And… last chapter? Maybe!

Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfiction belongs to me under international copyright laws and taking it is plagiarism. Thank you. *Phantomness bows*

Notes: <> for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics if a pokemon talks

Chapter 11

Red spent three more days at home before he sallied fourth to challenge Sabrina. After all, he would need seven badges before the old man in front of the Viridian City gym would let him inside. It made no sense – if the gym was so powerful, why was it located in Viridian?

Perhaps it was because there was a path from Viridian City that led into the bowels of Victory Road?

After Victory Road came the Indigo Plateau…

Red sighed, and stifled a yawn. He felt tired. Of course, that was a perfectly acceptable thing to be feeling.

Though his physical injuries had healed nicely, there was still a skittish edge of caution to his thoughts now. Perhaps it would keep him safer.

But who could have predicted Magmar’s actions?

Blaine had been willing to step down, but Red hadn’t held a grudge. The gym leader had made a substantial donation into his Trainer account, though, which would help… and it was enough for several new pokémon, should he want to buy them.

Right now though, as Professor Oak scrolled through the data from Red’s pokédex, he frowned.

Red did not have hundreds of pokémon but those few that he had; he had trained well. It almost reminded him of his own grandson, Green, who was training in the way of poison types with Koga and his daughter Janine in Fuchsia.

But Red was not gearing towards a single type, as most trainers were wont to do.

Fascinating…

Red idly scrolled through the pokémon pet shop web pages, looking for something to catch his eye. What types did he have not yet covered? Well, obviously fire and electric, and perhaps he could buy one or two of those pokémon.

Father did not mind, as long as he trained them well.

Hmm, that Vulpix was certainly adorable, but it gave off more the air of a pampered pet than one of a potential battler.

Growlithe? Well, he’d consider it.

Now that looked interesting. He flicked out his pokédex, and clicked on the entry.

Lance came in to find Red staring avidly at his computer. “Red?”

“Yes, Father?”

“What are you thinking about?”

Red pointed to the picture. “That one.”

“Ah, a Houndour? That is worth a try…”

“You mean you’ll let me choose it?”

“It’s your money, Red. And we could well use both those types.”

“Okay!”

Red placed the order for the Houndour, and the shopkeeper was more than willing to sell. He even offered to throw in a discount for dog food, but Red politely declined.

Those store-bought brands, while cheaper, just did not raise the happiness of a trainer’s pokemon well.

After all, it was the thought that counted.

So Red purchased a Houndour, and that was when something in his mind clicked into place. Though he had been searching for a fire type, Houndour’s second attribute was dark.

Dark…

Dark pokémon did not take any damage from psychic moves. That would come in handy. Also, Sabrina used Venomoth, but Venomoth would be weak to fire attacks.

Perfect!

He spent that afternoon practicing with Houndour as Lance’s Dragonair shot various attacks at them. Ice, water, lightning, even the occasional burst of wind were all game. It was excellent training!

Houndour thought so too, though he did sneeze quite pathetically the few times he got wet. Dragonair just grinned.

Red just grinned and dried him with a towel whenever that happened.

They broke for dinner, and Red snuck Houndoom scraps under the table. Lance pretended not to notice, though he did take care to mop up the kitchen floor afterwards.

No need to trip over dog slobber and crumbs.

The next day, Houndour and Red headed to the grasslands near Fuchsia, where there were plenty of grass pokémon for the little fire dog to train against. They went, however, in the middle of the night, when Houndour felt more comfortable.

Red wondered when Sabrina’s gym closed, and if it would be all right to challenge her after the sun went down.

Who knew?

Gym leaders usually lived at their gyms, but he wouldn’t appreciate anyone coming to his house at 3 A.M… not that he was going to do that of course.

Maybe he should check her hours.

Lance had fixed Shepard’s Pie for dinner, though, so he and Houndour applied themselves to the leftovers. Even reheated, it was delicious.

He stayed quiet, because Father was probably asleep. Afterwards, they went to bed and slept well.

He woke up the next morning to find that it was noon. Well, he did need rest after all that midnight training.

Houndour really was stronger at night, even if the difference was small. But Father said he had a good eye for these little things.

He yawned.

“Red?”

“What is it?”

“I need to fly out to Cerise, so I won’t be at home. Can you fix lunch for yourself?”

“Sure.” It was easy. There were several covered dishes of leftovers, and he wouldn’t mind heating them up.

Houndour lapped water from his dish thirstily, and then tromped outside to chase butterflies.

Red found Poli and Mantine swimming in the pond outside, and Pidgeotto roosting in the oak tree in the front yard.

The others were all scattered around, but he instinctively knew where each pokemon was.

Was this empathy at work?

If so, he liked it.

End Chapter

Completed 7/12/06

The phone at my apartment is a pay phone. Somehow, that strikes me as very wrong, especially since it’s located in the living room.

Red: *Rolls eyes*

Phantomness: *Glares*

Lance: *Glomps Red*

Shoyko: *Relaxes in Jacuzzi with a plate of chocolate bonbons and a cup of Earl Gray tea* Finally, a break!

Pika-chan: Hey, I want those! *Steals a bonbon*

Kairo: *Laughs*