This chapter is going to be a bit longer than the others. See, I'm training myself to write my chapters longer, but the duration of the release, however, will be a delayed. In all honesty, That's good for me since I can write to the best of my ability without going sloppy. Enjoy!

Chapter 4- Bitter Reunion At Homecoming

Human beings have had to battle and capture Pokemon for about the past million years or so. The lending characters in our history books have been our most enthralling, and sometimes our most terrifying, trainers. If I can name two of them?

Champion Keisuke and his rival, Masataka.

A good guesser and a bad one.

From what I learned back in history class, these two men lived about a couple years back before any of us were born, and thrived off of a rich, rather bloodthirsty history. Keisuke and Masataka were both young boys who went on Pokemon Adventure, like how the tradition goes for us, today. The ending of this story is quite predictable, if I may say so.

They were both rivals, and wanted to become the best of their generation. However only one trainer won the league and became champion. The other suffered a bitter defeat of being number two and was forced back into his hometown. But, the predictable story ends here, with a twist—the champion was later murdered, and his rival took over. I thought it was a rather useless story to read about in class, however this Keisuke guy seemed to take the word Champion beyond and over.

As a young man, he defeated and banned about every evil organization in the region, including neighboring places as well. Defended the land, several of times from enemy regions across the sea and completed the entire Pokedex due to his creation and leadership of The Four Frontiersmen.

The four frontiersmen is a group of extremely powerful trainers who travel from region to region, capturing every Pokemon that comes across their path as well as documenting their habitats. Their main purpose to the obvious, is completing the Pokedex and updating it whenever a new region comes up. From what I heard, no one as ever defeated them. However, after Keisuke was killed, the group broke themselves up, not wanting Masataka to take over as their leader. Some hardcore stuff, huh?

To pay tribute to Keisuke, the region decided to celebrate his birthday every year in order to remember him as a great hero. For me, it's not a good day to wake up from a coma on such a day. Because it's noisy, crazy and busy as fuck. How can anyone sleep around here with everyone preparing for the goddamn festival? For me, I am not a morning person.

Kenny was curled up on my chest, deep in sleep and his tiny, slender body was rising up and down in a gentle manner to every breath he took in. I nudged him with my arm and he made a drowsy groan. I guess he did not hear all the shouting outside from the townspeople. I gave him one more nudge and ended up pushing him off the bed. Oops

He poked his head up from the floor, with a tight and annoyed expression filled with fatigue. I shrugged my shoulders and he pulled himself back onto the bed. When I woke up, I, one—already noticed that I was in a hospital bed, bandaged up, with support machines by my side. And two— had as piece of paper taped to my forehead, when I woke up so I should've noticed that first.

It was ripped up page, probably from a book somewhere, and had the most neatest writing I've ever seen in the world of marksmanship. What surprised me was that it was from Spencer. Didn't know that he could write this perfect before, compared to my sloppy shit. My eyes at first was too dizzy to make out the words, but before long I could see what he wanted.

Dante, if you're awake, get your lazy ass to Professor Pine's lab, up on top of the hill! The easiest way to get up there is through the festival, unfortunately. Hope you don't get trampled on the way there.

From Spencer

Professor Pine? I guess he's the main professor for this region, though I never really heard of him before back in class. I suppose he's a new guy. Kenny stepped aside and I got up, shoving myself off of the bed. It was hasty action since the floor was shit cold and I flinched when I touched it. I don't think today's going to be a good day.

So it took a couple of minutes to get dressed up and supplied, but I was healthy enough to head out of the small Pokemon center. The nurse was kind enough to give me some extra potions just in case I got into another Pokemon battle—which reminded me about the past fight between me and Spencer. Who won, exactly? I blacked out before anything could happen, but I don't know about Spencer, though... Perhaps he'll enlighten me.

Kenny walked beside me, quiet and rather docile as if he was thinking hard about something. We strolled further down the road, taking our time to admire the beautiful Victorian style houses we passed and gardens people built. Weather was acting accordingly as well so I felt my mood brighten up. But it wasn't until we reached the center of town that I felt my happy persona fade away to bitter shell of irritation.

Who the fuck though that it was a good idea to have a large, over populated festival right in the middle of town? Right in front of the path lending up the fancy, large glass laboratory?! Jesus, I swear, if there was a suggestion box somewhere, I would suggest for that bastard to go eat some bullshit. Literally, I now know why Spencer warned me about getting trampled. It's like a rural version of the wall street, for god's sake!

Two men pushed me and Kenny aside violently as they were pulling a large cart full of boxed goods to the festival, leaving us to cough up the dust they left behind. More people rushed by, ignoring us as they passed by. God dammit, I really hate this day. Nothing could show how much I want this day to be over, now. Nothing.

I got up and shoved the dirt off of my pants and jacket as Kenny shook himself of the stuff. We looked over to the festival which was a complete blur of running people and small supplies thrown violently around in the air. I glanced at Kenny and his rapidly shook his head side to side with wide eyes.

"I know. I don't want to go through this either boy, but we have to." I mused, as I gazed firmly back at the center of town, dripped in noise, shouting and a lot of bodies pushed up against each other as they attempted to set up whatever kiosks was needed. I sighed in apprehension. "Okay. Let's just run through this, okay?"

Kenny nodded as I took him into my arms so he could avoid being trampled. Like seriously, he's small and quick but this festival is going to make him their bitch once their done with him. He curled up against my chest as I approached the gates of the festival.

There were kiosks everywhere, selling food in one section, clothes and Pokemon supplies in another and some other shit in other sections, but in summary, It was basically a crazed out party. Half-eaten food and luxuries were spread out on the ground, everywhere and people were fighting over some of the items on sale. As I remembered, The Champion's birthday was sort of like Black Friday. Oh goodie.

I took in breath and dashed through the gates and into the commotion. Kenny clung on for dear life. For next few seconds, my eardrums shook and rumbled like an earthquake as my voice was drowned out by the townspeople shouting, cheering, screaming at the same town, creating a horrified symphony of noise.

It was followed after with me, being pushed around like a fucking ping pong ball and ended up tackling into this scary looking guy with a muscular, meaty arm full of skull tattoos. He dropped his beer can, right onto his leather jacket which spilled and stained his entire shirt. He turned around—along with a couple other scary men and spotted me. He glared and the other men came up beside him. Oh god, did I just push a gang leader? Shit.

"You made me drop my drink, kid!" He grunted as he looked down at me, like some aggressive form of a Goliath who more than ready to beat the holy shit out of David and his little lamb.

"Sorry." I said defensively as Kenny growled at him, swatting at the man with his paw. His face redden and his companions began to crack their huge knuckles with scowls on their faces. I began to back away slowly.

"Where the fuck you think you going?!" He roared as he stepped forward, causing me to flinch. He then, suddenly grabbed the cuff of my jacket and held me, high into the air with one arm. I felt his strong grip against my neck and it was strangling the air out of me. Jesus Christ, Spencer should've at least warned me about oversized biker men!

"You're not going anywhere without buying me a new drink, kid!" The man said, as his men surround us, creating a circle of no escape. I kicked my fee in the air as he held me higher, literally choking me as spat at me again. "And if you refuse, I'll crush your head with my hand and feed the remains to my Muk, Got IT!"

Before I could respond, Kenny's forehead started to glow bright with aura and then, suddenly he shot out a powerful beam of purple and pink right into the man. He released his grip on me as he was flung back and sent flying into nearby food kiosks. His men immediately left their positions and ran to him with distressed expressions. I fell onto the ground and rubbed my throat as air quickly re-entered back in.

I coughed a few times as Kenny pushed me back on my feet. I looked to him and nodded in gratitude. He waged his long tail around and gazed at me in an apathetic manner. The man groaned out in pain as his men helped him back on his feet. That's my cue to run now, I guess.

Before he could recover, I quickly scooped Kenny back into my arms and dashed right into the large crowd before me. Since I was small, I could fit into places more quickly, however, even over the noise, I could hear them getting closer, shouting, asking where the fuck I was. I crouched down and quickly scampered around through the wave of bodies.

People were fighting, talking yelling, selling, giving and all sort of shit around me as I passed through and onto the other side. However, I was only halfway through the festival, and the other half was even more populated than this side. What provoked me more was that the man I pushed into earlier was waiting right there for me with a face of an angered bull, ready to charge. He spotted me and dashed forward, bloodthirsty and pissed.

I was seriously, glued on to the spot, and was unable to move until someone grabbed my hand and pulled me away from his line of sight. It was too fast and populated to see who my savior was but whoever it was lend me straight into the other side of festival, cleverly maneuvering such nimbleness around the parade of townspeople, I felt Kenny snuggle through my jacket as my legs was forced to keep going. The person's grip on me was hard and their fingers dug into mine arm as we made it through to the other side.

I fell to ground, huffing and puffing for air as Kenny dropped out of the back of my jacket and onto the ground. My vision was much too dizzy to see the mysterious person but soon it regained focus and I was kneeling in front of a boy.

He was much taller than me, by a few inches, and had light blonde hair which was slit back with a strand poking out. He wore a dark blue vest with black long sleeve shirt underneath with brown hiking boots. His eyes were a dark shade of green and they stared at me as I got back onto my feet.

"You alright, Dante?" The boy asked softly as he pulled a tissue out from his vest pocket and started to wipe the dirt off of my cheeks. I pulled back and nodded, feeling rather awkward that this boy was touching me. It wasn't until it hit me that he called out my name and stopped to stare at him.

"H-how did you know my name?" I asked the boy as I backed away. He blinked in response, somewhat confused and hurt as he coaxed his head to the side.

"You don't remember me, Dante? We used to go to school together."

"We did? I don't at all, remember you."

"Really? We used to be best friends, until I moved away. Remember?" The boy said, with persistence as he gazed at me. I backed away in order to think this through. Best friends? Moved away? Wait...

"Victor? Is that you?" I asked with such high disbelief in my voice. His expression brighten up and he smiled at me.

"Yeah! It's me! I'm glad you finally recognized me, Dante!" Victor said happily with a wide grin on his face. Holy shit. This is Victor? The same nerdy, small petite glasses wearing boy who was bullied and pushed around everyday? The same guy who was beaten up by Spencer and had to move away as a result? This is Victor?!

I shook my head in disbelief, couldn't believe that the boy I front of me used to be that. "D-damn. I could hardly recognize you..."

He shrugged his shoulders and started to rub the back of his head. "Yeah, I would sort of understand. I was such a geek back then, but now, I just got back from military school and so I guess I matured a bit."

A bit? This boy's taller than me, with a good built and a voice that is evidence that puberty hit this bastard like a fucking speed train! A bit!? More like he became a man!

"Jesus Christ." I said. "You've really grown over the years, Victor." He smiled at me and nodded. I remember back in our younger years I used to defend him from the school bullies that used to picked on him for his size. I had to walk him home everyday after school in order to make sure he reached home safety. Now, it's more than obvious that he could defend himself just as easily.

Victor came up me and wrapped his arm around my neck in a happy reunion. However, at this point, I'm sure he isn't aware of his strength, because he's squeezing my air tube harder than the man squeezed mine. He released his embrace on me and I gasped for air, as he bent down to pet Kenny. Kenny didn't react to Victor's brute strength so I'm sure he's used to being pet before.

"So, why are you here, in town, Victor?" I asked him as Kenny rolled on his back, wiggling around as he tempted Victor to rub his stomach. Victor looked up at me.

"Ah. Well, my father said that you were in town and that you just started on your Pokemon journey, so he sent me to take you to his lab for something."

"Lab? Wait, your father is Professor Pine?" I asked, remembering Spencer's note on this Professor who lived on the top of the hill, which we were standing at the bottom of steps lending up the glass laboratory. Victor nodded and pointed to the lab.

"After I graduated from Military school, he already was finishing his doctorate in collage and decided to become a Professor since he's so proficient in Pokemon knowledge." He said as he rubbed Kenny's belly, causing him to squirm around joyfully on the ground.

"Oh. Well, thank you. I couldn't get through that crazed festival all by myself, you know." I proclaimed sheepishly as Victor got up. We started up the stairs as Kenny pounced up and help on to my shoulders in an attempt to gain free ride up. Victor smirked at me.

"No problem. You always had bad coordination back in school. Remember that time you said you knew where the movie theater was and we headed up at Meth lab instead?"

He said as I couldn't help, but smile to the memory.

"Yeah. And they thought we were wired so they took us hostage as the police came to arrest them."

"And they let us go when you threatened to lit all the money they collected from their sales on fire. Yeah, good memories." Victor said with a pleasant expression as he looked to sky as if he was reminiscing of such a time. We reached the top of the stairs and the doors of the lab was, but a few feet from us. Victor started ahead and I followed him with Kenny who took the luxury of riding on top of my head.

"Ah, go ahead Dante. I need to tie my shoe for a sec." Victor said as he bent down to fix his boot's loose lace. I nodded and bounded towards the lab.

The glass doors slid open, before we could reach them, and out stepped Spencer. He stopped me and stiffened a laugh. "Holy shit man! Damn, you look like a sandstorm hit you!" I scowled at him as Kenny growled at him.

"Well Spencer, how the hell I cannot look like dirt coming out from that festival! Easiest way my ass!" I retaliated as Spencer laughed out. I'm glad to see him back in his happy-go-lucky mood, I don't like serious ass Spencer. Kenny, however continued glare at him, and I started to suspect that he didn't like it how Blacky beat the shit out of him earlier.

"Hey Dante, I'm here!" Victor called out as he came up from behind me. Spencer's smile disappeared when he spotted Victor and the two stared at each other with unwavering eyes. I felt the atmosphere go sour as Spencer scowled at him, with his fists clutched.

"Oh. Dante, I didn't know you had another friend." He said with dark expression as Victor crossed his arms and gazed back at him with such an empowering stance. I looked back to Spencer

"He's an old childhood friend. This is Victor, remember him?" I said, trying to lighten up the atmosphere. But instead, I suppose I made it worse as Spencer blinked in such utter confusion at me, then back at Victor. He then started to lightly chuckle and finally broke into uncontrollable laughter. Me and Victor watched as he bent down to ground and was forced to calm himself down. Spencer wiped his eye as if the laugh made him tear up and he pointed to Victor.

"This is Victor? As in the nerdy ass, little boy I beat the shit out of back in third grade. That's Victor?!" He cried out in disbelief as he struggled to hold back any more laughter. Victor was not effected by this and he continued to stand there with grim expression on his face. I nodded to Spencer as he got up.

"Well, well, well." He started as he approached Victor who, I can see was much taller and stronger than Spencer by comparison. He didn't seem to mind as he stood face to face with him. Spencer smirked. "Took long enough to man yourself up, huh, Victor?"

Victor had a face of stone as the words no longer seemed to affect him. He shook his head with a light chuckle. "Yeah. But at least I am one." Spencer drew back with look of surprise and horror written on his face, then drew out a dark, malicious face, filled with hate and ill intent. It was the same one he used during our Pokemon battle, when I called him a pussy.

"What the fuck you just call me, you bastard?!" He spat out as he headed up to Victor, appearing as though he was about to punch him. I came in and stood in between them as Spencer halted. Victor merely shrugged.

"I didn't call you anything, yet Spencer, but if you want to repeat the fight we had back in the third grade, I'll be more than happy to call you a momma's boy again." He stared straight into Spencer with cold, icy pupils, "And I can ensure you, the outcome this time will be very different."

Spencer's face turned red and I could feel that he really wanted to beat the living shit out of Victor, however he just scoffed and grabbed my hand. "Come on, Dante, let's leave this bastard."

He started to drag me away, but then Victor grabbed my other hand and pulled me towards him. Spencer glared back at him. "I'm sorry, but Dante's coming with me. I have to take him to my father." Victor said as I could his brute strength overpower Spencer's, dragging me over to his side. Spencer retaliated and pulled me back. Oh god, my arms are stretching out and it hurts.

"No, he isn't! We came here together! And we're going together! So back off!" Spencer said as he pulled me away from Victor. However, as I knew, Victor was ten times stronger and Spencer pulled to no avail. My arms were stinging like crazy and I felt Kenny tugging onto my leg to go to Victor' side. Seems like he has a favorite.

The two of them turned to me and I flinched as they gazed at me with hardened expressions. What they were about to ask me was far beyond my ability to answer simple questions.

"Dante, who will you choose?"