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By the fault of one shiny large cat

Chapter 6

Summary:

Gold reluctantly acknowledges Red, Crys is so confused, and Green just wants Red to come back home.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

~My name is Emerald! I love pokemon battles! And I’ve come here to conquer the battle frontier!!~

Shouted the boy with a viridian colored jewel on his forehead. A man with sunglasses and hawaiian shirt hurriedly grabs the boy away from the cameras. Out of range, he screamed at the boy who was nonchalantly chatting to him.

A girl with blue hair locks tied in twin pigtails sweat drops at the scene played out by a nearby store with glass windows of televisions on display. On the other tv showcased the battle of lucky Lucy vs Emerald with the pokemon she sent him yesterday.

Crys sighs and shocks her head, walking away from the scenes. Is it just her or are idiots getting more and more frequent around her? A sweet smell scatters around the area giving everyone in the vicinity a relaxed atmosphere. Crys smiled.

She petted the long neck of Megaree and thanked him, making the leaf pokemon emit happy noises. Crys and the Meganium walked away from the screens on to the road towards the Slateport harbor.

The hustle and bustle of the harbor stalls around her filled the surroundings with a lively picture of serenity and harmony. If only she could feel the same way too. The news that the Professor tells her yesterday has indirectly caused her mood to plummet ever since.

She lightly slapped her cheeks and jogged. Meganium trotted alongside her, a worried expression adorn on its face.

Then out of nowhere, a flurry of fire and wisps of darkness exploded nearby. The ground slightly rumbled at the intensity, making Crys and Meganium almost lose their balances.

“ What the-”,Crys cuts off her own sentence to stare at the commotion. The continuous attacks seem to come from...

Slateport harbor.

Crys immediately runs off towards it with Meganium trotted behind her.

______________________________________________

Upon arrival, she was met with dust particles scattered around the air. Large chunks of gravel scattered on the uneven grounds. The infrastructure of the nearby small stalls and miscellaneous sailing paraphernalia of the ships and ferries was thankfully, still intact.

And at the center of it all was Gold wiping off the sweat underneath his chin, heaving huge breaths while leaning heavily on his pool cue. Exbo equally exhausted if not more, in front of a…

... stuffed pikachu doll?

______________________________________________

Gold POV

Throughout the battle,Gold noticed things. Things such as his opponent doesn't shout out commands, can outwit his strategies in a blink of an eye and that his opponent's pokemon and strategies are unlikely he ever seen before. It has moves Gold hasn't encountered before and he was sure that the last attack, consisting of glitter and flashy was nothing to brush past when it manages to hit Exbo. Hard.

What made Gold change his mind on this particular person was that he also learned that his opponent is a bit on the soft side, after letting Exbo breathe subtly for just a bit moment, before returning attacks like nothing just happened. Of course this battle was just for fun, but a battle is also a great way to learn your opponent's character as a whole.

He also noticed that this battle is frickin hard! Like Senior Red hard. Or a final boss in a video game hard.

But unlike Senior Red's strategy of on-the-fly creative ploys, his opponents tend to favor an unpredictable approach that Gold can't figure out due to the opponent's lack of vocal commands and creative uses on the terrain such as the time when the creepy looking pokemon uses wood hammer to hit on the cement floor to cover itself like a shield from an upcoming flamethrower.

He can say for certain, This guy is no Senior Red at all.

Gold smirk. Things just got interesting.

______________________________________________

Crys POV

And then before Crys could even react, the ‘stuffed toy’ immediately conjured up a shadow claw from the confines of its insides and swiftly dealt the final blow. Typhlosion wobbles from side to side, then fainted.

Then everything came to a standstill.

A frustrated sigh. “ ...Well, that was unexpected.” Gold returned Exbo back into its ball, all the while whispered a quick ‘good job, bud’.

He looked a bit miffed about the outcome of the battle and turned his direction and was about to make a joke or something as a way to clear out the tense atmosphere but was taken back when he saw Red standing, looking at his side with a melancholic expression. As if remembering a sad memory.

Gold then walked towards the guy that was cladded in a red cap and large vest that hides the face of the owner and stares. The stuffed toy, who Crys was getting the creeps from looking at it, bashfully hid behind the guy.

Gold stares at him with a blank expression then smirks. Offers a hand to shake.

“Well, that was frustrating but good battle there. Next time I won’t lose! ”

The guy, who Crys still can't see their face due to the overly large neck collar, accepts the hand with a firm nod. Ok, she wants answers.

“Gold, what the heck happened here??”

Gold turns to see Crys, confused but a bit pissed off.

His eyes brightened in a mischievous glint and waved then said, “Hey super serious gal! The old man sent you too?”

He hooked his arm around the stranger, who had to bend down a little due to height difference. “We were just playing around a bit, you know?

When Crys just raised an eyebrow and waved her hand the destruction around them, Gold blinked. “Oh.” He turned his attention to the stranger,” Guess we got a little overboard? ”

The stranger only shrug awkwardly and played along.

Crys and Meganium walked up to them and when she could finally see the stranger, she gasped, ”Senior Red!?!?”

Huh? Isn't he supposed to be a stone statue??

Gold removes his arm and compacted his cue staff into his pockets. “Yeah, I know right? He looks exactly like Senior Red! Guess the saying that there’s 7 people that look a lot like you walking around the world is right.”

Oh, so it's a look alike then? It's a bit surreal to see two people with the same face. The stuffed toy pokemon that eerily looks like a pikachu howls in short nervous intervals, When Crys looks at it, it startles and hides a bit more behind.

Before anyone could do anything, an angry shouted behind them. “Hey, what in the world happened here?!“ A man, most likely the one in charge of the operations of the harbor, came rushing towards them with a frowning expression and crossed his arms. ”You three!”

After one unhelpful comment from Gold, the three of them got an angry scolding and were off with a severe warning of not doing it again. The leaf pokemon besides Crys flinches at the loud tirade while the 'stuffed toy' pokemon besides the stranger visibly trembles from fright.

“Now, now. They‘re just kids! I think they get it already, right?” An old crone with a cane came forward out of nowhere to try to placate the angry guy. She wears a priestess robes and holds a staff with three bangles attached. “ Right?” was said more pointedly.

The three wordlessly nodded.

She then grabs a hold of the three and with a crooked smile directed at the disturbed guy, she said, “ So nice to chat with you but…... we will just be going then!”

Then with a strength that surprised the three, She grabbed them all and highlighted into the ferry where Mr. Briney was waiting at the entrance.

The guy was left there standing and confused.

Crys didn't even do anything, Gold got a satisfied smile on his face and the guy with the large neck collar still has that stoic expression on his face throughout the whole ordeal.

She lets out a heavy sigh that she didn’t know she was even holding it. This is going to be a long trip.

___________________________________________

On the ferry deck, Kimberly introduced herself as the holder of the ultimate skills and wants the mismatched trio to inherit her skills. (Read forcing it onto them)

Currently, Gold accidentally (again) insulted Kimberly which leads to her to hit him with her staff then not even looking, grabbing the guy with the stuffed pikachu doll pokemon who was trying to escape, all the while wearing out Gold’s ear on how Kimberly was still young enough to beat him up.

Gold took on the bait and the two battled out while the red-long vest quiet guy and Mr. Briney who introduced himself a while ago tried to keep the situation from blowing out of the proportions.

Crys discreetly contacted Prof. Oak.

She waited for a while for him to pick up the call while admiring the strong looking blastoise that was following the ferry below. Leaning against the railings while Meguree the meganium was chatting up with the charizard on the sky. She assumed that the pokemons’ trainer is the same guy that wears the long red vest and flame pants (who looks a bit edgy yet childish in Crys quiet opinion).

As soon as the call was picked up, Crys whispered, ‘Professor! I need-’

*Hello, Crys! Have you met up with Gold and Briney yet?*

‘What?! You know…?!’

*Well Gold was also there so I thought it was a good idea if you two would join him together with Rou-*

Kimberly suddenly appeared behind Crys. “Is that Professor Oak?”

Crys was too busy trying not to jump and drop kick the old priestess looking person to hear the question. Gold will never let it die on the fact she accidentally kicked an old person. Luckily Professor Oak heard it loud and clear and answered back. Crys wordlessly handed her gear to the old lady while the two chatted.

She… she is so confused.

At the remains of the battle, Gold was defeated. Mr. Briney was by his side to give some comfort while the still unnamed guy was by his charizard and Meguree’s side.

Not having a name to a face was a bit tiresome to call the guy his physical appearance. She made up her mind and walked towards the trainer, albeit with some anxiety on her steps.

Crys nervously approaches Red. Her eyes flicked from the ground to his face, biting her lip as if contemplating something.

"Um, mister?" Crys hesitated before pushing forward, her cheeks a bit red from embarrassment from realizing how long it took her to ask this, " I'm sorry if this was a bit late, but could you tell us your name?"

Gold paused. He then backpedaled his own thoughts and shouted, "So that's what I forgot!"

He turned to Red and with a bit of cheek and admonishment on his part, he asked the same question without reservation. Crys was tempted to kick him again if not for the fact she also forgot to asked Red on his name too.

Part of the reason why Crys was a bit hesitant to approach Red was his silent and stoic demeanor. The way he carried himself and how he came to command his pokemon with skillful actions without even speaking a single word speaks volumes of his skill level. And Crys had a hunch that Gold knew that too.

After a short time of Red looking at them with a poker face, he took out a notebook and flipped through the pages to reveal the name,"Tajiri".

And or maybe he was just that silent. That makes a lot more sense than what Crys is thinking of.

Gold on the other hand has an astonishing lack of tact.

"Mister, you mute or something?"

This time, Crys does not hesitate to comply with her urge.

"Ow! Super serious gal, what the hell is that for?!"

"You can't just ask people like that!"

"Why not? I was just- Ow!"

Crys and Gold bicker on the logistics of how to approach sensitive topics. Though from the corner of her eye, 'Tajiri' has a faint of smile on him, making Crys feel a little bit relaxed around him.

______________________________________________

Red POV

Red makes a mistake. He flipped through the wrong page.

He tries to undo his mistake but before he could actually tell them, Eth- Gold opens his mouth that leads the duo to bicker.

He is in it deep huh?

….Oh well, he can just say that it's his last name or something.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

When the sky turned into a ombre of sunlight dripping down to the heavens above, small disputes were temporarily settled between the group and were guided to their rooms.

At night, with most of his pokemon tucked in for the night and belongings arranged, Red lies down on his bed looking at his contacts on his poryphone. But before he could even press the button, the phone buzzed and a video call appeared from Green himself.

Amused by how even till now, Green managed to be one step ahead of Red, he pressed accept.

Green was still the most handsome person he ever laid eyes on. Even when he looks like he looks ready to collapse, shirt all crumpled up and eyes bloodshot with dark eyebags underneath. He looks like he was still back at his previous university and even back then he was bad at taking care of himself when he is on the roll with completing his research.

When his eyes lit up in the way like he had seen something worth seeing, Red felt like he could take on the world for him and him alone.

*Awww*, Green gushed over the video call, *You look so cute before!*

Never mind, he is still an asshole.

*Can’t wait to see his handsome face can you, huh big guy? Or should I say little guy? Hehee.*

But it’s Red’s asshole and he is stuck with him till death. The small dimple that appears on Green’s face whenever he smirks in a light teasing way will always melts his frustrations away.

He tries to tell Green to take care of himself but Green waved his concerns off with, “ It’s fine” and “Ok ok, I'm sleeping today, are you happy now?”

Red tells him about his day and Green cackles about it. He raises an eyebrow at the ‘ultimate skills’ and Kimberly and outrightly laughs at Red’s mistake of turning the wrong page.

When he is done laughing, Green leans back and heaves a heavy sigh as if trying to dispel and residue of the previous laughter. Shame, Red always liked his laughter. But Red’s favorite was his voice. God, his voice. Even when it was laced with kid-like venom back then, he always looks forward to his run-ins with the cocky rival. Call him an idiot for being in love, but he would rather be a fool for his mellowed rival and drown in his own feelings towards his rival than to be cold and alone again.

So when Green looked ready to speak for a day or two but was still a bit hesitant to talk about something, Red decided to do something about it.

“ Spit it out.”

Green blinked. Then stared at him like he was the one who was holding something back.

*Spit what now?*

Red sits up from his bed and holds his phone up properly to look directly into his eyes. “Green, what is it? Something you want to share?”

Conflicting emotions played throughout Green’s face. Red wished he could reach out and smoothen his pinched expression and pressed soft kisses on his cheeks just to say in their language, everything is okay, for comfort.

*You’re thinking something sappy again did you?* Green deflected, looking everywhere but him.

“...”

Red stayed silent for a while. He could drop this but this must have been something big. And besides, if Green, who was hesitant to say something about the subject he was reluctant to talk about then it must have been about his current situation or the situation on Green’s end.

He prefers to rip out the bandaid swiftly as possible.

Green still doesn’t look at him, resigned. *Fine, Selene came back from her visit from Kanto. We tried, Red. We tried to come to you using Selene’s Solgaleo, the normal colored one not the

cheap knockoff that puts you in that mess btw, but everytime Solgaleo tries to travel, Solgaleo always ends up where it was.*

*I tried, Red…* Green finally looks up and looks him in the eye. Something inside of Red breaks a little at how Green’s eyes seem to convey his pain of not being able to help much.

A mockery of a smirk tries to appear on his beloved’s smile. Somehow this action is even worse to watch. *Guess you just have you wait a little longer...I’m so sorry.*

A whisper, *I want you back..*

Green drops his gaze onto the floor but thankfully doesn’t turn off the camera. His trust in Red is both a blessing and a curse. Red’s grateful Green trusted him to the point of vulnerability but it is also painful to watch someone you love beat himself up for trying to go up against the unknown. From the corner of Green’s screen, he saw his pokemons’ pokeballs resting on the desk besides their bed.

“Snorlax.“

The classic tell of the pop and smoke coming from a pokeball, and a heavy landing indicating that snorlax lets itself out. Using its large fluffy arms, it envelops Green in a bear hug. Green never saw it coming. It's a comical yet endearing sight to see Green sputter and being caught off-guard by the impromptu bearhug from behind.

*What the-?! Dude, tell Snorlax to lay off! Ah!-*

But the tears that were supposed to fall on Green’s eyes never appear so Red counts that as a win.

“Green.”

Green turned his attention back to Red. Exasperated beyond belief written all over his face but it’s better than the one before. *Look, Red-*

“ I love you.”

Green froze. Rarely they say these words out loud because in their language, actions speak louder for them. Those simple words, etched between their lingering touches and fleeting stares that held devotion as heavy as the vows they placed near the vein that touches their hearts.

But it’s nice to say those simple words out loud from time to time.

And when Green makes the sweetest smile of all for him and him alone, Red makes the decision of moving forward. For Green.

“I’m coming home so…” With a tilt of his head, Red smiled. “Please wait for me?”

Held hostage between the large fat pokemon as a replacement of Red’s embrace, Green silently looks at him with comprehensive amber eyes and said, *No detours and bring souvenirs.*

Red chuckles under his breath as he nods to his request.

______________________________________________

Outside where the moon shines dimly, a shadow echoes a figure of a large yet oddly colored pokemon.

In a flash of multicolored lights, the once large body of the feline shaped pokemon was reduced into a small creature. Intelligent eyes were the only thing that did not morph alongside its body.

Notes:

Ugh Look, Im in a bit of a romantic mood when I wrote the last bits so yeah. Ahahaha. Enjoy.