Pokemon: Kanto Elite

A Stranger's House, Part 2

Ray hummed as he entered the bathroom. He hadn't been home in months, and he completely forgot to go back before the qualifier to get his favorite pouf. Nevertheless, he pressed forward, eager to feel the warm water on his back. More cold water rushed to greet him, to his dismay.

"RED?! WHY DID YOU USE ALL OF THE HOT WATER, YOU NUMBSKULL?"

Red snickered for a second as he pulled on his jeans. He knew he shouldn't have taken such a long time, but he remembered what it was like in the Academy, with Ray's ridiculous shower times.

"Serves you right for hogging all of the water at the Academy!"

"I DID NOT!"

He pulled on a thin long-sleeved shirt while giggling at Ray's pain.

"Yes, you did! Almost every morning before training!"

A long, silent pause solidified Red's point.

"Okay, BUT THAT WAS ONLY FOR LIKE A MONTH."

He giggled at his surrender as he lay back into the bed.

As the cold water fell in the bathroom, Red stared at the ceiling lights, their white light covered in stained glass. His hands looked ages older, as they were usually caked with dirt, even under his fingernails. His hat had a defined ring of sweat inside, even after he washed it in the shower with him.

He heard his Jolteon yipping with the playful squeals of a Pikachu. Blades clashing on boxing gloves, birds of different kinds chirping with each other. Red looked out the window to see his team playing together with his friends' pokemon.

Poliwhirl, Wartortle, and Staryu made a pool for themselves out of a massive birdbath while his Ivysaur and her Weepinbell basked in whatever sun was left in the sky. His Ponyta and Delia's Charmeleon chased each other, leaving streaks of flame in their wake. Delia's Kadabra and Ray's Hitmonlee meditated in the corner of the backyard, and his Nidorino found some poison ivy to eat. It felt like they liked each other as much as the three of them did.

It barely took any effort to get Red to reminisce about how far they had all come. He had celebrated his birthday in the cold, misty mountains of Mount Moon, surrounded by his fledgling pokemon- Jolteon was still an Eevee then. After a whole year, they never saw each other, not even sent a postcard to one another. They had all come a long way from being ignored in the Academy.

He never told them about what he learned at the Dojo. The trainers there had told him that the boy and girl who took Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan respectively looked inept and undeserving of such powerful pokemon. Once he asked what they had and replied with Wartortle and Weepinbell, he knew who they were.

The other gangs spoke of Delia and Ray, their rule-breaking and powerful pokemon striking fear into trainers everywhere. Fear brings hate along, so they hated them, as much as they hated him for being a cheater.

They had called her "Undeserving Delia" and "Ray the Rule-Breaker," among other things. They were the pariahs of the Pokemon world. If they went down to the beach right now, surrounded by grunts and amateurs, they'd be cut down in their sleep. The mob would overwhelm them. Luckily, no one was in town to notice them go to her Grandma's house.

"Looks like there's something interesting going on out there," Ray joked as he tied a towel around his waist. Red's shoulders jumped up for a second as Ray looked out to see the playful ruckus happening outside.

"Oh, that's just amusing! All three of our pokemon are playing at dusk."

"Yeah..." Red rested his head on an arm as he watched Pikachu and Jolteon use Snorlax as a slide.

"Ray! Red!"

The two boys looked towards the door.

"Dinner is ready!"

Ray slipped on his most comfortable clothes while Red stepped into his shoes.

The four of them sat down soon after to a supper of hearty soup.

"So," Grandma began, "My granddaughter told me that you're from Lavender town."

Ray nodded with a puffed chest.

"Yeah, I am!"

"Do you happen to know the Shudo family on Violet Street?"

"Yes, actually! They run the Art School, right?"

"Yes!"

"My parents are really close to them! They recently adopted a Cubone from my Mom's Marowak's litter!"

"I hear that's the newest craze nowadays," Delia added. "Marowaks are great house pets, and their clubs can help with guarding the home."

Red shook his head in disbelief. Owning a pokemon without being a trainer? It doesn't make sense...

"How long have they been raising pokemon?"

"My Mom's been raising different types of Pokemon for as long as I can remember. Pidgeottos, Chanceys, Nidorans of both kinds, Digletts, you name any docile-looking pokemon. She actually tried raising Rhyhorns once, but insurance wouldn't cover the house."

Grandma laughed out loud with Ray, but Delia and Red stared at each other. Delia even mouthed to him: 'What is insurance?'

"You seem so proud of being from Lavender."

"Yep. Born and raised. I guess it's just so good there that I just would love to stay. What about you, Red?"

His deep brown eyes jumped up as his attention scrambled back to Earth. The bowl covered his face.

"Sorry, what now?"

"Where are you from?"

"Well, my Dad left town to join a more successful fabric business near the financial center of Kanto, while my uncle wanted to stay in Pallet. Needless to say, things haven't been patched between the two."

"I see. Well, that's a bit of a shame. You know something interesting about my granddaughter?"

The two boys perked their heads up while Delia tried to silence her Grandma.

"She actually memorized all 149 pokemon when she was such a young girl!"

"You really know all 149 pokemon by heart?!"

Red noticed that Ray's voice sounded awfully louder this time as he wiped his soup-covered mouth with a napkin. It almost sounded like he was too interested in what Delia's grandma was talking about. Yet Delia blushed as her Grandma spilled the beans.

"Yes, Ray. In fact, she made a little ditty out of it. She's a very good rhymer. Delia, why don't you sing it for us?"

"Yes, please!"

Red giggled at Ray's sudden flattery. Delia shook her head in disbelief.

"I can't believe- all right..."

She cleared her throat and began:

"Electrode, Diglett, Nidoran, Mankey,

Venusaur, Rattata, Fearow, Pidgey,

Seaking, Jolteon, Dragonite, Ghastly,

Ponyta, Vaporeon, Poliwag, Butterfree...