Disclaimer:

Jordan: Hello, we are taking over this series, the author has no rights.

Camilla: We will now be at every disclaimer telling you that the author has no rights towards Pokémon.

Leaf and Liam

Am I stupid?

Yes. The answer to that question is; yes.

But what else could I have done. I couldn't cope so I ran away, anyone else would have done the same.

I lost, not just that, but I lost at the first hurdle. I made all that progression, before I was thrown back, all the way to square one.

It was a mistake running away, I know that now. I couldn't face my friends, I had to hide from them go somewhere they never would.

My dad took me to a secluded area in Kanto, he had helped me train, then he took off and told me to go home. I had to make it out of that secluded area myself. I easily escaped, I had Pidgeot. Red was waiting on the other side, he took me back to Pallet and left without a word, I've been here ever since.

I know Jordan would have told me not to beat myself up. What we achieved was great, but I wanted more. I was hungry for more success. I felt guilty for leaving without giving him an explanation.

But that guilt didn't even come close to close with the guilt I felt for leaving Leaf. The guilt that weighed me down the most, the guilt that weighed the heaviest, the guilt that was worse a hundred times over, that was the guilt I felt for leaving Leaf.

Leaf and I had travelled all over the region, but all I did was stab her in the back. After all we had been through together, she had stuck by me and what did I do in return? I left her.

I was now in my gramps lab; I had been in Pallet for almost a whole year. I spent most of my time with my Pokémon or reading. Reading? I know right? Liam Oak, reading? Not the sort of thing I would do, but what I read gave me a broader insight to Pokémon lives and knowledge that would have helped me on my first journey, no wonder Jordan was always ahead of me.

Gramps was telling me about Jordan, Camilla, Leaf and their new friend Tracey, and the adventures they were having in the Orange Islands Archipelago. The first-time gramps told me about it, I wondered where Brock was, but a few weeks ago Brock appeared out of the blue.

We asked why he was back, but he refused to answer us.

Gramps had asked him multiple times why he was back from being with professor Ivy, but instead of responding, Brock crawled into a corner and started to mumble inaudibly to himself.

Being in Pallet I had been training with my Pokémon strengthening our bonds, applying what I read in books to when I spent time with them.

Right now my Pokémon were out the back of my gramps lab in the large field.

'…on their way back soon.' Gramps finished.

I felt guilty I had zoned out while gramps was telling me about my friends adventure.

Gramps knew what happened.

He sighed in exasperation.

'Honestly, Liam.' He scolded me.

'Sorry, Gramps.' I apologized. 'Come again.'

Gramps sighed, he was probably tired of telling me this over and over.

'Jordan told me that he had beaten the Orange League champion, he arrived in Vermillion this morning. He said he was going to see his mother before coming here.' Gramps told me.

Jordan had beaten a Pokémon league.

'What?' I exclaimed. 'Jordan has beaten a Pokémon league?' I asked.

I had a whole year of training, while Jordan had another adventure to another league, managed to collect the badges and ultimately conquer the league and beat the champion.

'Jordan first beat the Orange crew, then battled the champion and came out on top.' Gramps told me.

That was great, for Jordan. I'm glad he had fulfilled his dream before I fulfilled mine. I guess it was my fault, I did take a year off.

I will not be doing that again.

The door to the lab opened.

I spun around and froze.

There was Leaf.

'Professor Oak, this is…' Leaf stopped as her eyes found me.

'Tracey.' Gramps said.

I didn't see Tracey, Leaf's surprised look turned to anger quickly. She walked towards me.

I received a hard slap across the face, I deserved that.

Then Leaf pulled me into a hug, so tight that if we were any closer we would probably have fused together.

'I hate you.' Leaf mumbled into me.

'I know.' I replied.

We were silent for a few second in the embrace.

'Leaf…' I started.

'Nope.' She said as she started to break down into me.

I could feel her shaking as she sobbed silently.

The guilt I said I felt before that was a walk in the park compared to how I now felt.

I just let Leaf cry into me, I cradled her to try and comfort her.

I then held har at arm's length.

'Leaf, look at me.' I said.

She looked at me with her tear stained eyes. I wiped away the tears with my thumb. My heart was crushed at seeing her this hurt. I couldn't imagine how she looked when I left, that crushed my entire being.

'Oh my god, Leaf. I am so sorry.' I said using all my willpower not to break down in guilt.

She then came into to give me another hug. I held her again, letting her finish her sobs into me.

Jordan was right when he asked about me and Leaf.

We were more than friends. I definitely had a crush on her, she was pretty and the way she talked about her dream when she had found something interesting, she makes me laugh and I feel giddy sometimes when I spend time with her. I missed her terribly, not that id tell anyone but her.

'Well, I'm glad you two are back to whatever that is.' Jordan said coming in.

Camilla was close behind him.

'Just like whatever that is.' I said gesturing between Camilla and him.

They both blushed in embarrassment.

'Jordan!' Brock exclaimed coming through the door that Tracey and Gramps must have walked through.

'Brock?' He asked in confusion.

'Brock?' Camilla asked in the same tone.

'I see you two are doing fine, congratulations by the way, Jordan.' Brock said. 'But you have a long way to go before you complete your dream.' Brock said.

'I know, I don't feel anywhere near to finishing it.' Jordan replied.

'Leaf can we talk?' I asked. My tone said in private.

'Oh, no.' Camilla said.

Leaf and I both looked at her in surprise.

'I'm sorry.' I apologised not knowing if I heard her properly.

'You are going to catch up with Jordan while Leaf and I spend some quality girl time.' Camilla said.

I looked at Jordan, his expression said, "don't argue".

Camilla looked at him and he smiled innocently.

Camilla walked out to the field out the back of gramps lab.

'So, Jordan?' I started. 'Beaten a Pokémon league?' I asked.

'Heh, yeah, I guess. It's only been a day but I'm still trying to grasp that I won.' He said.

He was in disbelief? That was understandable, I would be in disbelief if I won a Pokémon league, I wouldn't be able to grasp the concept till at least a few days later.

'Wait!' I exclaimed, 'you won yesterday?' I asked.

'Yes, I did, in the afternoon.' He replied.

'How did gramps find out so early?' I asked, but it was more to myself.

'Well, I called him this morning to let him know we were in Vermillion. And that we'd be back soon.' Jordan told me.

'Why don't we go out to the field?' Brock asked. 'You can let your Pokémon out there Jordan, plus there is a surprise for you.' Brock continued.

I knew what the surprise was, but I didn't know how Jordan would take it. Lance had come to the lab a few days ago, he gave an ultra-ball to gramps before he left. Gramps told Brock and I about it and now we had a surprise for Jordan.

Brock led us both out and Jordan's surprise was soaring in the air around in a circle like it was a bird of prey, it had been learning from my Pidgeot which I scolded at once I knew what it was up to.

Jordan hadn't yet noticed, he let all his Pokémon out and they saw that they were free, they all scattered in different directions.

I noticed he didn't have Charizard.

'Where's your Charizard?' I asked.

'I left him with Liza in Charicific Valley.' He told me.

'Liza? Chari-what Valley?' I asked. He had not yet told me about his journey in the Orange islands.

'Oh right, my jour…'

A roar from the stopped him mid-sentence.

He looked up to the sky and coming straight for him was his surprise.

'Aerodactyl?' He asked.

The fossil Pokémon landed in front of him. Jordan ran to Aerodactyl and gave him a hug by wrapping his arms around Aerodactyls neck.

Aerodactyl enjoyed the hug and wrapped his wings around Jordan.

'When did Lance bring him back?' Jordan asked.

'A few days ago.' Brock said. 'Lance said his primal instincts are almost undetectable.' Brock continued.

'So, your journey?' I asked.

'Right.' Jordan chuckled nervously.

Brock and I walked with Jordan as he started his story.

He told me that when the Pokémon league ended, and Lance still remained Champion that they came back to Pallet Town and Gramps gave him a yellow and white Pokeball and they were to take it to professor Ivy in the Orange islands. When Jordan mentioned professor Ivy, Brock turned away and muttered something inaudible. Jordan continued and said that they headed to the Orange islands in a Zeppelin that they found out was owned by team Rocket. I butted in remembering that Red had disbanded team Rocket. Jordan said that obviously they were making a comeback. He then said that they landed on the island where Professor Ivy resided. Professor Ivy told him about the Pokémon league in The Orange islands so he decided to compete, he said then it wouldn't be a waste of going to the orange islands, he would actually go there to do something. He said that Brock decided to stay with professor Ivy and her assistants, on the next island they met up with Tracey, who was a Pokémon watcher and he explained what that was since I didn't have a clue. They then found a Lapras who was taken from its pod and frisky with humans, but Jordan, Camilla, Leaf and their new friend Tracey were able to re unite it with its pod later. He then told me about his first Gym challenge how he had to beat a girl named Missy in a series of water trials, he told me that he won by a small margin. And he received his first badge. He then said that his friends then found a Pokémon centre with no Nurse Joy, so they went out in search for her and found that she was wounded and wasn't able to move, so he and his friends helped nurse Joy get back to the Pokémon centre. He then said that they met a girl called Akari Janarisuto who found a rival in Camilla. Once the battled ended in a draw they then went to the next island where Jordan won his second badge against a guy named Daniel. After that the made their way to the grapefruit isles where they met up with Snorlax, he was destroying the grapefruit produce and Jordan managed to stop him once he had destroyed one of the second islands and had managed to reach the second. They then met up with Akari on the next island who told them about a ship and they found out that a trophy that belonged to one of the former Orange island winners had vanished from the museum, Jordan and his friends checked it out and found out that the trophy was taken by Ghastly, Haunter and Gengar because it was their masters and they were going to keep it. Jordan said they respected the decision and let without returning the trophy. They then went to the next island where a quarrel of Scyther stopped people from laving the island, Tracey helped one of the Scyther and decided to capture it, it was now travelling with Tracey. Then on the next island of Mandarin they wanted a rest, but Jordan wanted a battle. Jordan found Lorelei and had an unofficial double battle with her, when he said he lost that made me feel a bit better at not losing, he then said that he battled Leaf and won, that surprised me, Leaf in a battle against Jordan. Leaf wasn't exactly the one to battle. After Mandarin they went to Jordan's third battle where the leader Rudy took a shine to Camilla. Jordan didn't look happy; I knew he was jealous that Camilla got loads of attention of the Gym leader. Jordan managed to beat Rudy and won his third badge. On the next island they met a few new Pokémon that were native to Johto. He then met up with his uncle who helped him in stopping a guy called Lawrence III who was so eager to capture the legendary birds of Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres. I heard that Jordan had met them once, this was his second time. He, his friends and Riley were able to stop Lawrence III with the help from the legendary Pokémon, Lugia. Gramps had told me about Lugia, and I had seen a picture of it, but Jordan had seen it in person. I was jealous that Jordan had seen more legendary Pokémon than me. He then proceeded to tell me about the battle for his last badge that it was a double battle and he only managed to win. He the went to Pummelo island to battle Drake, he told me about the whole battle which I didn't interrupt once, he then told me about after and how he had seen his half-brother in a photo. Then he said he got about to Vermillion, flew to Pewter so Camilla could see her parents, then he flinched for a second. Then he said that they walked to Viridian and met up with Leaf's parents who had recently moved to Viridian, then they came here to Pallet town.

Now I was all caught up with their journey.

'Seems like you had quite the adventure in the Orange islands.' I remarked.

'You could say that.' he replied.

'So what are your plans now?' I asked him.

'Well before Professor Oak told us about the GS ball Blue mentioned a neighbouring region called Johto, so I guess that is where I will travel to next.' He said.

'That's a great idea, and this time I will win the league and you can watch me from the stands in awe at how great I've become.' I told him.

'Come now, Liam. You've had a whole year off and I've been training on my journey.' He replied,

'Mock all you like Jordan, but I'm not going to jump into battle now. I want to spend the rest of the day apologizing and making it up to Leaf about how sorry I am.' I told him.

He looked at me in shock. I wasn't normally the one to turn down a battle, but I did want to try and make things up with Leaf, I probably couldn't do it in a day, but that wouldn't stop me from trying and if she didn't want to travel with me to Johto after this I would understand.

'Well, she's all yours now.' Camilla said.

I realized they had returned from their girl talk.

'Need to know.' Leaf said to Camilla.

Camilla nodded before she went to talk with Brock and Jordan.

'Okay, Liam this is how its going to go.' Leaf started. 'You have three hours with me before I return home in Viridian, Brock and Camilla are going to escort me home. Then tomorrow you will come and pick me up in the morning and we will make our way to Johto.' Leaf said.

'Of course, Leaf.' I replied.

I would dare not go against what she asked, I had to make up for what I did to her and that started now.

'So, what do you want to do first?' I asked her.

Leaf looked at me in shock.

'You're asking me?' She asked.

'Of course, whatever you want.' I replied.

'You wanted to talk to me.' She reminded me.

'Yeah, I'm not sure if now is the time.' I replied.

'Liam, whatever I want.' She reminded me.

Damn it, now I had to abide by her wishes, why did I have to let her get her way? I could have just picked something, but no, I went with whatever she wanted.

'Well I did want to ask you what your plans were for after today, but you already told me what that was.' I said, 'So Johto?' I asked.

'Yeah, well Jordan is going there with his friends and I made the decision to travel with you again, but this time exploring the region from the start.' Leaf said.

'Made the decision to travel with me.' I asked.

'Camilla thinks it's a terrible idea because of what you put me through, do you know how much it hurt me?' Leaf asked.

I opened my mouth, but she kept going.

'I thought we were best friends Liam, I thought you said you'd do anything for me, you said so yourself on route one, when we came back from Mewtwo's island before we got captured by team Rocket, what happened to that?' She asked. 'I trusted you, Liam and you just stabbed me in the back, turned your back on me…' Leaf said, she started to cry.

I embraced her again instead of saying anything.

I took her hat off and her chocolate curls cascaded down her back.

'You left.' She whispered looking up at me. 'Last time you promised you would always be there for me, you promised.' She said her voice breaking

'I'm not going anywhere, never again. This promise I will not break; I promise not to break this promise.' I said. 'I'm sorry to say this, Leaf, but it seems like you are stuck with me.'

She giggled, that cute giggle that I missed terribly.

'We are best friends Leaf, from now on, anything you want, if you want to side-track from our set path, just tell me and we will go.' I said.

'I'm not going to make you give up on your dream for me.' She said.

'I'm sure we can stray away for a few weeks.' I said. 'the gyms and Pokémon league aren't going anywhere.' I said.

'Liam, I don't trust you to stay with me always on this journey, but believe me, if you do leave this time I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive you.' Leaf told me.

'Leaf, believe me, I am not going anywhere.' I told her.

I would never put Leaf through that again. I couldn't imagine how much it hurt Leaf, and it hurt me that hurt Leaf, I felt to guilty and so terribly stupid.

I gave Leaf her hat back, but she didn't put it back on, she just carried it in her hand.

She and I entered gramps lab and it seemed like he was on the phone.

'…five of them are coming.' I heard my gramps say.

I heard some mumbling on the other side but couldn't make it out what the other person was saying.

'I know there are three Robert, but five are coming, and they'll be there by tomorrow.'

I didn't know who Robert was, but gramps was having a conversation about three and five, but I was confused so Leaf and I kept going out to Pallet town.

'I know what I want now.' Leaf said as we reached the bottom of the steps that led to my gramps lab.

'What is that?' I asked.

'A new hat.' She replied.

'And you want to go to Viridian for that?' I asked.

'Yes.' She replied.

I had just left all my Pokémon at my gramps lab, and now I had to go back to get one.

'I'll be back in a minute.' I said and left Leaf to take one of my Pokémon.

I ran into the lab, gramps turned from his couch, but I paid him no attention. I was back out in the field within seconds.

I would take whoever came first.

Alakazam teleported itself in front of me.

I opened up his Pokeball and Alakazam was sucked in before I ran back through the lab and back down the steps toward Leaf who was patiently waiting for me.

'Ready?' I asked.

Leaf looked at me with a playful glare, like she was the one who should be asking.

We made our way to Pallet towns exit.

This time I didn't turn back, this time I didn't need to, I knew I would be coming back.

I let out Alakazam and he walked into route one before Leaf and I did.

Alakazam led the whole way, through the first route, he was the Pokémon I had a strong enough bond with, in order for him to mega evolve.

'So what's wrong with your white sun hat?' I asked gesturing to the hat she had in her hand.

'It's not like Camilla's.' She replied.

'You want the same had as Camilla?' I asked.

'No, I want the same type of hat to Camilla's.' Leaf told me.

'Why is that?' I asked.

'She wears a Fedora, she has a signature Fedora, she always wears that hat, I want my own signature Fedora, if she can pull a Fedora off, why can't I?' She asked rhetorically.

'So you know exactly which one you want?' I asked.

'Yep and the ribbon to go with it.' She said.

'A ribbon?' I asked.

'Camilla's signature Fedora is white with a black ribbon, she has always had that as her signature Fedora, when Jordan first met her she was wearing that hat. Now she has a new-ish one, but its still the same, white with a black ribbon on it.' Leaf explained. 'That is one of the things involved in "girl talk", we talk about clothes.' Leaf continued.

I was glad I wasn't involved in "girl talk", I wouldn't be able to stand it.

'So, you want new hat because?' I asked.

'I want a new hat for a new region' Leaf said. 'A new hat, a new me, a new start.'

I was glad Leaf was so forgiving, she was wiping the slate clean, a fresh start for us.

We exited the route a few seconds later and I returned Alakazam.

We had made it without meeting any Pokémon.

As soon as we entered Viridian City Lead made a beeline straight to the boutique. I had nothing to do but follow her.

When I entered I found her standing in awe, like she had never been in here before.

'Wow.' She said.

Wow was right, I was so glad I had never been clothes shopping, how were there so many clothes in one shop? Plus this wasn't the only boutique in Kanto, there were several others. I dreaded to think what they looked like compared to this one.

I did not want to think about this, Leaf was in here for one thing and she knew exactly what it was.

'Leaf, your hat?' I asked when she hadn't moved.

Leaf blinked and went around the shop looking for the hats, I had no choice but to follow her. She stopped a few times to look at other items of clothing, but thank goodness it wasn't for long, I didn't even want to be in here in the first place.

This is what the girls did, clothes shopping trip, Camilla, Leaf and Rachel would have done this together if they were travelling together.

Girls and their clothes. Brock, Jordan and I were not fussed about clothes, if we went to buy clothes we'd be in and out quickly.

Eventually we found the hats and Leaf picked up a white fedora and then proceeded to look for the ribbons and I followed her. We looked around for ten minutes with no luck.

Leaf went to the counter.

'Where are the ribbons?' She asked the person behind the counter.

The person behind the counter gestured behind her.

'Can I have…that one.' Leaf said pointing to a coral coloured Ribbon.

'Would you like me to come help fit it for you?' She asked.

'Yes please.' Leaf replied.

We followed the woman to the changing room.

I sat outside the fitting rooms on a bench.

I heard the girls mumbling in the changing room.

About five minutes later the woman came out and returned back to the counter.

Leaf came out a few seconds later with her new white hat and coral ribbon wrapped with a bow tie at the front.

'It looks great Leaf, definitely a "you" hat.' I told her.

'Really?' She asked.

'Really.' I replied.

She looked at the hat in a mirror and did a twirl.

'I'll take it.' She affirmed.

She went to the counter and paid for it.

Leaf left the shop wearing her new hat.

I saw it was starting to get dark, we weren't in there that long were we?

How did we spend so, long in a clothes shop, how did I survive, maybe those five minutes were longer and maybe those few seconds were also longer, maybe I believed they were that short because I couldn't stand being in there for long.

'Thank you, Liam.' Leaf said giving me a hug.

I returned the gesture.

'I'll see you tomorrow, she turned around and headed further into Viridian.

'Leaf.' I started. 'What about Brock and Camilla?' I asked.

'I told them that they could go straight home cause I was in Viridian.' Leaf replied.

'See you tomorrow, Liam.'

'See you, Leaf.' I said.

She smiled and took off. I was left alone.

I walked back through route one as the sky turned a dark shade of blue. I didn't let Alakazam out, Pokémon were less active at night, so the chances of me running into one was unlikely.

As soon as I reached Pallet town, there were a few stars sparkling in the black night sky.

I reached my house and looked at it. I hadn't been here in almost two years; it would be nice to sleep in my old bed.

I went in and headed straight upstairs. I went straight to sleep.

I stared ahead in horror.

I was not one to freeze in horror, but when a friend has those words come out from his mouth then you know something bad had just happened and I had no idea what happened or how it happened.

There he was as normal as he usually was and then he turned furious and in a rage of epic proportions. The girl who had been with him since just before his second gym badge was standing behind him and was the only one who didn't look frightened, she looked concerned. Like she was scared of what would happen to him, not what he was doing as if something was controlling him.

He looked around and a grin fell across his face, an evil grin, like he was about to kill someone. I was still frozen where I stood, unable to move.

The girl put their hand on his shoulder, and he turned.

I woke up, it was starting to get light outside. I realized where I was. I was in my bed. I relished a few more seconds in the comfort before I remembered today was the first day of my second adventure, my adventure through Johto.

Gramps had told me how to get there a few times so I would be able to get there easily, it was the neighbouring region of Kanto, so we didn't have far to go, technically Leaf and I could walk to Johto, it wasn't that far, plus a perilous path awaited us between victory road and the first town we would enter. Apparently it was as tough as Victory Road. Leaf and I found that quite tough, the amount of times people had got lost, but we eventually found our way to the Pokémon league, only this time it wouldn't be the Pokémon league, instead it would be the first town in Johto.

Just then I remembered I had to meet Leaf in Viridian before we headed to Johto.

I went to my gramps lab and took all my Pokémon before I grabbed Leaf's, she wouldn't want to come all the way to Pallet town, she'd want to get on the adventure straight away.

I entered Viridian five minutes later, I almost ran, I was eager to see Leaf and get out Johto adventure underway.

Leaf was waiting for me in front of the Pokémon centre.

'What took you so long?' She joked looking at my red cheeks.

'I'm excited to get to Johto.' I replied.

Leaf raised her eyebrow, but didn't press me, she didn't catch on that I told her a white lie.

I was excited to get to Johto, but that was not why I ran.

We exited Viridian to the west and came across a man just before Victory Road.

'Liam Oak, of Pallet Town. Leaf Green of previously Lavender Town.'

Thank goodness he didn't address me as grandson of Samuel Oak or Professor Oak. I didn't not want to be known as that person. I wanted to be known as my own person, not by my dads or grandads achievements, Jordan wasn't known as the son to Red and nephew to Riley, so why should I be known by my families achievements?

I took a breath before Leaf and I entered Johto.

Jordan: I guess a chapter from Liam was okay.

Liam: Okay, this chapter was amazing, why can't I do more chapters?

Camilla: Jordan is the protagonist, Liam.

Leaf: Plus the way you'd describe Tohjo falls would not make sense.

Liam: Girls ganging up on me, help!

Jordan: Anyway, see you next chapter back in my POV

Chapter Two: Tall Tales of Tohjo