Problems on a Galactic Standard (Pokemon Diamond/Pearl/Platinum Remake)

Chapter 21: Rematch

Terra got a lecture from his parents when they saw his bruised nose and refusing to tell them about what happened. Then, after seeing the backyard with some damage, they start to lecture him again and demand to know what happened. Terra scratches the back of his head uncomfortably as he responds.

"Tyranitar had a little too much fun trying to punch a Butterfree." Of course, they didn't believe him, but it was all they had to go off since Terra fell asleep soon after. And Zatel was busy giving Rio a bath, while Grotle waited in a separate room from everyone else. Zatel holds his breath, as he turns the water on in the tub, letting it fill, after making sure the water was nice and warm. Zatel goes out and grabs a clothes pin to pinch his nose shut.

"So, how did your talk with Terra go?" Zatel says while taking his clothes off and putting on his bathing suit. Rio is staring out the window of the medium sized bathroom next to the toilet.

"...It was okay." Rio responds still staring out the window while listening to the tub fill with water.

"Just okay? I mean... you duked Terra with an Ice Punch to his face." Zatel asks, glancing down at the tub. Seeing it nearly full, he walks over as he shuts off the water.

"Yeah... I did.... Though I wish I could've done a lot more to him than just that." Rio says truthfully as exhales deeply. Zatel sighs as he throws a soap bomb into the water to help get rid of Rio's stench.

"Are you still that mad at Terra?" Zatel asks walking back to Rio and placing his hand on his shoulder, holding in the urge to gag at his stench.

"I don't know about mad... I'm not sure what I'm feeling honestly... so many feelings are conflicting with each other. It likes my brain is a huge battlefield of emotions... Part of me wants to beat him so bad until he feels how I felt. Then another part of me is begging for me to forgive him." Rio says looking over after hearing the water get turned off.

"Huh... Interesting. I can't say I've ever felt like that. Sure, I was mad at Terra but that anger soon left once we got away from Terra, then I just felt sorry for him." Zatel says grabbing Rio's paw, and helping him stand up while guiding him to the tub.

"It's just... all I was ever told by Terra, and even Cynthia at one point, was to get stronger so I could protect you. I've tried so hard to get stronger, yet I feel as though I've made little to no progress." Rio says finishing his sentence before raising his toes and slowly dipping them into the tub to test the temperature. Once he felt its nice and warm, he steps into it, as he slowly gets deeper in the tub until his head is the only part of his body not hidden by the soapy water.

"You don't think you've become stronger since you were just a Riolu living with me at my house?" Zatel asks while grabbing some shampoo and squeezing some onto his hand. He then starts to gently massage the shampoo onto the top of Rio's head right between his ears.

"I suppose I've gotten stronger since then... But I don't just mean physically stronger. I want to be able to not be scared of anything..." Rio says closing his eyes as Zatel moves from the top of his head to the base of his snout between his eyes. "Yet, all Terra does is send Syvleon after me. Do you know how many nightmare's I've had because of that?"

"I didn't realize you had nightmares about that, why didn't you tell me?" Zatel asks a little surprised as he finishes the top of RIo snout, he moves down and starts on the bottom of his mouth and chin.

"I wanted too... But every time I was about to, I felt Sylveon's gaze on me. Causing me to wimp out." Rio says lifting his chin up so zatel can wash it better.

"What got you so scared of Sylveon in the first place?" Zatel asks pausing for a moment, to squeeze more shampoo onto his hands.

"It was when she evolved during that battle with Bagon. Watching her beat up that Bagon so mercilessly left me quivering."