jasmine giggling and smiling brightly with the intimidating and imposing trainer who stunned everyone who had seen his debut battle. The sight seemed like they were an everyday couple, Jasmine retelling what the day before had brought to her while Red listened and added a few comments here and there. Ignoring the stunned and flabbergasted looks sent their way, the pair found themselves at the main lobby of the stadium, Jasmine having a somewhat sad look cross her face as she turned to look at her newfound friend, Red returning her look with a apologetic one of his one.
"Where are you battling today, Jasmine?" Red asked the brunette as she flinched a bit at the sudden question, flushing a bit as she pulled out her Pokégear and accessed its messaging application.
"U-Umm, I'll be battling in Stadium F around noon." She reported as she confirmed the details of her battle, Red nodding as she turned to look back up at him.
"Then I'll come by to cheer you on. I'm scheduled to battle now, so I'll be there to watch yours." The ravenette stated as the eyes of the steel type Gym Leader shined a bit, Jasmine offering him a warm smile as she nodded in agreement.
"I'll stay and cheer you on then!" She chirped as the two found themselves laughing lightly at their little situation, Red bidding her farewell while she did the same before moving to the spectators box reserved for named trainers.
Heading to the waiting room, Red shot a glance towards the display currently was playing a recording of one of the battles from the year prior, the crimson eyed young man quickly scanning and analyzing the Pokemon that were battling. Seeing their conditions, being exceptionally trained but lacking something that his main team had, brought a bit of dissatisfaction to the young man. He wouldn't offend and brush off the training that them and their trainer had gone though, they were obviously powerful based on the match being one of the top sixteen final battles, but even seeing them rocking the camera and arena with their attacks brought little excitement to Red. Though, it wasn't an apt or fair comparison, as the trainer and his Pokemon were forced to survive in a pocket dimension with an endless number of invaders who were all as powerful as they were otherworldly.
["Alright folks, today the battles taking place in this stadium are going to be between the Kanto region and Unova region! Now, let's see who our trainers for the day's first match are!"] Came the ever energetic voice of the announcer for the stadium, the screen Red was watching suddenly shifting to display a large array of portraits of trainers participating in the tournament from both regions as a selection cursor suddenly started darting randomly around.
[Let's hear it for today's first battlers! You all know her and the shine she brings to both the stage and her gym! Let's hear it for the 'Shining Beauty' herself, Elesa!"] The voice of the announcer said as the cursor stopped on the stylishly dressed, raven haired young lady, the crowd going wild as the beautiful and elegant form of Nimbasa City's Gym Leader stepped onto the battling field with practiced and stylish steps.
A smile on her face, Elesa walked towards the green side of the battling field, waving at crowd as they went even wilder when she directed her attention towards them. Stopping in her trainer box, she moved to pull up her visor, letting it rest on her head as the sight of her exposed face drew an even louder reaction from the crowd as a number of cries and yells of affection, adoration and devotion were sent her way. Basking in the excitement and energy of the crowd, she took a breath to ready herself as she turned to look at the cursor currently selecting her opponent.
"Hmm... I'd like a battle with Surge if possible, a battle between two electric type Gym Leaders would be a perfect start! But, even if it doesn't happen, I guess beggars can't be choosers... Hehe, beggars can't be Pikachu-sers! Haha! I need to tell Skyla that one!" Elesa thought to herself in a contemplative manner, though she soon giggled to herself as she found another pun to tell her best friend about.
"Go Elesa! You got this!" Skyla shouted with vigor and energy, cheering loudly for her best friend as Elesa could be seen with a tinge of pink on her cheeks from her overly loud and embarrassing best friend.
"Show them what the 'Shining Beauty' is really capable of, Elesa!" Clay called out with a grin on his face, chuckling softly and good naturedly when he saw her turn and glare playfully at him.
"Rock the stadium, Elesa! I know that you'll win for Unova!" Roxie cheered as she waved a small banner with 'Unova' written on it, though she quickly yanked it away from Burgh who was beginning to draw on it.
"Sorry! Just trying to add a bit more to hype her up for the battle!" The bug type Gym Leader said in a wry tone, directing the poison Gym Leader's attention to the small doddle of their fellow Gym Leader he had just completed.
Up in the Gym Leaders' spectators box, Skyla, Clay, Burgh, Roxie and Jasmine could be seen eagerly awaiting the match. The Unova Gym Leaders were a tad interested as to why Jasmine was currently in the box, having never truly seen the Johto Gym Leader ever really interacting with anyone outside of those of her inner circle, which were basically no one as her private life wasn't really well known to those outside of Olivine City. Even in years past, when she was invited by the other Gym Leaders, Skyla and Roxie themselves included, to hang out or for some ice cream, she politely refused with a stammer and shy blush. But there she was, staring with bright eyes at the stadium entrance opposite of the one Elesa had emerged from, ready and waiting to cheer whomever it was on. Curiously, they shared glances and soon nodded as they assumed that they were going to be battling against the Johto region first, though they were eager to know who the steel type Gym Leader was so eagerly awaiting.
["And here we go! Looks like Elesa's opponent is the mysterious trainer from Kanto, Red from Pallet Town! This could go either way folks!"] The announcer said in a mystifying manner, the energy of the crowd dimming a bit as a murmur spread through it at the unknown opponent for such a prominent trainer.
Hearing his name being called, Red stood up and stretched slightly. The previously innocent and somewhat childish glint in his eyes vanished in an instant, a cold and calculating light taking hold as he moved onto the battling field. Seeing him come into view, the murmurs of the crowd only grew in intensity as those who weren't aware of who he was, what he had done the day prior or his history were completely in the dark about the young man. For Elesa, she seemed a bit disappointed that she wasn't battling her fellow electric type Gym Leader, shifting her weight from one leg to the other as she watched Red approach. The crowd seemed mixed as a vast majority of those in the audience weren't in attendance during the raven haired young man's first match, confused and curious as he was an unknown in such a renown tournament. They grew only more confused when they could hear somewhat soft cheering coming from a light brown haired young lady who was known for being absolutely shy and reserved, getting equally disbelieving stares from her fellow Gym Leaders from Unova as they turned to stare at her in disbelief.
"Do your best, Red!" Jasmine whispered softly with shining eyes as she stared down at the raven haired young man passing through the stadium's tunnel, excited to see her newfound friend battle firsthand.
But the closer he got, the less and less unenthused Elesa became, sweat beginning to bead on her forehead as her heart began to hammer in her chest. Just what was the presence that he seemed to unconsciously exude? Never in her life, not even during the battles she had with Alder or Hilbert, the Champions of her home region, did she feel such an overwhelming pressure from a single person. The closest thing she could equate it to was during the counterattack against Ghetsis and his Team Plasma, when the man had managed to harness the power of Kyurem during his attempt to take over the region. But even compared to that, the young man before her was causing her heart to race its fastest since her birth. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she instantly fixed her posture and gained a serious expression in contrast to her aloof one from earlier, seeing that his eyes were currently obscured by both his bangs and the shadow of the bill of his hat. As Red arrived on his side of the battling field, he scanned his opponent and activated his Pokedex, taking a second to scan the black haired young lady in front of him and review her accolades and achievements. Nodding his head when he finished, he turned to secure his battlers before shifting to nod at the referee as she swallowed slightly when he directed his attention towards her.
["Alright then folks, let's get this battling rolling! Based on the battling lottery, it looks like this will be a double battle between our two trainers!"] The announcer spoke with excitement as the crowd regained its lost energy, cheering loudly as the referee fixed her equipment before turning to address both trainers.
"Trainers! This will be a two on two double battle between Elesa of Nimbasa City and Red of Pallet Town! As per the battle lottery, the battling field will be a rock field! Now, both trainers will be given a moment to select their Pokemon before simultaneously releasing them once ready!" The referee stated as Elesa and Red nodded at the terms of the battle, though Red seemed a bit perplexed at the concept of a double battle.
Scanning her opponent, Elesa clicked her teeth as she couldn't get a proper read on what type of Pokemon he seemed to specialize in. Seeing as she hadn't heard of him, he had to be a rising rookie but the pressure that he exuded completely shattered that train of thought, being even heavier then the current Champion's. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she merely nodded before securing her two most trusted Pokemon, turning and confirming her selection as the referee nodded before focusing on Red. With Red, the capped young man took a glance at his waist before raising his head to glance back at Elesa, seeing the other trainer flinch slightly at his gaze before he adverted it as he took two Pokeballs from his waist and nodded towards the referee. Seeing that the two were ready, she raised her flag before bringing it down as the two let their Pokeballs loose.
Four flashes of light signaled the beginning of the battle as the crowd waited with baited breath for the light to fade from the selected Pokemon, their rocking the arena as Elesa's signature and most powerful Pokemon were revealed to them. Zebstrika and Emolga crying out as they performed a small and charming flourish as the crowd when even louder with cheers at the display. Smiling at the sight of the crowd being dazzled by her beloved Pokemon, Elesa soon losing her smile as a serious expression replaced it. The crowd also quieted a bit when they saw the opposing Pokemon that soon appeared across from Elesa, the crowd quieting as well as shock and awe could be felt in the stadium as a pair of earth shaking roars left the maws of Tyranitar and Hydreigon, the two looking around before focusing their attention on the two Pokemon before them.
"The battle between Elesa of Nimbasa City and Red of Pallet Town will now begin! This is a two-on-two, double battle; the match will be concluded when all of one's Pokemon are unable to battle! Begin!" The referee stated as she raised her flag, turning to look at both trainers before nodding and bringing the flag down.
"Quick! Emolga, Zebstrika, use Attract!" Elesa called out as her Pokemon smirked before nodding as they soon gained a pink aura about them, the two twirling around before winking as a number of hearts left them and raced towards the two Pokemon staring them down.
Seeing him tilt his head, Elesa wasn't sure how to feel as it was both odd and strangely adorable; but she pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind as she watched him watch the hearts reach and surround his Pokemon. Her confusion was shared with everyone watching as he hasn't made a move to even try and tell his Pokemon to evade the attack, the capped young man seemingly more interested in the attack itself then anything. But their confusion soon left when Tyranitar and Hydreigon scoffed and blew away the hearts dancing around them with complete and utter disdain. The sight startling the Gym Leader's Pokemon, they were open for a counter-attack as Tyranitar and Hydreigon opened their mouths whilst quickly gathering energy. In less then a second, Tyranitar let loose a powerful Dark Pulse while Hydreigon loosed the Dragon Pulse that she had built up, the beam-like attacks quickly reaching the two Pokemon across from them as a heavy explosion rocked the stadium.
Dust and debris obscuring the sight of Emolga and Zebstrika, the situation seemed somewhat against Elesa as she had fallen behind on the momentum that usually came from her 'Attract and Attack' strategy. But that notion was thrown out the window as Emolga erupted from above the cloud, slightly nicked but nonetheless unscathed. Her body sparking and crackling with electricity, a cry leaving her mouth as she let loose a quick bolt of blue lightning that struck Tyranitar, a grunt leaving the titan as she took a half-step back from the surprising punch that the tiny Pokemon packed. About to intercept and begrudgingly aid her rival, Hydreigon was forced on the defensive as Zebstrika rushed it down whilst its body was on fire, that same fire fading as she turned her body and used the added momentum from her Flame Charge to deliver a heavy double-barrel Double Kick that drew a sharp cry of pain from the dragon as she was sent flying back.
"Good job you two! Keep it up, don't give them a chance to counter-attack! Use Thunder Wave!" Elesa called out as she mentally sighed at her opponent's lack of directing his Pokemon, both baffled and slightly miffed that he didn't seem like he was taking the battle as seriously as she was.
Hitting the ground, the dark-dragon type snarled as it raised to glare with all three heads at the Thunderbolt Pokemon in front of it, soon yelping slightly as the electric type in front of it started to glow before tendrils of electricity were loosed from her body, soon striking and paralyzing Hydreigon. Tyranitar growled as she drew her arm back before striking the ground, a heavy tremor rocking the area before the ground in front of her was ripped up, the Thunder Wave from Emolga being rendered useless as it struck and was dissipated by the raised earth. A loud cry soon left the mouth of the electric-flying type as Tyranitar spun and shattered the spire of earth, sending sharp and jagged shards of stone that shredded the tiny body of the Sky Squirrel Pokemon. The cry of her partner stealing her attention, the momentary lapse in concentration cost the Thunderbolt Pokemon as Hydreigon managed to overcome her paralysis and roared in defiance. Her body glowing with a gold glow, Hydreigon let loose another roar as the ground beneath Zebstrika started to rumble and crack, an explosion of golden energy and earth sending the electric type skyward as a cry of pain left her mouth.
"No! Emolga! Zebstrika!" Elesa cried out as she saw her two oldest partners hit the ground, laying still as the crowd stilled and quieted at the sight.
Silence reigning over the area, it was shattered when grunts left the mouths of the two downed Pokemon, forcing themselves to stand on shaky legs as they stared down the two opposing Pokemon with defiance in their eyes. The sight drew cheers for the shaking Pokemon from the crowd, many of them cheering the two electric types on as they soon stood tall and ready, though the small shakes of their bodies spoke of how they truly felt inside. Seeing their resolve to meet the expectations and wishes of their beloved trainer, Red had a small smile cross his face as he watched the two rise before small sparks of electricity arced across their bodies. Turning to glance at each other, the two electric types nodded before Emolga hopped on top of Zebstrika's as she rushed down the two opposing Pokemon.
A pair of defiant and powerful cries leaving the two, they became cloaked in a thick shroud of electricity as they both used Wild Charge, Zebstrika's being the base as Emolga powered it up with her own. Their shroud of yellow lightning becoming a streak of white as the yellow orb shifted color to a brilliant white, they quickly closed the distance between themselves and their opponents. Surprise coloring the face of Tyranitar, she quickly crossed her arms as a metallic sheen covered her body, hardening her already steel-like hide even further as she moved in front of Hydreigon. Confusion crossing the face of the dark-dragon type, her poor vision did little to help as she smelt and sensed her partner suddenly move in front of her, a yelp soon escaping her maw as a quick and earth-shaking impact caused a small shockwave that sent her stumbling to the ground.
With Tyranitar, even with her Iron Defense and exceptional defense, the power behind the joint attack that her opponents wasn't something to scoff at. It was comparable to that of Pikachu when the yellow rodent decided to get a bit serious, luckily though, the lightning of the Mouse Pokemon was much more potent then what she was currently defending against, a single spark being all that was needed to cause paralysis. Grunting as she was slowly and steadily being pushed back, she looked at her opponents and flinched when she saw the tiny patches of smoke that were beginning to leave their bodies, concern soon flashing across her face as she turned to snarl at her partner to rise and finish the Pokemon before they pushed themselves past the breaking point. Hearing the order, Hydreigon wanted to rebut the Armor Pokemon but held her tongue when she smelt the all too familiar of slightly burning and smoking flesh.
Flying above her partner, Hydreigon trained her mouths at the pair below before letting loose a hellish Screech attack, breaking the concentration of all three Pokemon below her as they quickly moved to try and shield themselves from the horrid sound assaulting their senses of hearing. Biting back the urge to smack her partner at the callous and obviously intentional friendly-fire, Tyranitar simply turned as her tail gained a deep blue glow whilst water started to spiral around it. Letting a roar leave her maw, she swung her tail as the Aqua Tail she had readied connected without issue, sending the two electric types flying before they crashing back into the ground. Dust from the impact covering their bodies, it soon lifted to reveal their unconscious forms. A murmur passing through the crowd, they were broken from their stupor when the referee raised the red flag, drawing all eyes as she nodded in confirmation.
"Emolga and Zebstrika are unable to continue, the means that the winners are Tyranitar and Hydreigon and the victor is Red of Pallet Town!" She announced as the silence that followed was almost deafening, everyone sharing looks as they seemed a tad uncomfortable about the current atmosphere.
"...G-Good job, Red! C-Congratulations, you d-did great!" Came a soft but supportive shout from the Gym Leaders' spectator box, all eyes falling on Jasmine as she could be seeing standing with her hands cupped around her mouth to help her voice reach her capped companion.
The sudden shout didn't just draw the attention of the crowd, but also the subject of said shout as he was recalling his Pokemon, Red blinking a bit in surprise before turning and looking up towards his newest friend. Seeing Jasmine doing her best to congratulate him, pushing past her shyness and trying her ignore the countless stares being sent her way, Red couldn't help but feel touched and glad that he had met such a kind person such as her. Fixing his hat so that it didn't shadow his eyes as usual, he closed them and flashed a bright smile at her, stunning everyone as the camera suddenly choose to zoom in on the face of the raven haired young man at that exact moment. That sight, the sight of his face not hidden by the shadows of the bill of his hat or the bangs of his hair visible on the jumbotron, suddenly the crowd went wild as numerous types of shouts and calls resounded loudly though the stadium. The sudden noise, quite predictably, startled the quiet young man; Red jumping a bit as did Jasmine as they quickly gained embarrassed tints to their faces. Adverting his gaze, he saw Elesa standing there with a disappointed look on her face, her brows furrowed and fists clenched.
"Damn it, not only did I lose, I let Emolga and Zebstrika start to burn themselves out. Come'on Elesa, what's going on with you recently, girl? Just because a few people have started saying that you're 'trying too hard' or that you're 'fake', is that a reason to be so out of it?" Elesa thought bitterly to herself as she stared with hard and apologetic eyes at the two Pokeballs that were resting softly in her hands, the black haired young woman softly clenching her hand whilst apologizing to her beloved Pokemon for not realizing that they were pushing past their limits.
Seeing his opponent's sullen and defeated state, a somewhat apologetic look crossed the crimson eyed young man's face, Red walking over towards her side of the battling field as she turned to look up at him when he stopped before her. About to ask what it was that he wanted, she saw her answer as he held his hand out towards her, Elesa blinking a bit before following the arm's length up to its owner's face. Seeing that face unobstructed by his hat and bangs, she gained a tinge of pink when she saw the devilish mix of handsome and boyish charm that made it up. Quickly snapping out of her slight stupor, she heaved a sigh before moving to grasp his hand with her own. At the moment, Elesa noticed four things. Firstly, his hand was rather cool, feeling quite nice with their current temperature and weather. Secondly, his hand was surprisingly soft despite how firm and powerful his grip was. Third, there were numerous scars that ran across and up the arm of the crimson eyed young man. And lastly, he was quite muscular despite his lithe build, the black haired young lady seeing the musculature of his arms up close.
"It was a great battle, your Pokemon were stunning." Red said in a soft tone as he tried to cheer up the black haired young lady, Elesa having to strain her ears a bit to catch it before she smiled and laughed a bit.
"It was, wasn't it? And thanks. I thought that I'd be battling against Surge, and to be honest I was hoping for that. But that was a good battle either way! Heh, guess beggars can't be Pikachu-sers, right?" Elesa replied with a lighter tone then before, though she froze the instant the latter part of her statement left her mouth.
Her handshake with the young man also stalling, she could hear her heart pounding in her ears as the incredibly embarrassing and hidden part of her personality was exposed on her first meeting with her first opponent. Why!? Why did she suddenly blurt out something so embarrassing and lame to someone other then Skyla?! Even more so in front of all of the people who were still in the dark about her sealed away self that was goofy and dorky?! Stiffly and fearfully, she craned her head up and expected the look of disappointment, disgust, rejection, confusion; her bottled up fears of her self-consciousness and insecurities of her so-called 'reserved' personality. But to her shock, all she saw in the eyes of the young man standing in front of her was mirth and camaraderie, a soft scoff of amusement leaving his mouth as Red looked at her with that same mirth on his face.
"Well, that was Onix-pected. But there's no Shaymin losing a battle, right?" Red countered as Elesa flinched at the puns that left the raven haired young man's mouth, a stark and complete contrast to his serious and intimidating appearance.
But after that shock came laughter as Elesa started giggling uncontrollably as her mind finally caught up to and processed the new puns that she quickly stored in her growing repertoire of jokes. The sight drawing confused and completely stunned stares from everyone, they soon turned and focused their gaze on the person that caused the normally reserved and cool-headed Elesa to burst out in such a fit of laughter; their confusion about the raven haired young man only growing as he tipped his hat towards Elesa after she let go of his hand to cover her mouth and hold her slightly tingly and lightly aching stomach. A soft smile on his face, Red exited the stadium as he awaited the appearance of his newest friend, heading towards the healing station situated in the waiting area to mend the injuries of Tyranitar and Hydreigon. His wait wasn't for long as the soft and delicate footsteps of Jasmine soon made it to his ears, the crimson eyed young man turning whilst securing his Pokeballs as the light brunette could be seen with a small smile on her face.
"Hey Jasmine. Thanks for cheering me on." Red said in his usually soft tone, offering her a small smile of his own as she gained a tinge of pink before giggling and stepping beside him.
"W-Well, I couldn't sit there when no one was c-cheering you on. But I do wish that I d-didn't yell that loud." Jasmine admitted as Red nodded his head in agreement, the embarrassment that they felt having been palpable with how many eyes and ears were on their persons.
"Ready to go?" Red asked as he fixed his cap once more, his eyes being shadowed once more as his companion felt herself sigh softly at the loss of his crimson colored orbs.
"Mhmm, b-but you don't have to come you know? I-I'm sure that you have b-better things to do then watch m-my match. I'm not sure that I'll w-win anyway..." The steel type Gym Leader told the crimson eyed young man in a slightly self-deprecating tone, Red's eyes softening as he moved to pat her on the head.
"Doesn't matter if you win or lose. All that matters is that you and your Pokemon do your best and have fun." He told her with a matter-of-fact tone, Jasmine flinching when she felt his hand on her head before melting a bit as he softly patted her.
But just as soon as he started patting her head and she began to enjoy it, Red yanked his hand away like he had just burnt it. A soft sound of disappointment leaving her, Jasmine looked up with a small and childish pout on her face, a bit confused as to why he stopped patting her head. For the brunette, she never had much interaction with others when she was young, due in part to her immense shyness. Red patting her head brought about a foreign but strangely nostalgic feeling that she hadn't felt since her parents and grandparents when she was a little girl, the brunette having fond memories of being comforted by them her in her times of distress and sorrow. It was strange for the steel type Gym Leader, that she felt so comfortable enough with him to not mind him touching her, as she usually had adverse reactions towards others even being close to her. But for her newest friend, there was a sort of comforting aura or air about him that just caused her to feel safe and comfortable when he was near her.
With Red, the crimson eyed young man acted on instinct and of years of taking care of and looking after two brunettes who easily got down and depressed. Seeing his newest friend so sullen when it came to battles and her concerns about winning them struck a deep chord within his heart, the young man unable to completely relate but feeling something similar to her and the struggles of battling. So, he acted impulsively and invaded her personal space, patting her head like she was Leaf or Blue. It wasn't just that she reminded him of the two other brunettes, as Red was a naturally caring and doting person as contrasting as his appearance would belay.
"S-Sorry, I didn't mean to do that. You just reminded me of my best friends when they were feeling down. I don't like to see people sad." Red said in an apologetic tone as Jasmine tilted her head in confusion, her confusion soon fading as red colored her cheeks as her mind finally processed what had just happened.
"N-No! I-It's fine, R-Red! Honest! I... I-I kind of liked it anyway, i-it reminded me of what my parents and grandparents did to calm me down when I was younger." Jasmine quickly said to alleviate her friend's worries, smiling slightly when she saw him looking at her with eyes that seemed a bit less apologetic then before.
"Still, sorry about that." Red stated once more as Jasmine giggled a bit, her flustered state fading as she enjoyed knowing that her newest friend was as kind as she thought he was.
"No worries, Red. N-Now come'on! My match starts soon!" She chirped as she mustered up her courage for the day and tomorrow before taking a hold of his hand, the brunette flushing a bit when she felt how strong but gentle his hand was.
Without giving him a chance to rebuttal or question her, Jasmine led him away and towards the stadium that would house her match. As the pair left the stadium, they were unaware of the prying eyes that followed the raven haired young man. The owner of one pair said eyes moved back to the Holo Caster as the cheery face of their companion soon shifted to a serious one. One nod from the person holding the device was all that was needed as the recipient of the call gained a cold glint to their eyes. The call ending, the person packed their belongings before moving to exit the lobby of the stadium, shooting one last glance towards the direction that Red and Jasmine had left before scoffing and turning away while trembling lightly.
"We finally found him, Giovanni. We won't fail this time."
The second pair of eyes seemed a bit crazed, though there was a hint of hope and apprehension in them as their owner shadowed after the running pair. Maybe, just maybe, the crimson eyed one was of her own blood, the one that the elders had foreseen? If he was, then perhaps together they could prevent what was to happen in the coming weeks. Clenching her fist tightly, she quickened her pace as she adjusted the precious cargo that she was carrying, turning to look down at the cute face of the Pokemon before offering it a tiny smile.
"Maybe he's the one, Aster. Maybe... Maybe he's the one that will set me free..."
And that's a wrap. Thanks for reading, stay awesome.