Good lord, I'm sorry this took so long, I'm also sorry for saying that this chapter would be shorter that was a complete and utter lie as you can tell.
Here's something nostalgic, a disclaimer: Some Oldrivalshipping coming up ahead (Green/Blue), just so you know.
Green was tired, but it wasn't the kind of tired he had been experiencing in the past few weeks when he worked at the gym. No, it was a different kind of tired. Arguably, in his opinion, it was the worse kind of tired. The mental kind.
After the revelation the four had dropped on him, Green couldn't say anything until after the fireworks show. And when it ended all he could do was place a hand to his face and breathe loudly before accepting all that was happening. It had already been done, after all, and he had no energy left in him that day to argue or do anything about it.
He did ask them how they got his supposed 'consent.'
"That night when you were giving me a quick rundown on those emails I had you sign a consent form on my phone and you kind of thought it was for the one day off so you didn't bother checking on it and after that we sent you to sleep." Pearl explained then paused for a second before apologizing for tricking him.
Green then began laying down the ground rules. It may be for a day but a lot can happen in a day, and he needed to be all kinds of cautious when it came to the four other fire dex holders.
"Don't worry about it!" Gold waved his hand to dismiss him. "You read what the PLA said! We are highly qualified to take your place! We'll be fine!"
That was another thing that bothered him. It wasn't that he didn't see them as great trainers. All four of them have done their part in saving their respective regions from destruction and chaos. When it came to fighting against evil organizations, Green believed they could do it with their eyes closed.
But this wasn't like fighting against Legendary Pokemon or adults that grew mad with power. Being a gym leader meant being more than just a great fighter or just winning battles. Green honestly wanted to know what went on in Lance's head when he approved of Pearl's impromptu request. Did the champion truly believe they were capable or was he simply too preoccupied to care?
Despite his better judgment, Green decided to have a little more faith in the four. Pearl and Black were smart. Gold and Sapphire were resourceful. They weren't kids anymore either, they could handle one day at the gym.
"We're going to ride on Walo all the way to Pallet Town again." As Sapphire said this the large Pokemon had emerged himself from the depths of Vermillion Bay, effectively tipping over a few boats. While she and Black started hoisting themselves and their things on the Wailord's back, Gold outstretched his open hand towards Green.
"You know, someone's going to need to take your car back to the gym." Green, with every muscle in his body rejecting just the idea of Gold driving his car, reluctantly pulled his keys out his pocket and handed it over. Gold whooped in excitement and headed atop the waiting Pokemon.
Green turned to the blond that had remained. "Pearl, please keep it under control."
"Yes, sir." He saluted and smiled at him. "Have fun on your second day off."
Then Green and Blue watched as the blue giant disappeared from the horizon along with its four passengers.
Green sat thinking on the hotel bed they shared, an open book on his lap and a pair of glasses perched upon his nose. He tried to calm himself, tried to get his mind back on that relaxation track he had going since that morning, but all that occupied his thoughts were the four and whether they would be fine, whether the gym would be, or whether he made the right decision.
He heard the bathroom door close and he picked up his book again. Blue walked out already dressed in her nightgown.
"You don't have to pretend, Greeny. I know you're not actually reading your little book." She hummed aloud, walking past him and towards the other side of the bed.
Green didn't look up. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh save it. You know you can't lie to an ex-con." She sat comfortable beside him and gingerly picked his glasses off his face. "And what's with these?"
"I need them to read."
Blue raised a brow, knowing full well that his eyesight was fine and he just didn't want to admit he thought he looked sophisticated in it. He did though, but she wasn't going to tell him that.
"I know you're thinking about them." She placed the spectacles on her bedside. "You need to stop worrying so much."
"It's them, Blue."
"Really?" He gave her a look and she shrugged. "Alright, I'll give you that. They can be reckless and destructive sometimes."
Green sighed, closing his book and rubbing his temples from the stress that started to build up within him. Blue rubbed his arm to help relieve some of it.
"But they're smart enough to know better. Like the PLA said, they were more than qualified for the job."
He didn't have the energy left to argue. He'd have to trust them with that responsibility and believe that they can truly be good gym leaders for a day. "Yeah, you're right."
"I always am." Blue winked and Green couldn't help a small smile. He leaned in to give her a kiss and they spent the night in each other's arms.
Gold started the morning bright and early, feeling extra chipper than usual. He had such a wonderful time with his juniors and Green the previous day that he thought he'd be a good senior and prepare breakfast for everyone else.
When the others finally woke up, they were surprised to see the Johtoan up and about already.
"Good morning my lovely juniors!" Gold sang, effortlessly flipping a pancake without looking. They greeted him with a little less enthusiasm, seeing as they just woke up. Sapphire, without another word, left the kitchen to go towards their backyard.
"Gold cooking breakfast for us unprompted." Black chuckled sleepily to himself. "Must be the end of the world."
"Oh, ha ha, yes you are very funny. But I will not fight back because I am very happy today." He grinned, bopping his finger on Black's nose in the process. "Do you know why?"
"Because you got to drive Green's car?"
There was a shine in Gold's eyes. "Valid answer, but no!"
"It's because he gets to handle the first two hours of the gym today." Pearl huffed a piece of hair out of his face and Gold repeatedly slammed his spatula on the counter.
"Ding! Ding! Ding! Right answer goes to the Sinnoan!" The blond grunted in response and Gold went back to cooking.
"Why are you so upset? You got second place."
"You don't understand! Being first is essential! By being the first of us to challenge all those trainers he's setting up the kind of image this one-day-four-gym-leaders event will be!" Gold turned back around and dropped a stack of pancakes on Black's plate.
"Well thank you for putting your trust in me, Pearl. So kind of you." Pearl rolled his eyes. "But I'll have you know that I've been taking care of my public image nowadays so obviously there's going to be no incident."
"Excuse me for being concerned about Green and the Viridian Gym's reputation." Pearl scoffed.
Gold narrowed his eyes and leaned against the counter, the fire in his eyes set ablaze. "Oh, you're excused."
"What're ya arguin' about this time." Sapphire walked back in, Pearl's Chatot resting atop of her head.
"This time! This time!" It repeated.
"Just about the whole who gets to be gym leader first and something about reputation. I don't know, I wasn't really listening." Black mumbled with a face full of pancake. He stared at the Pokemon that made itself comfortable on Sapphire's nest of hair. "Hey, did Musha eat yet?"
"I tried to get 'er out with the others but she didn't wanna."
"Ah, it's okay. I'll feed her later probably."
"So anyway," she sat down and shoved Gold away from his and Pearl's angry staring contest, "what's our game plan?"
"I'm going first, obviously." Gold reiterated once more, all the while rubbing his cheek.
"And you and Black will man the door, keep the order."
"Ugh! Door duty?" Sapphire laid her head down the cold surface of the counter. "But that's boring!"
"Would you rather be handing out the badges, taking count of the wins and losses, and making sure the Pokemon are healed for each battle then?" Pearl asked, a smirk growing on his lips.
Sapphire narrowed her eyes at him and groaned. "Boring!"
"Well how about refereeing?" Sapphire sat up straight and nodded vigorously at the boy, her eyes sparkling as she did.
"Then it's settled!" The blond clapped his hands. "We'll rotate once Gold is done with his shift."
Once they all agreed, an intense aura filled the air and the four trainers exchanged looks of determination and confidence. The day had only just begun.
Blue picked out a place to eat, seeing as she knew the city more than Green did, and they found themselves eating breakfast at a small café near the bay. He listened to his girlfriend talk about her vacation in the far region while idly stirring his coffee cup.
"...then after touring the boutiques in the city I sent over the package of new Pokedex models to the Kalos professor like Professor Oak wanted. He was actually a charming guy. A little over the top but not that bad looking." Blue said all the while taking bites from her pancakes. Green nodded, continuing to stir his drink.
She watched him do so for a minute before clearing her throat and laying her arms crossed on the table. "You're thinking about them again." Green blinked his eyes at her.
"I wasn't. I was listening to you."
Blue raised her brow and clicked her tongue. "Then what was I just talking about?"
"Professor Sycamore." He said immediately, surprising Blue a little. "And the new Pokedexes he needed."
The brunette huffed a piece of her hair out of her face. "Alright, you win this round Greeny. But I stand by what I said."
Green avoided her eyes for a minute. Blue was very good at reading people since all her life she's learned the art of masking her own emotions. He was surprised during the first years of their friendship when she had expertly told him the kind of person he is and the kind of thoughts that ran through his head. Of course, he never truly admitted that she was right back then. He's since learned his lesson however.
"Okay, maybe I'll just call them, see how they're doing just so I can relax a little." Blue eventually gave in and let him dial Pearl's number on his phone.
It rang for a while and each ring that passed by when the Sinnoan did not answer sent that bubbling feeling back into Green's system. By the time he heard the automated voice he ended the call and attempted to try reaching Gold.
When that had resulted with nothing as well, Blue snatched his phone out of his hands and began stuffing it in her purse. Green furrowed his brows, his face now etched with hints of distress.
"Blue, give it back, let me call Black."
"I am not going to watch you get even more stressed when Black isn't going to answer either." She told him. Green grunted.
"You don't know that."
"Green, they're fine! They're probably too busy handling the gym to be using their phones right now. It's a special event today, there's going to be tons of trainers around."
"They could be having a tough time, they might need some help, they might've-"
"Burned your house down?" Blue sighed and reached over and opened her palm. Green stared at it for a second before slowly placing his hand in hers. She stroked it gently with her fingers. "I thought you said you had faith in them?"
"I do. But their my…" he paused, feeling the word hanging by the end of his tongue, before changing, "Team. I just want to know they're okay."
"Just knowing that they're too busy focusing on their duties to answer you should be reassurance enough." She said in a soft voice and it took Green a very long while to finally relax the tension in his shoulders.
When he nodded at her Blue lifted his hand and kissed it, leaving a very visible mark of her lipstick on him.
Green eyed it, not bothering to wipe it off. "You've always been good with words."
"True. I needed to be good at talking if I wanted to expertly con people." Before Green could answer to that Blue intertwined their fingers together. "That's in the past though."
"Oh?"
She winked at him. "Now I'm just good with you."
Rogue flames scattered the battle area as the fight before Gold just ended. He breathed heavily, the heat getting to him finally, but his grin had remained on his face. He watched as the opponent's Pokemon, a Kangaskhan, fell to the ground, burn marks visible on its rough skin.
Sapphire quietly counted in her head, watching the fallen Pokemon for any signs of getting back up. Once she had reached the end of her counter she raised her flag towards the Johtoan. "Kangaskhan is unable to battle! The winner of the match is Gym Leader Gold!"
"Again." Pearl muttered under his breath, writing the win down on his small notebook. Gold pumped his hand in the air and went over to his partner, his Typhlosion, and began scratching his furry belly.
"Nice one, Explotaro!" When the Pokemon made a sound of pride Gold walked over to the opposing trainer. "Great battle man, put 'er there!"
He shook his hand vigorously, startling the trainer.
"Th-thank you…"
"You keep training! You've got potential! Stop by again when you've gotten stronger!" After saying his goodbyes, the trainer left, and Black slipped in quickly from outside.
"Should I let the next one in?" He asked.
"Give us five minutes, Black. I need to talk to Gold." Pearl walked over to his senior, who had returned his starter back to his ball.
"What up, P-Man?"
"First off, don't ever call me that. Second, what do you think you're doing?" Pearl accused.
"Winning! I'm amazing aren't I?"
Pearl pinched the bridge of his nose. He then raised his notebook and tapped a page with his pen. "Yes! And all you've been doing is win! You've had eleven battles in the last two hours and we haven't given any trainer a single badge yet!"
"It's not my fault I'm just too strong to beat." Gold grinned to himself. "Besides! What kind of gym leader just lets the trainer win?"
"It's called picking your battles, Gold. And I'm going to show you how a real gym leader does it." Pearl slammed his notebook to the Johtoan's chest and approached his side of the battle square. "Black!"
The brunet stood straight at the attention. "Uh, yeah?"
"Call on the next opponent and make the announcement that Pearl Brooks from Sinnoh is now the gym leader!" With a salute Black left the building and even from inside they could here the boy's shouts repeat Pearl word-for-word. Then in a few minutes, the door opened and a female trainer entered.
"Uh, hello. So I heard you guys switched already." She spoke quietly, hands to herself.
"Yes, we did." Pearl glanced back at his senior. "What's your name?"
"Oh, it's Hyun-ah."
"Nice to meet you, Hyun-ah. Are you ready for your battle?" When the girl nodded, Pearl brought out a Pokeball. Sapphire returned to her spot as referee, having refused the position the blond was previously in by Gold, and raised her flag.
"I'm ready." There was a crack in her voice and she brought out a Pokeball of her own.
"The battle will now begin!" Sapphire called out and Hyun-ah threw her ball.
"Come on, E!" Upon impact, an Exeggutor materialized unto the field. Gold walked up beside Sapphire.
"Easy first win, he just needs to bring out his Infernape and take her Exeggutor out with a Flamethrower." He told her. Sapphire didn't respond to him just, only stared at the Sinnoan.
Pearl threw his ball in the air and out came his Floatzel. "Get ready, Zelhiko!"
Gold's eyes grew wildly as he watched the Floatzel fall within a minute upon receiving the full brunt of a Solarbeam from the Exeggutor.
"You've met Professor Sycamore before?" There wasn't complete shock in Blue's voice when he had revealed the information, but it did surprise her. "Since when? Was it through your grandpa?"
"Well, yes and no." Green answered quite trivially. He and Blue were taking a small stroll down the city's park, her hand holding unto his arm. "Gramps talked about him a few times before I went to Kalos, and I decided to stop by and meet him formally."
"Okay, that's also something. The fact that you went to Kalos in the first place… when did this happen?" At that point they had found a bench they could take a seat at and decided to take a break.
"About five years ago, before we started dating. I decided to take up some special training." Before Blue could even open her mouth to ask Green lifted out the iridescent ring necklace from out of his shirt. She let out a sound of understanding.
"That explains a few things. Red and I always thought you were just too busy to train with us." She absentmindedly fondled the similar looking ring that rested on her finger. "Ah, Green Oak, ahead of his fellow dex holders as always."
He decided not to respond to that and just basked in the silence of the morning. He quietly listened to the little kids scurrying about the grass, playing kickball with their Pokemon and friends. If it weren't up to the four energetic trainers he would've just spent his off days the way he was now. Sitting, not doing anything in particular, and in the presence of someone he loved.
Green glanced at the woman beside him and watched her hum a small tune whilst brushing her fingers on his hand. He'd half expected her to start up another story again, maybe talk about her trip to Kalos some more. It only made him realize how much they've grown since the first time they've met. She was noisy and obnoxious. He was, admittedly, cold and stoic.
Though, things haven't completely changed since then. She certainly didn't stop being noisy. But then Green didn't mind this time.
He let her hold his hand and stared once more at the ring it adorned. "Your birthday is coming up."
"It is." Blue mused.
"We could go somewhere, just the two of us."
"Oh?" She leaned closer. "Doesn't the Indigo League start around then? I thought you'd want to stay and watch the competition."
"It's your twenty-fifth birthday. Nothing is more important than celebrating that day with you." He softened his eyes at her and Blue grinned.
"Ohoho, such cheesy words Greeny! Be careful or your reputation for being a cold-blooded human being is gonna go awry." At this point a smile had managed its way unto his lips. It's not very often do her jokes amuse him, but even he can't help it sometimes.
Green closed the gap between them and immersed himself in their kiss. For a moment he forgot about his worries about the four. Yes, if something bad had truly happened he was sure to be the first to find out. Nothing could possibly ruin his day.
"Excuse me, Green Oak? Gym Leader of Viridian City?"
Their moment was interrupted and the couple stared at the woman that called him out. She stood a bit of a distance away but had approached once the two had separated. Green raised his brow.
"To whom am I speaking to?"
"My apologies, my name is Bonnie Deeran from the Kanto Inquirer. I was hoping to get a word from you for an article." Green was afraid he had thought too soon about his momentary peace.
"I'm sorry, but Green is, as you must already know, taking a day off and will not be answering any questions from anyone today." Blue immediately spoke up.
"I understand, but I would like to get his say on this one-day event at the gym he had planned and why he has decided to agree to let four foreign trainers, despite their accomplishments, run a Kanto League gym unsupervised." She stretched out her arm, turning on the recorder she had in her hand. Green narrowed his eyes at her, but instead of saying anything, his mind raced with the new thoughts that she had supplied.
Blue, sensing his growing worry, got up from the bench and approached the girl. "Alright, listen here Bonnie. Let's talk, from one woman to another-no, one journalist to another…"
"Y-you're a journalist?"
"Oh certainly! From a little magazine in Celadon. Why don't we step aside and have a quick chat, shall we?" The older woman took her away from the bench, leaving Green alone. Almost on impulse, he pulled out his phone and began dialing Pearl's number again. He listened to the ringing until, once more, it went into voice mail. He shut his phone off when Blue had returned without the reporter.
"Well that's taken care of." She brushed her hands together, a smirk on her lips. "A little Blue-charm always gets them."
Green didn't look at her, and his gaze was focused on the space in front of him. Blue was going to ask what the matter was when she noticed the phone in his hands. She sighed. He really thought she finally got him to stop worrying about them.
She sat back down beside him. "Green, listen…"
"No, I think it's my turn to talk now." She pressed her lips shut and quietly sat beside him. What surprised her was not the seriousness the words implied but the softness that he projected it with. He took her hands in his and gently brushed a thumb on her ring. "I don't think I've been very fair to you today."
"What are you talking about?"
"The four of them gave me this day off to spend time with you. We've both been so busy the last couple of weeks we hardly had time together. Now we finally have this day and all I've been doing is bothering you with my worries." He breathed softly and looked at her face, her eyes, her nose, all the features he found so endearing. "And I see you trying to make our day work while you try to comfort me and though I am grateful, I also feel guilty."
The corner of Blue's mouth twitch into a half smile. Watching Green openly admit and express guilt over what he's done has always been a rare thing. If she had to be honest, it was a rare thing for her as well. Sometimes they'd have arguments that would last days and, although neither of them were ever quite serious, it still took them forever to see the wrong in themselves and make up. She wanted to say something lighthearted but his words were so genuine it merely left her speechless.
Green, having been with this woman for a good five years now, could already tell what she thought in that moment. So instead of commenting on that, he brought her ringed hand to his lips. "You're right, I've worried too much. And I saw that worry projected in words by that reporter. She doubted them, and as much as I hate to admit it, I have as well. Not because I didn't think they could handle running the gym but because I wasn't there looking after them. And I guess I just didn't want to admit that they could be fine… without me."
He wasn't really too good with words. As a child he'd grown distant, made sure not to get attached to too many people, especially after what happened to his parents. That kind of mentality only made him even more emotionally stunted growing up. So when he finally got what he needed, good friends, a loving girlfriend, worldly recognition and approval, he guessed he could afford to feel once in a while again. When the four of them entered and became a significant part of his life, he supposed they were the one last thing he needed.
Blue sighed and took her hand away from his in order to hold his face. "You're a strong man, Green. You've accomplished so much in so little time. You've helped save the world almost five times! You've conquered everything you've ever encountered. You can conquer this too."
"Hm." A smile came to his lips and he kissed her palm. "I suppose I can. Thank you, Blue."
"You're welcome." She leaned in and stole a quick kiss from him, then broke into a grin. "You know, the way you're acting with them now sure does paint an interesting picture for our future, don't you think?"
Green raised his brow. "You're thinking that far ahead?"
"What? Can't blame a girl for wanting a miniature me." She then winked and Green chuckled under his breath. He looked back down at her ring again, hoping that one day he'd give her one she deserved, and placed a hand over it.
"One step at a time."
Black stood by the door when Pearl's two hours of matches took place and he shared a different reaction when he saw his senior purposely throw most of them so that the challenger could win. He saw on the side Sapphire constantly shaking her head and rolling her eyes while beside her Gold was practically red with anger. Each minute between him bringing out the challenger and calling in the next one was just filled with the two of them arguing to the point that even he had to tune it out. When his time was finished Gold recorded only one win out of six matches.
After telling over a dozen trainers outside to come back in an hour or so after lunch, Black walked in on another yelling fest while Sapphire healed all of Pearl's Pokemon.
"What kind of piss poor battling was that?! A child could've won more matches than you!"
"For the last time, Gold, it's about managing the statistics. Somebody needs to balance out your overpowered kill streak and if that person has to be me then it's gonna be me!"
"Balance? Statistics?! Pokemon battles are about giving your all in a fight and you throwing away your matches for a few numbers on a page is not what good trainers do!"
"A good Gym Leader needs to have all the factors in mind! I'm just trying to make sure you don't ruin the gym's reputation for Green! He put me in charge for a reason!"
"Oh! I'm sorry! Let me just get your 'kiss ass of the year' award and we can go on our merry-fucking-way." At this point Pearl was seething with anger and was just about to call out his Pokemon when Sapphire came between them and slammed their chests with her hand, effectively getting them to take a step apart.
"Alright, that's enough! Geez you're both worse than Poochyenas and Skittys! Both of you sit down, eat some food and take a breather. This ain't about either of you, this ain't about winning or losing, and this ain't about Green! Now go calm down or I'm gonna hafta bring out Rono!"
The two of them grew quiet, not quite looking at their blue-eyed friend, before giving each other one furrowed glance and exiting to two different rooms in a huff. Black approached Sapphire, hands in pockets and a his face etched in worry.
"Are they gonna be okay?"
"They're just hot-headed right now. Nothing a couple of quiet time and screamin' won't fix." As if on cue two separate muffled yells were heard from the direction the two went and Sapphire jabbed her thumb behind her. "Ya see?"
"You sure do know a lot about calming people down."
"Yeah, well, ya gotta learn from experience. Ruby ain't a peach to deal with sometimes." She grinned and picked up the clipboard Gold had dropped earlier on the floor. "You're up next in about an hour. Those two will be gone for a while so I'll handle refereeing and all the other stuff for now."
"I don't know how Green does it on his own. Man, no wonder it's hard getting this job, it's tough work!" He was quiet for a minute and started kicking at the ground. "Hey Sapph, you mind if I ask for some advice?"
"What for?" She walked to the healing machine to retrieve Pearl's Pokemon and Black followed suit.
"For… for the gym battles." At this point Sapphire stopped gathering the Pokeballs and stared at her junior, who was sheepishly hiding in his cap. "Listen, I… I think of myself as a really good Pokemon trainer. Not to toot my own horn but I've handled a lot of tough battles and I'm pretty sure I could win a lot but… I don't want to make a mistake right now."
Sapphire crossed her arms and stared at him. "You plannin' on being a gym leader one day?"
"Maybe. It's an option. You know, after…" He gestured across the room and when Sapphire looked it was towards his bag propped up with a few of the things he had bought during their brief stay in Vermillion. Sapphire mouthed an 'ah' and nodded. "I won't be perfect, but I wanna at least try."
"Hey, don't worry too much about it. I get what ya mean." She playfully punched his arm then cleared her throat. "If you wanna be a good gym leader, then you gotta listen to what Pearl said a while ago."
Black widened his eyes. "So I have to lose a lot?"
"No! That part Pearl was bein' dumb. Just like how Gold was bein' dumb. What Pearl said that actually made sense was finding the balance. But not any of that number stuff or yer wins or losses. That doesn't matter!" She raised her finger to focus his attention. "Ya gotta find the balance between giving it your all and being as fair as possible. They were both bein' unreasonable. Gold fought every battle thinkin' this was a competition he needed to win and didn't give any trainer a chance. Pearl threw a few rounds thinkin' he needed to make up for Gold's wins and he didn't think to give the trainers an authentic battle."
"Plus they mostly did it to get back at each other." Black pointed out and Sapphire tapped her nose.
"Now yer gettin' it. They're good people, Black. They just got a bit too much pride for their own good."
"Heh, like all fire dex holders?" Sapphire grinned and raised her head up proudly.
"Like fire dex holders. Now come on! We still got a some time left, let's go grab some lunch, I'm starving!"
It's coming into very late in the afternoon, the sun practically setting on the horizon yet the gym was still wide awake. Sounds of battle commands and Pokemon cries and roars could be heard even from outside, where a handful of trainers waited excitedly for their turn at the one-day special event. After spending their entire day together, Green and Blue decided it was a good time as any to end it so that Green could at least see the last few battles before the gym closes. After dropping off Blue at her apartment in Celadon City, Green flew back to Viridian on his Charizard.
Even from above he could see a number of people standing in front and, not wanting to answer any questions or deal with interviews, decided to land behind the gym where no one could reach him and enter through the back.
He was a little worried about what the four would think of him returning even before it got completely dark out, but he had already mentally prepared an explanation, so he was at the very least ready to deal with it. He entered through the first floor kitchen but just before stepping into the break room attached to it he heard a voice from inside. It was Pearl.
"...have things all ready. Yes, I have my ticket. Yeah I bought some Rage Candy bars for you." There was a quiet pause but even then Green didn't step in just yet. "...yeah, I understand my mistake. I know I was in the wrong about it too. Guess I still have a lot to learn before I step in your shoes huh… alright, I'll talk to you later daddy. Love you."
When he heard a small sigh Green took it as a signal to enter and his presence startled Pearl as he sat there, one hand on his phone and another on his chest. "Geez! A little warning next time!"
"Sorry." Green stared, not quite sure what to say after overhearing the end of his phone call. Pearl scratched the back of his head before pausing and then proceeding to push himself off his feet and put his hands in front of him.
"G-Green! About your missed calls and messages, I can explain-"
"It's alright." His small reassurance confused Pearl and his soft smile afterwards didn't help him understand. "I shouldn't have bothered all of you so much. You can handle yourselves just fine."
Pearl's confusion was then replaced with guilt and he looked away from Green, avoiding his eyes. "Hey look… about that. I-"
Before he could even explain what happened the doors burst open and in came Gold, his eyes burning with excitement. He first turned to Pearl but doubled back once he saw Green standing in the room as well. "Yo! When did you get back?"
"Just now, is something the matter Gold?" He waved his hand out, to dismiss his nervousness.
"Nah! Everything's great! Since you're here now, you should check out Sapphire! She's on her last match and it's literally the best one all day! Come on, Pearl!" Gold hurried over to the blond and would've dragged him to the door if Pearl had not been quick to react and follow him. Green decided to trail behind them and as they made their way back to the main gym he overheard the two start talking.
"Hey Gold, listen, about earlier…"
"Save it. I talked to Crys. Even when I didn't like everything you did, I get what you mean. I was being dumb."
"I was too." Gold then looped an arm over his shoulder and grinned and Pearl responded back with a smile. Green didn't quite understand what that whole conversation meant but part of him was still pretty proud of their resolution.
When they opened the doors back into the main gym floor, a wave of heat hit the three's faces the instant they arrived. The entire room was lit with colors of orange and red, embers scattered the air like fireflies in the night, and the smoke swirled around with every movement made. Though the thought of the four of them burning his gym to the ground had of course occurred to him, this wasn't anything like he imagined. His gym glowed with the kind of beauty he could only dream of.
Sapphire stood on one end, crouched to the ground, her face lighting up with adrenaline, parts of her clothes and skin charred from the fires thrown by the two Pokemon that stood on the field. On the other end the trainer, a male, was sweating from the heat, his hands practically shaking, a grin plastered on his face. Sapphire had her Blaziken out and the opponent had his Darmanitan.
The three of them approached the referee box where Black stood, officiating the match. The brunet barely noticed them arrive and was instead watching the battle unfold intently. Gold looked like he could barely contain his excitement.
"They've been going at it for more than thirty minutes already. These are their last Pokemon." He informed them and Green looked back at his junior as she threw command after command and moving almost as much as her Pokemon did.
"Let's go Darmanitan, hit her with another Flare Blitz!"
"Dodge it! Land another Sky Uppercut!" The raging Pokemon charged once more at Sapphire's Blaziken, its fists bursting with flame and power. Blaziken dodged it fast enough and somersaulted over it before winding up its clawed fist and striking the Pokemon from behind.
"Work Up then use Rollout, quick!" Darmanitan fell down from the hit but got back up and roared, beating its chest as it did. Right afterwards it leapt to the air and balled itself before launching into Blaziken's chest.
"Recover and watch him, Toro!" Blaziken stood in the middle, dodging and stepping away from each potential hit. Both its eyes as well as its trainer's focused on its movement until the moment clicked simultaneously in their minds. "Fire Punch, now!"
Blaziken leapt just as Darmanitan attempted another tackle and the Blaze Pokemon spun in the air for a second before plunging its flaming fist right on the head of its opponent. Darmanitan ceased its rolling and the room was dead silent now that the sounds of battle no longer filled it. Everyone held their breaths as the dust and smoke cleared and Blaziken's fist was still paused in place. Black narrowed his eyes, taking a look at Darmanitan, and noticed it unmoving. He counted in his head and then raised his flag towards Sapphire.
"Darmanitan is unable to battle! The winner of this match is Gym Leader Sapphire!" Upon hearing the verdict, Sapphire finally let out the breath she was holding. She grinned and ran towards her Pokemon, giving it one quick hug before making her way to the challenger.
"Hunter! That was an amazing battle!" The trainer was surprised by her coming up to him so quickly, and hurriedly took back his Darmanitan in its pokeball before replying.
"Th-thanks! You were amazing too, I've never had my heart practically beat out of my chest like this in a long while."
"Your Pokemon didn't go into Zen Mode, was it because it had the Sheer Force ability instead? That was some risky battling there! We should definitely have a rematch sometime!" She slapped his arm happily and this brought a bright smile to Hunter's face. They continued to talk enthusiastically to each other, discussing the battle that just happened. The boys stood from afar, all of them feeling a mix of pride and awe.
"Now that's a gym battle." Black commented, checking the win down on the clipboard before handing it over to Pearl and making his way to heal the rest of Sapph's Pokemon.
Green approached the pair, his hands behind his back, and spoke. "That was quite the match."
While the trainer froze in place at the sight of him Sapphire only seemed to glow even more at his presence. "Green! You're back! How was your date with Blue?"
"It was great, thank you again for it." He then turned to the trainer that seemed starstruck to see him. "Hunter, was it?"
"Y-yes Gym Leader Green, sir!"
"I look forward to battling with you soon." His words were enough encouragement to light the fire back in his eyes and Hunter nodded before rushing out of the door with a newfound determination. Once he was gone Green looked over to the brunette that stood beside him as she sighed and started dusting off char from her person.
"So, did I make ya proud over there?" She jokingly asked, a small chuckle coming out when she did. Green only lifted his hand and wiped a bit of ash that got on her nose before giving back a small smile.
"When did I ever stop?" At this point the other three had walked up to them and Green stepped aside so they could talk excitedly about her battle. Gold wrapped his arms around her and lifted her off of the ground.
"Hey!"
"Look at you running around proving us guys wrong!" When he put her down he crossed his arms and smiled apologetically. "Hate to admit it, but you definitely are better at this than us."
"We were being a bunch of assholes, Sapph. Sorry." The girl laughed in response and punched both of their arms.
"You sure were." She then proceeded to send Black a knowing wink. "Told ya all they needed was a time out."
Green still didn't understand what occurred earlier that the two arguably more prideful members of this group were apologizing so much for, but he felt like he didn't have to. Their little meeting was disrupted by a short knock on the gym door, and some voices from behind spoke up.
"Uh, hello? Are you guys still taking challengers?"
Pearl looked at his Poketch and slapped the side of his head. "Arceus! It's almost eight o'clock! We should probably tell them the gym is closed now." The blond was already making his way to the doors to deliver the announcement but Green placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him.
"I'll take it from here."
"Are you sure? We can handle it, you know. It's still technically your day off." Green scanned their faces, looking at each one of them and thinking back to what they've done for him in the span of just two days. He turned around, hiding the smile on his face, and placed a hand on the door. He didn't know what he's done to deserve them.
"I'm sure." He pushed the doors open and the small crowd of trainers that were outside stepped back. All their eyes widened, surprised to see the original gym leader standing in front of them. "The special four gym leader event has officially come to an end. I want to thank you all for your patience and participation as well as to apologize if it has caused you any sort of inconvenience."
Just as a few nodded and started to leave, Green cleared his throat. "Of course, the event has ended, but as per usual during League season, the gym hours are still extended for two more hours." He put his hands behind him again, eyeing the challengers expectantly.
A brand new fire made its way to their faces and their resignation early was replaced by determination. Green turned around and there the four stood with variations of arm crosses, hands on hips, and pouts.
"Green." The authoritative way Black said it definitely surprised him but nevertheless he approached them and placed a hand on their shoulders.
"Nothing I can do or say can express how grateful I am for what you've done for me in the past two days. I… don't know how I've come to deserve any of you in my life. Thank you." The tension in their brows disappeared as Green spoke and he could have sworn some of their eyes started to look glossy. He took his hands away. "I've rested like you said and I've never felt more energized. If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to go back to doing what I do best, and I wouldn't mind your help again."
The four of them looked at each other and after exchanging a few nods and grins, Gold winked at him. "You betcha, boss."
With that reassurance, Green swiveled back around and without saying anything, waited for the next in line to come up. A girl took a step, her hair was short and hidden in a cap, her eyes of two different colors, and she looked up at Green already holding a Pokeball.
Green smirked, "Good, then let's get started."
The two hours went by in a flash. Green felt a kind of invigorating he's only felt a handful of times in his entire life during it, and he had to thank them again for the day offs that made it possible. When it was all over, he didn't even feel tired. He sent the last trainer away with the badge they rightfully won thinking he could go a few more rounds. He thought about asking the other four if they'd like to take him on, but he saw the tired looks on their faces and, no matter how many times they'd deny it, he decided it was time to call it a night. Well, at least after he made them dinner.
Even though the bags in their eyes were starting to show, the four sat at the table talking nonstop about their day while Green cooked. He didn't know where they got all that energy. It reminded him a lot of his best friend. Sometimes he wondered why it wasn't him that led this passionate group of his.
When he put the food on the table they wasted no time scarfing down his cooking. He took his place at the head as always and watched them satisfy their hunger. Sometimes one of them would start talking about their day again, recounting a few of the battles that were held in the gym. Green noticed them skirting over a topic of interest, the supposed 'fight' that occurred between Gold and Pearl which had been resolved as he returned home. When they got close to touching upon it again, they would grow silent and, without missing a beat, return to their food and lively stories.
He'd wanted to ask them about it, thinking that maybe the problem hasn't been completely fixed, but he stopped himself before he could. No point in making a big deal of something that was already over. Besides, he was starting to learn to let go a little. Which reminded him of something he wanted to talk about the night before any of this happened.
Green cleared his throat, catching their attention and pausing one of Black's attempts at mimicking Sapphire's Blaziken's final move of the night. "Do you mind if I say something?"
"Oh, sure! No problem Green, what's up?" The Unovan sat back down, and in doing so shoved that last of his meal into his mouth. Green placed his hands on the table and looked at each of them in the eye.
"I know I've said it before already, but it bears repeating it again. Thank you, so much, for doing this for me. You had no obligation to plan something like this for my sake and yet you did so anyway. And, I probably would not have admitted this before but… you all were right, I did need this. So thank you, again."
The four can't help but let their smiles grow into huge grins, all of them seem mighty proud of what they've accomplished. Green taps his finger on the table, signalling that he wasn't done yet.
"I was interrupted last night, but I meant what I offered."
Pearl sat straight, an expression on his face that showed he remembered. The others did not share this same look, so Sapphire tilted her head. "What do you mean? What'd ya offer?"
"That we take a trip, all five of us together." Gold was in the process of chewing a rather large piece of his steak whilst Green spoke and as he did, began started slowly choking on it, trying hard and failing at keeping his cool. Green continued to speak but started trailing off when he noticed his junior. "We could go to one of the regions after league season and then we could… Gold are you alright?"
The Johtoan began to cough, slapping his chest to try and get the food out. "N-nah, I'm great! Just.. hrrk! G-great…" Eventually Sapphire slammed her palm on his back, causing him to hairball the food out like an Espeon.
Pearl pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering to himself almost disappointingly. Black looked between his three seniors, clearing his throat and turning to Green with a half-smile now, the grin from earlier no longer there.
"So, uh, an outing! That's fun, and super great. You uh… you were thinking sometime after the Indigo league yeah?"
Green's lips formed a thin line. "Yes, I did."
"Great! Totally cool, Green. But like, don't you think that's a little too soon? You know it's league season like maybe you could chill at home for a while and then we could, uh… go out later."
"When do you suggest we leave, then?" Black opened his mouth, but he seemed to go blank, as if his Musharna had latched herself at the back of his head and began clearing it of his thoughts. There was a long pause but neither of the remaining three seemed to want to break it.
Black soon enough closed his mouth and gave him a sheepish look. "Uh… maybe in about a few more weeks… or like a month or two…"
At this point Black's voice started going quiet, which was uncharacteristic for the boy. Green looked over at their expressions, their mannerisms, the sudden change of mood from excited to solemn was the same as it were the night he first mentioned a trip together. Green wasn't one to jump to hasty conclusions, so he didn't think anything of it the first time, and he couldn't follow up with the events that transpired immediately after, but there was definitely something wrong.
He looked at Gold, who was anxiously drinking water. He looked at Pearl, who's hand covered half his face and mouth, awaiting for any reaction. He looked at Sapphire, who just sat there quietly, refusing to look him in the eye. He looked at Black, who was mumbling at this point, practically sweating bullets.
He leaned back on his chair, his arms folded, a knot in his chest and the bubbling feeling back in his stomach.
"What are you four not telling me?"
Tension filled the room as the words were uttered, a seriousness in his voice the juniors haven't heard in a while. Green waited patiently for someone to speak and when no one did, he chose to look at the only female dex holder at the table.
She didn't look at him just yet, but she did glance upwards to Black and Pearl, who sat in front of her and gave her resigned nods and sighs. Sapphire finally looked him in the eye, her face simply apologetic.
"We… can't go on a trip with you, Green."
"Why is that?"
"Because," the knot grows tighter and he can't stop the emotion that breaks the calm demeanor on his face, "we're all going home tomorrow."