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Chapter - 15
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Red was sitting on a hill with his best friend – Leaf. He recognised the place, he had seen it before, it was somewhere near the Indigo Plateau and Mount Silver.

Red smiled at Leaf as he lolled on the bright green grass, feeling it's softness. He was really happy, he didn't want to separate Leaf from himself ever.

Suddenly, Red noticed a Pokemon in the clouds, with pink aura and a long tail and he instantly knew what it was.

"Mew!" He said.

Red woke up with a start. He was breathing heavily on the upper bunk of the bed. He slowly came down the ladder, Leaf was still asleep.

The gray clouds had concealed the bright golden sun, droplets of water hit the window next to Red. He couldn't stop noticing that everytime it rained before a Gym Battle, something bad had happened.

"Let's not go to the Pokémon Gym today." Leaf had woken up and suggested something Red would like.

Red kept on staring at the cloudy sky, he wanted to go to the Gym and defeat the leader. He knew he was going to win.

How hard is it going to be? – he thought and turned to Leaf. Leaf was sitting on the lower part of the bunk bed, she wore her black v-necked t-shirt with a black mini skirt.

Why does she look this good in black? – Red thought, he quickly stopped staring at Leaf before it got awkward.

"I think it's a perfect day for a gym battle!" Red disagreed with Leaf, something he had been doing for a while.  He wanted Leaf around him all the time, but deep down he was scared that his first crush was his best friend.

I mean, yeah, I agree with the narrator. I just need to keep myself distant, I can't just tell her that I like-

"Do you like me?" Asked Leaf. Red coughed continuously, he almost choked on his drool.

"Uh what?" Red did like Leaf since always, but he wasn't sure about how he felt. You see, he was still an 11 year old.

"Uh what?", that's all you got? What a dummy, dude seriously stop acting like a 7 year old already! Ugh! – thought Leaf, frustrated from Red.

"Uh- lately we've not been talking properly. I don't know." Leaf quickly saved herself from lifelong embarrassment.

"We're fine, chill Razor Leaf." Red giggled. Leaf jumped and hugged him, she almost had tears in her eyes. Red started blushing.

Cassidy and Butch were ready and wanted to start heading to Lilycove City, where the Team Aqua Hideout was located. They were wearing Team Aqua uniform (thank god I didn't say - jumpsuit), Butch was not happy with what he was wearing.

"Really? Blue of all colors?" Butch complained about the outfit. "Team Rocket uniform looks so much cooler."

"Because it's black. Black is better than every damn color." Said Cassidy. "Also we've been walking for 10 minutes, can I ask where we're going?"

"To Mister Briney's house, he lives in Rustboro only, he also owns a boat." Butch smiled after he said boat.

"So you're gonna bully an old man to row a boat across the region for you?" Asked Cassidy. "Sweet! I'm in!"

Cassidy and Butch continued walking towards Briney's house. Little did they know, they were being shadowed by someone.

A man wearing a black long coat (similar to Kylo Ren's) with a hood, was following the two Team Rocket/Aqua members. His face was hidden in the shadows of the hood. He kept his distance but was right behind them, walking on the middle of the road.

Cassidy stopped, she had a gut feeling that someone was following them. She looked around. The man had vanished.

"What is it?" Asked Butch, curious about why Cassidy had stopped.

"Nothing."

Meanwhile, Red and Leaf stood outside the Rustboro City Gym, ready for a gym battle.

Hoenn noticeably had a warmer climate than any region Red had been to before. It was the month of October, the sky was filled with rainy clouds, yet he had the urge to throw away his jacket in the garbage disposal.

Red quickly opened the door, hoping the Gym would be well air conditioned and jumped inside. The Gym was hotter than the bottom of an old laptop (for those who don't know - it's 100000°C).

This time, Red didn't have any sudden urges, he tossed his jacket and his bag on the ground. Leaf looked at him with her what's wrong with you dummy look while sweat poured out of his skin.

"Gym Leaders can't even purchase an air container these days." Red complained, stuffing his jacket into his bag. His bag was a mess, he couldn't even close the zip properly.

"Not to be rude, but Hoenn is kinda poor since the war." Leaf explained, she sighed.

"That is very rude of you." Said a teenaged boy walking up to Leaf. He took her casual words personally. "You might wanna take that back or else..."

"Are you threatening me?" Leaf snapped.

Leaf was scary when she was mad, she frightened Red alot. She usually got mad at Red when he disagreed with her on a topic resulting in serious arguments. This particular guy had used an 'or else', Leaf definitely took it as a threat.

Dude you are so dead – Red thought.

"If it is to be taken that way, so be it. I challenge you to a Pokémon battle." Said the teenager, impolitely.

"I accept."

The teenager clipped off a Pokéball from his belt and tossed it in the air. "Aron, let's show her what we're made of."

Rock – Red thought. Leaf quickly pointed her Pokédex at the Aron to know more about it.

"Aron, an Iron Armor Pokémon. It eats iron to build its steel body. It is a pest that descends from mountains to eat bridges and train tracks." Explained the Pokédex.

Leaf knew she'd win it even before sending her first Pokémon. She had become overconfident at this point.

"Go Poochyena." Leaf sent out her Poochyena, that she caught on her first day in Hoenn (Chapter 4 to be precise). "Use Tackle."

Poochyena charged at Aron and tackled it with immense force. He really gave everything he had. Aron was hurt badly.

"Aron, use Headbutt." Said the teenager, interrupted by a girl.

"Hey Max, I was- why are you battling without me?" Asked the girl. The teenager's name was Max. "We had a deal!"

"I'm sorry, you were too busy making fun of me with your friends." Said Max in a sarcastic tone. "And anyways we can't double battle right now, Lily."

Red understood the problem, so these two teenagers, Max and Lily had a deal to get into double battles only. They didn't seem like Pokémon Trainers so they probably just practiced for something, maybe just local competitions. He walked forward and unclipped a Pokéball from his belt.

"It could be a double battle if you want." Red smiled, he patiently waited for the two to decide. Leaf gave a sight smile to Red, she really wanted to have a double battle with Red in her side.

"Okay, then." Said Lily. "Go Lairon."

Red pointed his Pokédex at the Pokémon sent by Lily. "Lairon, an Iron Armor Pokémon and the evolved form of Aron. It habitually shows off its strength with the size of sparks it creates by ramming its steel body into boulders." Explained the Pokédex.

"Oh also, since it's a double battle, to be fair, each of us can only use two Pokémon." Said Lily.

"Huh, okay then." Leaf waited for Red to choose his Pokémon.

"Pidgeotto, I choose you!" Red sent out his first Pokémon. "Use Gust."

Pidgeotto used Gust on Aron, it was already weak after Poochyena's tackle. Aron fainted.

"Aron, return." Said Max, calling Aron back and switching the Pokéball with another. "Go Electrike."

"Poochyena, use Bite." Leaf's Poochyena used bite on Lily's Lairon.

"Okay, Electrike." Said Max. "Use Thunderbolt."

The attack was super effective against Pidgeotto. Pidgeotto was critically hit.

"Lairon, use Metal Claw." Lairon was powerful, Poochyena didn't stand a chance against it. Poochyena fainted.

Leaf knew exactly what she needed to do, she wanted to win. "Come back." She said, calling Poochyena back. "Go Hitmonchan."

"Pidgeotto, use Wing Attack." Pidgeotto used wing attack on Electrike. Electrike was critically hit.

"Electrike, use Shock Wave." Said Max. The attack was super effective on Pidgeotto. Pidgeotto fainted.

"You did great. Come back." Red called Pidgeotto back, he knew he wanted to use his old Pokémon and make them stronger than ever.

"Go Ivysaur." He sent out his Ivysaur.

"Lairon, use Metal Claw." Said Lily. Lairon used the attack on Leaf's Hitmonchan.

"Hitmonchan, use Mach Punch." Leaf knew the type advantage, Mach Punch was super effective against Lairon. Lairon fainted.

"Lairon, return." Said Lily, calling her Pokémon back. "Go Cascoon."

"Ivysaur, use Razor- wait for it." Red looked at Leaf and laughed. "-Leaf."

Leaf was annoyed with Red's leaf jokes about her, she looked at Red and mouthed – You are so gonna pay for this.

Ivysaur's attack was powerful against Electrike, Ivysaur was strong due to the fact Red he had been with Red since Kanto. Electrike fainted.

Max was out of usable Pokémon. It was up to Lily now. "Cascoon, use Poison Sting at Hitmonchan."

Hitmonchan was poisoned. He was hurt by the poison. "Hitmonchan, use Revenge."

Red wanted to give Lily a chance. Leaf and I are trainers, our Pokémon are too strong, regular trainers wouldn't stand a chance. I shouldn't attack this time – Red thought.

"Ivysaur, use Growth." Red used a status move, Ivysaur's attack increased.

"Cascoon, use Sleep Powder on Hitmonchan." Hitmonchan fell asleep, he was also hurt by the poison.

Leaf felt bummed, Hitmonchan was both asleep and poisoned. She couldn't do anything until he was up. She pulled out her water bottle from the bag.

"Ivysaur, use Growth." Red was giving too many chances to Lily.

"Cascoon, use Poison Powder on Ivysaur." Lily's attack had no affect on Ivysaur.

"Ivysaur is poison type, he can't get poisoned." Red explained. "Ivysaur, use Razor- wait for it." Red looked at Leaf with a smile, she threw water at Red's face.

"Leaf? Why would you do that?" Asked Red, Ivysaur used Razor Leaf at Cascoon. Cascoon fainted. Red and Leaf won the battle.

"I don't know, maybe because someone is tired of the leaf jokes. I mean, they're getting pretty old and I certainly don't like them." Leaf complained.

"Sorry, I won't do it again then."

"Sure you won't, Sleepy Red." Leaf chuckled.

"Hey!"