"Now that I think about it, this is kind of dumb."

They were well on their path across the ocean to Hoenn at this point.

"I think we're a little too far out to head back," said Ira, having a hard time believing what she was hearing as she held onto Elron in front of her as to not fall off the Salamence they were riding.

"I suppose you're right. Oh well, guess we're going to Hoenn! Is there anywhere that you want to stop?"

She didn't have to think that over at all. "Yeah, if we could stop at my grandma's house then that would be great."

"Where does she live?"

"Lavaridge."

"Alright! After we stop by my house we'll go there then!"

The dragon looked back at him with squinted eyes. They were eyes that said "am I just a mule today?"

"It's okay Baguette!"

The dragon squinted so hard that it looked like its eyes were closed.

Elron laughed. "Don't worry, I know it's you Bagel. I'm just messing with you."

Bagel shook his head and looked forward.

-----

"Elron! You're home! What a surprise!"

Elron's mom switched off the TV and stood up. She was a woman that looked very much like her son with long, black hair and dark eyes. She walked over to the door and lead him in by the shoulder. "How's Sinnoh? Oh, and who's this?!"

"It's Unova now, and this is Ira."

"Unova?! I can't keep up with you these days. Is she your?"

"Yeah, she's my travelling partner as of a few days ago."

I'm pretty sure that's not what she meant. Ira smiled and waved at his mom. "I'm Ira, nice to meet you."

"Come on in and get comfortable you two! Oh, and Elron, your father is home right now."

"Shoot! Guess we're not staying long then Ira!" Elron did an about face and started his way to the door.

Ira grabbed him by the collar. "Oh no you don't! At least get what we came for!"

"Fine! Just let me go!"

She let him go and he darted up the stairs.

Elron's mom turned to Ira. "Is he looking for something of his? Because it's not up there."

There was a yell from upstairs. "What did you do to my room?!"

There was another voice that answered back in a similar yell. "Nice to see you too Elron! How's Sinnoh?!"

"It's Unova now! And why are you yelling too?!"

"I thought that we were yelling so that your mother could hear us!"

Elron stormed out and ran downstairs. "So I guess you guys redecorated my room?"

"Well, considering how you never come back we figured it was safe to say that you'd moved out officially," his mom replied.

"Yes!" said a man reaching the last step. He had a sailor's outfit that looked awfully similar to Elron's outfit, and a white mustache to rival other mustaches. It was Drake of the Hoenn Elite Four. "So we turned your room into a music room!"

"You guys don't even play any instruments!"

"Yet! We have five guitars now."

Elron sighed. "So where did you put my stuff?"

"It's boxed up in the basement. Here, I'll come help you find whatever you're looking for."

Elron and his father opened a door and walked down a set of stairs to the basement floor, leaving his mother and Ira on the main floor.

"Is he always like that?" asked Elron's mom.

"Like what?"

"Well, really whiny and irritated."

Ira thought about it. "Not always, but now that you mention it I guess he is like that a lot."

His mom sighed. "I thought as much. He's always been a little sarcastic and all, but it seems like every time I see him he's just more fed up with everything."

"I don't think he means to be like that..." This is kind of awkward.

"I'm sure he doesn't, and he has been through a lot, but he really needs to learn to loosen up a little."

"Yeah..."

She picked up on Ira's social cues. "Oh, sorry. Didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. Promise me one thing though."

"What is it?"

"Make Elron step a little outside of his comfort zone and make him take it easy sometimes, okay?"

"Sure thing." Ira got to thinking. It looked like he was legitimately happy when I battled that first time and when he started talking about the game. Is that normal for him?

"There you go," said Drake, coming up the stairs. "You have your video game. I'm surprised you had us search so much just for that little thing."

Elron followed after him. "Trust me, I am too." Only he could turn fetching a game into an ordeal about life, love, and the pursuit of happiness. "Well, I got what I came for, so we'll be on our way now."

Everyone but Elron mentally questioned the short length of the trip, but everyone said their goodbyes and Elron and Ira were back on the dragon to Lavaridge.

-----

Ira slid open the panel door and walked right into the house. "Grandma! I'm here!"

"Coming!" said a voice in a different room.

I feel like I've been here before, Elron thought.

A few seconds later an old lady came hobbling around the corner. She was a very familiar looking old lady.

Elron pointed at the lady. "Ah! It's you!"

"Oh, would you look at that." The diminutive old lady had her grey hair tied back in a bun and was in an old fashioned red gown. "It's that boy who made me evacuate when that Heatran was raging everywhere."

"Ira! I know her!" He didn't know her well, but he certainly knew her. Several years ago there had been an impending natural disaster, and Elron helped evacuate several people such as her. He also had a part in stopping the disaster itself, but that was a story that didn't reach the ears of many.

"Yes," said Ira with a kind of awkward smile. "I know. This is my grandma. She told me about you after I freaked out about the whole volcano eruption thing."

"Does that mean," Elron stepped back, aghast as the realization came to him, "that you wanted to travel with me because of that?!"

"Well, yeah! Why wouldn't I?" Ira's voice suddenly got rather quiet, and she tried hiding her eyes behind her hair.. "I wanted to thank you for getting her to leave when she was in danger, even though she would've been fine."

"Darn right I would have been fine," the grandma interjected. "I was content with meeting my fate and everything."

Ira spun around and raised her voice. "You're always like this! Try thinking about everyone else for a change! If you would've died in that incident... Then... Then..." She started tearing up, then ran out of the room. "Excuse me!"

Elron was simply shocked, and didn't say a word about it.

The grandma sighed. "Maybe my old age has made me disconnected from what matters. With all the aches and pains I have these days and the idleness that I experience all the time I naturally am ready for it to all end, but maybe I shouldn't." She frowned. "I can't remember the last time I made Ira cry."

He looked at her, speechless. It's not that there was nothing to say, but rather he didn't want to say anything. It looked like everything was slowly healing itself.

"Boy! Elron, right? Come with me!" She hobbled over to a room different than the one Ira ran into and sat down.

Elron followed her in. It was a rather traditional style room, and house for that matter, and had a low wooden table with cushions for seats. The flooring was bamboo and the walls were paper, a very outdated way of doing things, but it was quaint and comforting also. There was a blue and white striped cat lying down in the corner of the room, taking a nap. I guess she's a fan of cats. He took a seat on one of the cushions opposite the old lady.

She judged him from across the table, thinking about various things about the man in front of her. "I wonder, can I really trust you with my granddaughter?"

That one stung a little. "I'm sorry, Mrs?"

"Just call me Granny."

How generic! "I'm sorry, errr, Granny, but I'm more qualified than you think I am." He showed her his badges, but she wasn't impressed.

"Then what's her favorite color?"

"I don't know that yet."

"Turquoise. See, how can I trust you with her if you can't even remember her favorite color?"

I can't remember it if I'm never told it. "I'm not quite sure what this has to do with anything."

"Everything, you greenhorn! Girls like her are fragile and need to be well nurtured! Not every woman can be as staunch, independent, and strong as me!" She crossed her arms disapprovingly.

"Well if--"

"Quiet! I'm trying to think."

I was going to ask her what I need to do to gain her trust but I guess that's not happening.

They sat without a word, and the analog clock on the wall ticked for several minutes before Ira came in. She seemed to have recollected herself.

With a firm voice, she said, "I don't know what I'm supposed to do with you anymore!" She looked so confident and ready to talk, but she was somewhat ignored by her grandma.

Granny thought over her thoughts a little more then spoke her mind. "Alright, I've decided."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm coming with you on your journey!"

Elron and Ira both expressed the multiple emotions of surprise, disbelief, and confusion.

"You can't do that!" yelled Ira.

"Sure I can!"

He shook his head. "No, you really can't. For one we couldn't have you hurting yourself. I don't think you move quite like you used to." Not that there aren't any other problems with it or anything.

"Oh I see how it is! First you try and make me leave and now you try and make me stay?! I'll show you! Meowstic!"

The cat that had laid dormant in the room woked up on its calling and lifted its ear to slightly leak out its psychic powers. A blue aura enveloped the elder, and she was gently lifted off the ground and into the air.

"Ha! I'd like to see you be as mobile as me now!"

I'm not sure that counts. "But--"

"No 'buts!' I've made up my mind, and now there's no stopping me! I'm going to make sure you two keep out of trouble by my own hands!"

Elron stood up slowly and walked over to Ira, then whispered in her ear. "Let's go while we still have the chance to get away."

Ira nodded compliantly, then the two ran out the door. "See you grandma! Bye! Love you!"

"Oh you can't escape my that easily! Meowstic!"

The cat looked annoyed by all of the sudden demands, but obeyed anyways. She walked over on her hind legs and hopped onto her owner's back.

"Charge!" commanded Granny, making the esper cat pilot her out of the house at lightning speed.

"Quick!" Elron yelled to Bagel. "Fly now!"

The dragon spread its wings and flapped them, but before it could get off the ground Granny grabbed onto Ira's back and latched on. If Bagel could talk, he would most certainly be complaining about all the weight he had to carry now.

We were too slow, thought Elron. Now what?! I can't exactly keep her away now!

Ira sighed. Well there went my storybook romantic flights with Elron.

***

A/N: Yes, I seriously just did that. And yes, this is supposed to be romance story. I think I know what I'm doing at least :P

Fun fact: the joke about the five guitars with no one to play them is from my family. We have that many guitars in our basement but no one in our family ever got beyond the very beginning stages of learning them. What a waste :O