Chapter Text
Red and the Battle for Alola
Alola Battle Tree
Poni Island
One day after Elio Kahale is crowned Alolan Pokemon League Champion
The hot Alolan sun, something he’d eaten earlier. Something had to be making him hallucinate. He had to be hallucinating this.
His Mimyku, lovingly named Penny, grumbled excitedly as it somehow spread its frame to entrap a massive Snorlax under her snare of unspeakable darkness.
Some feet away, stood the Snorlax’s trainer, the one and only Red.
Elio Kahale searched his hero’s face for any kind of emotion. Nothing in his steely gaze gave it away. There wasn’t even a hint of ponderance on his face.
“Oh c’mon you big lummox,” sneered Blue.
“Yes! C’mon Penny!” sang the snarky voice of Elio’s traveling companion, Lillie.
As if on cue, Penny cried out. From the sidelines, blue winced at the piercing shriek, but Elio couldn’t hide his gleeful smile. That was a noise of victory, not pain.
Sure enough, the eldritch abomination covered in a Pikachu tarp rolled off of Snorlax, the eternally sleeping Pokemon collapsing into a further recline, falling limp.
“ OH MY ARCEUS!” squealed Lillie, “You...he…RED!”
“No way,” Blue stated flatly, “That thing tanked two Body Slams. Not to mention that freak Incineroar of yours, tanking both Blastoise and Lapras’ offense. How do you train freaks like that?”
“The professor wants battle data above all else,” wheezed Elio.
Lillie nodded, indicating her agreement.
Red wordlessly called Snorlax back into its Pokeball.
“You won,” shrugged Red, “Congratulations.”
With that, Red spun on his heel, walking beginning to walk away.
“Aw, Red, you’re not gonna land in this guy’s country and be a pissant about losing?” Blue mocked, “I swear, those Smash tournaments have turned you into a…”
With that, all four Rotomphones rang.
Breaking!!!
Each trainer’s face twisted as they read the headline further
Aether Paradise under siege, multiple terrorists cells involved, interdimensional tech stolen
“Elio, we have to...”
“No,” Blue ordered, “This is Gym Leader business. Darkrai bellow, this might even be Smasher business, depending on crazy that tech is..”
Red sighed without turning to look at them.
“I’m…um…” Lillie stammered, “I’m one of the heirs of the corporation that runs that town, and one of the defacto heads of it if we…”
Lillie shook her head, suddenly determined.
“Until we find my mother. And plus, Elio’s the current reigning and defending champion, meaning he has clandestine responsibilities just like you two.”
Again Red sighed.
Blue was already moving to follow Red, “C’mon, then we need to get to Aether Paradise.”
The Alolans bolted ahead, finding a reasonable place to call upon their Travel Pokemon for flight. Elio glanced back, barely picking up what Blue, who had an arm around Red’s shoulder was saying.
“What the heck’s been your deal lately man? The Red I grew up with wouldn’t think twice about helping someone in need.”
Elio saw the first bit of emotion register on Red’s face, pain.