Rekindled

Chapter 3 - Old Friends

It was nearly morning and Green did not have a good night sleep at all ! He was feeling conflicted, thanks to a call he received from Red's mom earlier that day-

"Green, honey, I have a favor to ask." Her voice sounded pleadingly hopeful. 

Red's mom was a teacher in a nursery school in Pallet Town. Green remembers her telling that this was an excellent coping mechanism to cope with Red's absence. Her own kid, who she cannot spoil, might be away from her, but the fact that she can brighten up lots of others at least partly made her feel good. She hoped that someone would take care of Red like that as well.

This year was rough for her. With the school expanding, they decided to hold special classes and activities in middle of vacation.

"As much as I desperately want to, I cannot visit Red for the next two months. Green, its been very long since I last met him. I just want to be sure he is doing okay."

Of course, leave it to a mom to worry for her child - even if he is the Kanto champion. 

"Green, please do me a favor. I will be so much at ease if you can check up on Red. Please Green!"

Green recalled instinctively declining it citing his Gym reasons. Lucky for him, the lie sounded convincing and Red's mom bought it with a sad sigh. And since then Green has that uneasy, clenching feeling in his chest. 

Can't run away forever.

Green sighed. It has been so long since he ever heard, or thought of Red, but he silently wished it to go on forever. There is a lot of conflict in his head with that three lettered name. Partly his' fault, partly Red's and partly the circumstances.

He remembered when he lost the Kanto championship. He flew home sulking and just plopped down on his chair. Daisy, who was sitting and reading her novel, acknowledged his presence but gave him the necessary peace and quiet he needed to get himself together.

"Water?" She faintly asked after a while.

"Yes, please...."

She gave him a faint smile as he gulped down the water, sitting across him, ready to listen.

"Want to talk, brother?"

"...I guess I should..."  Green started, "You know, me and Red both started our journey to be Pokemon Masters...."

She nodded, signalling him to continue.

"Well. As we started, I felt happy. I was better than him. I had something to show off each time we battle. Now...now he is just better." Green sighed, "I am happy that he improved. But...now he is better, he doesn't need me anymore, right? Is that how one feels when he falls off as a rival?"

"Green..." Daisy hugged him. "I will repeat. A battle lost never means you are inferior." She proceeded to speak more, but bit her lip, as if unsure if she should say what she intends. She sighs and decides to anyway continue, "Green, you are not upset that you lost the championship."

"Huh?"

"You are more upset that now since Red doesn't need you, you both might fall off..."

It felt like a pang in heart to Green. As much as he wanted to shout at his sister for this, words did not come out of his mouth. He could not deny...

"You are obsessed with Red. And its not the rival-obsession. You remember how worried you were when you heard he is taking down Team Rocket in Saffaron?"  She lifts his chin so they both look each other in the eye.