Weldon: A Timeless Bond
Of all the yearly events Weldon had to attend, this was by far the worst. It was the Leland family picnic, where his maternal relatives gathered for fun, food, and socializing in Goldenrod City. At least, that's what his mom phrased it as.
"Come on, Weldon!" she groaned at she struggled to drag her eight-year old son through Goldenrod City. They had just arrived by bullet train, the quickest connection between the two neighboring regions. His mother, around her late twenties, wore a light green dress and a small, triangular gold pin, the emblem of the Leland family.
The young boy wore a light green polo shirt and blue jeans, and his hair was gelled back. But the hair was getting ruined by his struggling. "No!" he protested. "I don't want to go!"
She sighed, feeling his reluctance. She stopped trying to use force and calmly lectured, "Look. I know you don't want to go. Neither do I. But your grandpa really wants to see you."
"Well, that's fine... But...I don't want to see them!"
She brushed away her son's tears and combed his hair with her left hand, trying to hide her own pain. "I know. Just say hi and play with Grandpa Michael, okay?"
Weldon reluctantly nodded, and the two civilly walked into Goruden Park, where the festivities already started. It was a moderately sized park, with groves of maple trees, a baseball field, and a playground complete with a metal slide, a complex jungle gym, and three swings. Men, women, and children ran on the green grass, having fun playing tag or hide and seek.
As he noticed the array of delicious picnic foods, his grandfather, Michael, happily greeted, "Weldon, Camilla! Glad you could come!" He was a gentle man in his early sixties with fair skin, short white hair, and green eyes. He wore the same polo shirt as his grandson, along with tan slacks. Of all of his family members outside of his mom, this was Weldon's favorite.
"Thanks Dad," Camilla replied with a big smile. "Where's Mom?"
"You know her. She's always socializing..."
Camilla was grateful, knowing her father sent her away so they wouldn't have to fight. Her mom, Adeline, however, felt her only child was a disgrace. From divorcing a top Trainer from Unova and marrying a mere archaeologist from Galar, this severed their familial ties. However, he never questioned her final decisions.
"Well, if it isn't Cami..." A muscular man with tanned skin and a cruel smile greeted. He was in his early thirties, the peak of his battling career. Behind his brown eyes were a boastful attitude and a ruthless battler. "How's it going?" His eleven-year old son haughtily looked at Weldon, who cowered behind Michael.
Camilla forced a welcoming smile. "Fine, Craig. And it's Camilla, for the umpteenth time. Nice of you to come." She turned to her first child. "How are you, Stanley?"
The boy boasted, "I won the Indigo League with just Charizard, Mom. That Trainer had no chance of beating me!"
"That's great, Stanley," she halfheartedly praised. Her fears of her elder son becoming like his father were being realized.
Craig wrapped his arm around his son's shoulders, making Stanley slightly embarrassed. "That's right! He'll be a regional Champion in no time!"
Weldon couldn't help but be amazed by Stanley's strength, but he knew that he would be no match for him when he finally became a Trainer. After all, Stanley was the pride of the Leland family, not him...
Michael noticed the younger boy's disappointed face and offered, "Why don't you all go eat first while I spend some time with Weldon?"
Craig hid his disappointment. "Fine, Dad."
"That's Michael to you, Craig."
His former son-in-law scoffed, but the three sat at the gingham picnic tables.
Michael, happy the insufferable man was gone, knelt down and whispered, "Now then. Want to hear a story to avoid that lunch rush, Weldon?"
The boy eagerly nodded. "Sure, Grandpa Michael! Is it about Celebi again?"
"Shh!" Michael placed his index finger over his lips. Weldon immediately covered his mouth, forgetting he was supposed to keep it a secret. Seeing his grandson's fearful eyes, the old man chuckled and ruffled Weldon's hair. "Don't worry, Weldon. No one heard you."
Weldon breathed a sigh of relief, both at maintaining the secrecy and getting rid of his slick hairstyle. They walked to a maple tree planted on a hill, one of the oldest in the park. After the two sat underneath its shade, Michael cleared his throat.
"Let me see... Did I tell you how I met Celebi?"
"No!" the boy replied, surprised his grandfather never told him that. He heard how Michael and Celebi traveled across time to help others, but not how they met.
The old man chuckled and took out an old amulet. It was a light green oval with silver and gold steaks inside, which emitted a feeling of wonder and mystery. Weldon was astonished by its beauty but knew not to touch it without permission.
"I received this amulet when I was slightly older than you in Ilex Forest. You see, I saved Celebi from some bad guys who wanted to use her powers for evil. I used my trusty Venusaur, and with a Razor Leaf and Vine Whip, I defeated their Houndoom and Ariados with no trouble at all. Afterwards, they were arrested by the police. "
Weldon was awed. He knew the power of his grandpa's Venusaur, his first Pokémon when he traveled in Kanto. But something bothered him. "Why did you call Celebi a 'her', Grandpa Michael? I thought many Legendary and Mythical Pokémon are genderless."
Michael slyly grinned. "That is true, but once you heard them speak, you'll know."
"You mean... you talked to Celebi?"
"That's right, through telepathy. She thanked me for saving her, and in return, she gave me this amulet. I learned it can summon Celebi during times of need. We formed a strong bond during our times together. "
"You're so cool! Getting to help a Mythical Pokémon and battle evil Trainers? I want to do that, Grandpa Michael! And meet Celebi too!"
They both laughed until Michael clutched his chest. His breathing suddenly became shallow and his face turned a little pale.
"Are you okay?" Weldon asked, concern spreading over his face.
The elderly man rubbed the pain away and smiled. "Don't worry, Weldon. I'm fine. I saw a twinkle in your eye when I showed you the amulet. You're interested it, aren't you, Weldon?"
"Guilty," Weldon sheepishly grinned.
Michael gently placed the precious necklace over his grandson's neck. "Then it's yours. My gift to my favorite grandson. "
"Thanks, Grandpa Michael. I'll keep it safe, and I hope I'll see Celebi on my journey!"
"Thank you, Weldon, and I'm sure you will." The two hugged, with Michael clutching him harder. Weldon felt something wet on his right shoulder and realized he was crying.
"Are you okay, Grandpa Michael?"
Michael wiped his ears. "I-I'm fine, Weldon." Then, he glanced at the tables. "Now let's go eat!"
The two strolled down the hill to enjoy the remainder of the picnic.
One week later...
In a chapel lobby located in Goldenrod City, Weldon cried as he sat next to a framed portrait of Michael. Everyone was dressed in black, mourning the loss of the third generation patriarch of the Leland family.
I...I can't believe it... Grandpa Michael's gone... I just saw him last week! Wh-What happened?!
Camilla came, trying to hold in her sadness of the loss of her father, and knelt next to her son. "Sweetheart, it's okay. Grandpa's in a better place now. He no longer has to suffer from chest pain anymore."
"B-But..." he stuttered. "I saw him in pain at the picnic... I should have told you... Then he would be..."
The two deeply embraced. "Weldon. Grandpa Michael was suffering for a while. Even if you told me then, there was nothing we can do... Just seeing you one last time was enough for him."
Thus only made Weldon cry harder, his tears falling onto his neck and touching his new amulet. It flashed blue for a moment, but the two didn't notice. All they had was each other now, along with the few possessions Michael left for them. Their family was now shattered, with little hope of reunion after Adeline decided Craig and Stanley should enjoy the possessions Michael willed to her. The current Leland family's relationship now reflected two Legendary Pokémon that were too different to agree, repeating the animosity from generations before.