Chapter 14

Red's Father

In Pallet Town, Charizard descended from the skies and landed in Professor Oak's ranch.

'Red! Misty!' Brock called out. 'Are you okay? You've been gone for nearly fourteen hours.'

'We're fine,' Red replied. 'Did Team Rocket come back here?'

'No they didn't,' Brock replied. 'Come inside.' Red and Misty followed Brock inside and saw the whole group in there. The people who were searching Viridian City had all come back except for Lance and Bruno.

'Sit down you three,' Professor Oak said to Red, Misty and Brock.

'Did you find anything in Viridian City?' Marcus asked.

'Nothing,' Roxanne replied. 'If Nosepass couldn't find anything then there was nothing.'

'That's not true,' Brock said. 'If you had used a better Rock-type like Onix you would know for sure if there is anything.'

'Everyone knows that Nosepass is the best Rock-type,' Roxanne replied.

'Onix is the best,' Brock said.

'My Onix loses to Fire-types,' Roxanne said. 'My Nosepass can beat Water-types.'

'Here they go again,' Brawly said.

'They've been arguing about Rock-types since Roxanne got here,' Flannery said. The Roxanne and Brock started laughing and raving about Rock Pokémon.

'Well clearly Nosepass isn't perfect because their base was in Viridian City,' Misty said. 'Water-types are much better.'

'Fire-types!' Flannery said.

'Dragon-types,' Clair then said.

'Steel-types!' Steven said.

'Fighting-types are superior to everything,' Brawly said.

'Everyone knows that Grass-types are the best,' Marcus shrugged.

'All types,' Blue's voice came in. 'Enough of this.'

'Blue, Leaf,' Red said. 'You made it.' The shock then came when Red saw the two of them holding hands in the same way that he and Misty and Brendan and Flannery were.'

'Where are Lance and Bruno?' Leaf asked.

'They had to go back to Indigo Plateau,' Archer said. 'There's a new challenger.'

'What if there's a challenger in Ever Grande?' Wally suddenly asked. 'It'll take too long for Marcus and I to get back.'

'You'll find a way,' Maxie said. 'Besides if an Elite Four member is missing then they can call on a gym leader to fill in.'

'Also if the champion's missing then a previous champion can replace them,' Archie said.

'I'll go call my dad,' May said.

'I'll call Wallace,' Wally said.

'Use the phone in the lobby,' Oak said. The two of them walked out of the room to use the phone. The rest of them kept discussing Team Rocket and ways to stop them.

'I got a call from Silver earlier,' Clair said. 'He's bringing help to Pallet Town.'

'When?' Brendan asked.

'Right about now,' Silver replied. Next to him was a girl, clearly his girlfriend, about sixteen years old, called Lyra. Behind them was a boy, also sixteen, Gold and his girlfriend, the Goldenrod City gym leader, Whitney and a young man close to Brock's age. This was Falkner, the Violet City gym leader.

'Long time no see,' Archer said. 'How are you Gold?'

'Not too bad,' Gold replied. 'I'm glad I've finally had enough with Mt Silver.'

'I still don't understand how Team Rocket has returned,' Lyra said. 'I thought Gold finished them off in Goldenrod City and I was there when he defeated Giovanni.'

'It was enough to stop me,' Archer said. 'But not my former teammates and boss.'

'We'll help in any way we can,' Falkner said.

'That's nice of you,' Red said. 'I have to leave now.'

'Where?' Misty asked.

'Home,' Red replied. 'Mom wants you to come. I can't put this off any longer.'

'What's at home?' Whitney asked.

'My dad is,' Red replied. 'I don't want any of you coming. Only Misty.' Red and Misty left the lab, passing May and Wally on the way, and walked towards Red's house.

There it was. A nice small house set into the surrounding bushes. The only other building nearby was Blue's house then on the other side of the river was Leaf's house.

'Hi Red,' Blue's sister, Daisy, called out. She was sitting out the front with her Chansey. 'Hi Misty.'

'Hi Daisy,' they said to her. Then they went inside and saw Mrs. Ketchum sitting at the dinner table. Also sitting at the table was a man who resembled Red in almost every way. This must have been Red's father.

'Red,' Mrs Ketchum said, 'this is your father.'

'Dad,' Red said.

'You've sure grown,' Mr Ketchum said. 'You were only one when I left. How old are you now?'

'Nineteen,' Red replied.

'This is Red's girlfriend, Misty,' Mrs Ketchum said.

'Good to meet you,' Mr Ketchum said. 'I'm Ross. Delia just told me that you're into Water-types.'

'I'm not just into Water-types,' Misty said 'I'm the Cerulean City gym leader.' Ross was clearly amazed.

'Where were you all these years?' Red asked.

'I spent six years on Mt Silver becoming very powerful,' Ross replied. 'Then I travelled to Hoenn and became champion there. I was there for five years until a man named Steven Stone defeated me.'

'Steven's at Professor Oak's lab right now,' Red said. 'He hasn't been champion for five years.'

'Then I travelled to the Sinnoh region where I battled my way through there to the top. It took me a year before I challenged the Pokémon League. I became champion there as well. Two years later a woman called Cynthia took my place. Then I travelled to the Fiore region when I decided to try being a Pokémon ranger. That only lasted me a year then I decided to travel to the Unova region and I became champion there. That's where I've been for the last three years. Only a month ago I was defeated by a man called Alder and that's when I decided to come back home. I'm just a failure'

'No you're not dad,' Red said. 'Every champion is bound to be defeated eventually. You're the only man I've ever known to have been champion in four regions before.'

'Really?' Ross asked.

'Blue was champion before me here,' Red said. 'I beat him within that very day. When Professor Oak heard he was the champion he rushed over. By the time he arrived I had already beaten him.'

'That's great son,' Ross said.

'My two boys,' Delia said happily.

'We fall in love with the right family Mrs Ketchum,' Misty said.

'Stop calling me Mrs Ketchum,' said Delia. 'You're like family to us.'

'Really,' Misty was touched, 'Okay Delia.' The four of them were sitting, talking and laughing together forgetting all about Giovanni and Team Rocket when Red finally asked, 'Can we have a battle dad?'

'Of course we can,' Ross said. 'I've been waiting for you to ask. Just be warned I'm not going easy on you.'

'I don't go easy on anyone,' Red said.

It the back yard, which was large compared to the house, Ross and Red were ready for their battle. Delia was watching as Misty refereed.

'Let the battle begin!' Misty announced.

'Go Dragonite!' Ross announced.

'Go Blastoise!' Red called.

'That's what you started with?' Ross asked.

'No,' Red replied. 'Officer Jenny gave me this as a Squirtle in Viridian City. Blizzard!' Blastoise spun around in circles and caused a snowstorm to erupt from its body. Then Blastoise directed the ice to fly at Dragonite.

'Dragonite is unable to battle!' Misty said. 'The winner is Blastoise!'

'Go Electabuzz!' Ross called. 'Thunderpunch!' Electabuzz's hand was engulfed in electricity and it punched Blastoise right in the chest.

'Blastoise is down for the count!'

'Steelix use Earthquake!' Red called. As soon as the Poké Ball landed to reveal a giant metal serpent it slammed its tail to the ground causing and Earthquake powerful enough to finish Electabuzz. Or so he thought. Electabuzz was hanging on with its last remain of strength.

'Steelix, Body Slam!'

'Electabuzz, Fire Punch!' Electabuzz's fist was engulfed in flames as it punched Steelix but Steelix slammed its whole body onto Electabuzz.

'Both Steelix and Electabuzz are unable to battle.'

'Go Slowking!' Ross called.

'Go Scizor!' Red said. 'X-Scissor!' The big red metallic insect used both of its pincers to chop at Slowking.

'Slowking is unable to battle!'

'Go Pidgeot,' Ross said. 'Sky Attack!' Pidgeot became engulfed in a harsh but brilliant and blinding blue light. The next moment it attacked at Scizor with great force.

'Scizor is unable to battle!'

'Go Pikachu,' Red said.

'You still have a Pikachu?' Ross said.

'It refuses to evolve,' Red said. 'Volt Tackle!' Pikachu's whole body started to sizzle with electricity as it leaped, head first, at Pidgeot.

'Pidgeot is unable to battle. Pikachu wins!'

'I choose you Machamp!' Ross said. 'Earthquake!' Machamp stomped at the ground with such force that the resulting Earthquake was enough to finish Pikachu.

'Not that again,' Delia said.

'Pikachu is unable to battle,' Misty said wearily.

'Go Venusaur!' Red called. 'Use Psybeam!' Venusaur's eyes started to glow pink and a ray of light shot from them right at Machamp.

'Machamp is unable to battle!'

'That one must have been your starter,' Ross said.

'No this one was given to me by a woman called Melanie in Cerulean City as a Bulbasaur,' Red explained. 'I used it to beat Misty.'

'I know just the thing to take care of this,' Ross whispered to himself. 'I'll use my starter. Go Charizard! Use Flamethrower!' As soon as Charizard emerged from its Poké Ball it let loose a jet of fire from its mouth that burned Venusaur to crisp.

'Venusaur is unable to battle!'

'Go Charizard!' Red said. Another Charizard, a much younger one however, emerged and faced Ross's Charizard.

'Blast Burn!' They both called in unison. The flames erupting from both Charizard was frightening. When the flames and smoke cleared both Charizard were lying on the ground completely worn out. The battle between father and son had resulted in a draw.

'Well done son,' Ross said.

'You too dad,' Red replied.

'Red, Ross,' Professor Oak called. He had just arrived during the battle but neither Red nor Ross saw him due to the flames. 'I see you have your Charizard out.'

'That's right,' Red said.

'Do you remember that egg you gave me that your Charizard had,' Oak said. 'You gave it to me the day you left. It took thirteen years to hatch. When it finally did I gave the baby Charmander to Red. I had a lot of Charmander but I decided this one was best for Red.'

'That's amazing,' Misty said.

'I want Red and Misty to come back to the lab,' Oak said. 'I want all of us to be ready. I just found out that Team Rocket has a new plan ready.'

'Bye mom, bye dad,' Red said.

'Bye Delia, bye Ross,' Misty said.

'Bye kids,' Delia said.

'Mom!' Red said embarrassed. 'We're nineteen years old!'

'You'll always be my little boy,' Delia said.

'See ya later,' Ross said. Red, Misty and Professor Oak left the house together and walked back to the lab.

'It's good to have you back Ross,' Delia said.

'It's good to finally see you again dear,' Ross said.

I chose to call Red's father "Ross" because it comes from "Rosso" which is Italian for red.