I sense a title change may be in order

Notes: Incorrect gender pronouns – if the character thinks another character is a certain gender, that’s what they’ll use

Chapter 3

< Seems like you had a good day today. >

Catelyn nodded. She was dreaming again, so she and Lance were cloud watching in a dream. The clouds were nice and fluffy and white, with pictures of different pokemon inside…

Lance picked a daisy and began peeling the petals off. < So what do you think of Red? >

“I don’t even know him.” Catelyn protested, but a slight blush began to creep up her cheeks.

< No, I suppose you wouldn’t. >

“Do you know him?” Catelyn turned to look at Lance, watching the flower… “He loves me, he loves me not…”

“He loves you,” Lance finished, plucking one petal off.

“Why? I don’t even know him.”

“That’s what you think…”
Catelyn sat up, clouds forgotten. “What? I do know him?”

“Well, ‘I’ know him…”

“Can you tell me?”

“I suppose…”

*FLASHBACK – post book 3, pre-book 4*

“Ah! I’m sorry!”

Red hurriedly helped the trainer he had accidentally bowled over up – well, crash-landed into on Aeroy’s back. “I’ve got to get to the Pokemon Center!”

“What’s wrong with your Aerodactyl?”

Red flinched. “A Cloyster got him in Seafoam Islands, and Cinnabar doesn’t have a Pokemon Center. Neither does Pallet… what? The Viridian Pokemon Center is closed? Oh no…what am I going to do?”

“Let me take a look.”

“Are you a Nurse Joy?” The redheaded boy gave him a glare and turned to the Aerodactyl. Placing his hands over the large gaping wound on the wing, he concentrated…

Red gaped as the marks closed over with nary a scratch left, not even a scar. “…”

“Any other pokemon of yours need medical attention?”

“Oh, er… sure. Gyarados and Poliwrath could…” He handed over the two poke balls, watching as this mysterious stranger did the same. “Are you a psychic?”

“Close enough. I can do a bit of healing, a bit of telepathy, that’s all.”

“Cool… so! If you’re a trainer, how about a battle?”

“… I just healed your pokemon and you want to battle?”

“Er… sorry,” Red scratched the back of his neck a bit nervously. “It’s just that…” He stopped as the other trainer laughed.

“I’m just surprised, I suppose. After all, you’re Kanto Champion. I’d think you’d be drowning in challenges.”

Red blushed. “Well…”

“Sure, if you want, I’ll battle you…”

“Great! Venus, I choose you!”

He did have some courage, or at least sensibility, using a new pokemon instead of a recently healed one… exhaustion still took its toll even if a pokemon were healed… normally.

The Viridian power wasn’t ‘normal’. No matter.

“Darkstar…”

One of his twin Hakuryuu shot into the air, before a Blizzard attack blasted into the Venusaur. She weathered it fairly well though.

Good training… but of course. Although the rest of the Elite had expected Green to win, he had bet on Red…

Venusaur blasted Hakuryuu with a Solarbeam, but thanks to the dragon-type, she didn’t do too badly. A Poisonpowder followed…

“Let’s finish this. Hyper beam.”

Venusaur staggered under the onslaught, but managed to leech seed before passing out. Not bad at all…

Red grinned, swapping for Poliwrath. “Ice Beam!”

So he’d studied… he winked, and Hakuryuu nodded, letting the ice claim her before she was recalled.

“Ampharos, I choose you! Thunder!”

“Seismic toss!”

Not bad, Ampharos was a bi dizzy from being slammed into the ground, but Thunder still hit…

Poliwrath faded away thanks to Double Team and double slapped…

Thunderwave froze its movements for a second, another Thunder… there.

“Wow, I’m glad you didn’t compete.” Red grinned. “You’re good.”

He shrugged nonchalantly, watching as Red switched out for another pokemon – ah, a Snorlax? Interesting…

He’d heard from a wild Dragonite about the trainer before, somehow… yes, he had defeated a wild Dragonite, so that at least was worthy of note. Snorlax Body Slammed…

“Match Thunder.”

Normally, he wouldn’t show off, but he didn’t want this to drag on too long… he had a meeting with the others in half an hour after all…

Snorlax went down, one-hit KO.

“So there’s an electric type one-hit KO move…” Red remarked. “Cool. I wonder if Pika can learn it later.”

Yes, Red had a male Pikachu born in the Viridian forest. What of it?

“So,” Red said, after the trainer – dragon-type, probably – had healed all of his pokemon again. “What’s your name?”

“Mm, I’m not sure I should tell you.”

“What? Why?”

“It might be dangerous.”

Brow furrowed in puzzlement, “Dangerous? Oh! I still have to pay you since you won!” He hastily searched for his money pouch…

“No, that’s fine.”

“But-!”

“If you really want to pay me… then do me a favor.”

“Okay!”

“If you ever hear of the Elite Four, do not cross them…”
“Elite Four?”

“Yes. Stay away from them.” A pause. “Oh. And I’ll just take this for now.” Movement too swift to comprehend, a brief touch…

Red stared in disbelief as the trainer soared off on his Aerodactyl, touching one hand to his cheek. “Did he just…?”

End Chapter

Completed 6/29/05