I'll Become Stronger

“Wha-what?! How did I lose to some kid?!” I wore a victorious smirk as I returned my Pokemon back to his Pokeball and tried not to laugh at how weak this ‘admin’ was. Tch, more like practice for the Elite Four.

“Well then,” The other admin with green haired curled her lips into her own creepy smile, I shivered in my spot. “I guess we’re just going to have to beat this girl two against one then.” Her purple haired friend looked over at her and nodded, making me gulp.

Huh, I guess I better explain myself before I get any further in the story, shouldn’t I?

Well then, the name’s Kenzie, Kenzie Dragneel! A few days after I moved to Vaniville Town, five kids (including me) in town were asked to go on a Pokemon adventure to complete the Pokedex and learn the secrets to Mega Evolution.

I’ve made friends with those other four, their names being Piper, Kat, Ryuu, and my top rival Riku. Piper is almost like a little sister, we battle from time to time and she loves all the cute Pokemon out there. Kat is my second rival, wants to battle all the time and she thinks that ice types are the best type out there. Tch, no way buddy! It’s electric and fire types all the way!

Anyways, Ryuu is more laid back then the others, he doesn’t want to be the Pokemon champion, he wants to complete the Pokedex, that’s his goal. As for Riku… he’s a different story.

After Prof. Sycamore gave us each a Pokemon from the famous Kanto region, Riku told me to meet him at this café. I went, and the words that came out of his mouth go as followed, “Listen here Dragneel, let’s make this into a contest, strongest trainer wins. We both have to go against the Elite Four and everything, ok?!”

At the time, I didn’t really like this guy. He was just… a jerk. Just because his parents used to be trainers doesn’t mean he’s all that! He even let me and Piper (cause Kat and Ryuu already got their first Pokemon) choose are first Pokémon before him! I’m not sure if it was to get the water type when I got the fire type or what (which didn’t happen, I got Froakie and he got Chespin after Piper got Fennlekin), but it only ticked me off. He showed us how to catch Pokemon and such before we all headed into the forest, telling us the fact that his mom and dad taught him this and that.

It made me wanna punch him so bad, but I didn’t and stayed silent.

As time went on, we battled more and more and I would always win. Before I knew it, we were battling over who got to get the only Mega Ring that was used in Mega Evolution. He told me a fake promise, saying that he wasn’t going to lose to some weak trainer like me.

Heh, look who got his ass kicked during that battle.

But… it was after that, when I saw a different side of him. He didn’t swear or fall to his knees and cry like he normally did when I beat him, but instead, smiled and walked over to me. Sadly, he’s taller than me, so I had to look up at him, but that smile…

I had to gulp back this weird feeling I got and everything, it was weird and I didn’t like it. But he placed his hand on my head and took off my hat, looking at it before taking a pin out of his pocket and pinning it onto the hat. He looked at me and poorly placed the hat back on my head, shielding my eyes from everything and anything. When I pulled the hat out of my line of sight, I saw him walking away with his head up high.

I slowly took the hat off and saw he gave me the pin I wanted when he was showing me around Lumious City. We had walked into the clothes shop and I saw this cool pin that looked like a lightning bolt that I wanted, but I didn’t have enough money to get it. He asked me if I wanted it and I said yes but…  I never thought he would actually get it for me…

But now we’re here, a few gyms later and I’m at the Pokeball Factory. I had just finished sneaking and battling into the room where the manager of the building was trying his best to keep the whole factory safe. Good thing these idiots didn’t lock the door either, so I just calming walked in. I cleared my throat loudly and fixed my hat, smirking as I did.

Being the bad guys, they all gave me smack before the red haired one challenged me to a battle and I kicked her ass in a matter of seconds, but now the other two at the same time? I know my Pokemon could easily take them on, but they’ve been battling for a long time without any trips to the Pokemon Center and I forgot to stock up on potions again…

I slowly started walking backward, gulping and shaking at two creepy women stomping towards me. My hands were shaking too much to reach for my Pokemon and my back ran into the corner. They looked at each other and smirked an evil smirk, the sign of pure evil in their eyes.

“Why am I so scared… Why?!”

I really didn’t know why I was so scared. My Pokemon could probably hold on a little longer and these guys are idiots who can barely battle.

Now that I think about it… It was probably the fact that looked so creepy and stuff… totally that. But I was still stuck in the corner of this small room like a cat corners a mouse. That was… until the door slammed open.

All heads watched as Riku came running in, huffing and puffing. He was sweaty from running and shouting, yet he still looked intimidating and fierce. He stared at me with a worried look before reaching for his Pokemon and calling them out.

“Kirito, let’s go!” His giant starter Pokemon came out of the small ball, the same fierce look in its eyes as Riku’s. The creepy ladies only laughed and reached for their Pokeballs, the creepy-ness level getting higher and higher.

I watched as they started walking towards my brown haired rival before I finally snapped out of it, reaching and grabbing my Rachiu’s Pokeball. “Go! Laxus!” Everyone watched as the Pokemon came flying next to the giant Chesnaught, both smirking at one another as they waited for their enemies to come as well.

Riku looked at me with wide golden eyes before shaking his head side to side, frowning and turning towards me. “Look here Dragneel, we both know your Pokemon need a break from battling! You never did take them to the Pokemon Center after your gym battle, did you?!”

I could only stare at him and slowly become angrier and angrier at what was going on. Here, in the middle of a battle, he was lecturing me?! OH HELL NO! Rage began to overcome me, and I couldn't hold it back any longer.

“That is none of your business Loser!” I yelled and pointed a finger at him. Everyone else in the room was silent as they watched us fight, even the Pokemon waiting to battle. My rage only continued, “Unlike your Pokemon, my Pokemon can take a beating from these idiots! And do you wanna know why? BECAUSE I’M A BETTER TRAINER DAMN IT! I KICK YOUR ASS LIKE IT’S NOTHING EVERYTIME! Heck, I don’t even need to go to the Pokemon Center before I battle you, even after a gym battle! THAT’S HOW BAD YOU ARE! SO YOU CAN’T TELL ME WHAT TO DO WITH MY POKEMON!”

The room remained silent as I huffed and puffed after my rage attack. My eyes widen as I finally realized what I said, those horrible things I said. I started shaking again after scaring even myself at my words and rage that seemed to come out of no where. He didn't even say do anything but tell me, one time, that I couldn't battle. And just for that one thing he said, I snapped at him. “Riku… I…”

“No.” His voice was low and his once shiny eyes were hidden by the shadow of his bangs as he looked at the ground. I didn’t even know what to do, what to say, so I do the simplest and most unlike me thing I could think of…

I cried.

Even those idiot admins haven’t moved an inch as I fall to the ground and start crying. I hid my face within my hands at my pitiful state as sobs left my mouth. This wasn't like me at all. Yelling in rage at one moment and then crying the next... I'm so confused...

And I didn’t know why I cared so much if I hurt his feelings, I really didn’t. A few months ago, I would be laughing and patting myself on the back for doing what I did, agreeing with every word I said. But now, it’s different.

“I’m sorry.” I choked out the words that were slightly muffled since my hands were still over my mouth, and I swear I saw him flinch. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m so, so sorry!” I looked up and the world around me was blurry and hard to see, but I could make out his figure standing in front of me. “I’m so-“

“I said no damn it!”

“Huh…”

He bent down and wrapped his arms around me, tighten his grip after a few seconds. “You’re right…” His voice spoke, surprising me a little. “You’re right. If I can’t even beat you in a battle, how can I protect you from anything that may cause you harm?”

“What are you…”

“So I will become stronger… don’t you worry, Dragneel.” He pulled away from me and I saw a fire in his eyes that I’ve never seen before. It somewhat felt comforting to see. “That’s why I’m gonna beat you, maybe not now, and maybe not in few days, but I will beat you someday, and when that day comes…” He stood up and held out his hand for me to grab. I was hesitant, but slowly reached out to grab the hand waiting for me. He pulled me up and tighten his hand into a fist, a smirk on his face as he did so. “Then I can protect you.”

I wiped my tears away and nodded at his weird reason. Me needing to be protected? Him protecting me? Ha, only in his messed up little world!

But I let it pass this one time.

“Well then, we have a battle to finish, don’t we?” I said as I faced the Team Flare admins, both getting their creepy smiles back.

“Wasn’t that cute?! The little trainer boy thinking he can beat the trainer girl AND protect her? Ha, he probably can’t even better us!” The green haired one laughed at her own statement, the other two joining her.

“Tch, just you watch ladies. We’ll see what you have to say after we beat you in battle!” Riku said as he turned to face the battle field… which was oddly an office.

I just have to say it now… this isn’t gonna be an office once this battle is over, let me tell you.

)()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()(

“H-how?!”

“That’s impossible! How can two trainers be that good at such a young age?!”

The admins whined for a few minutes before high-tailing it out of the factory. I was about to chase after them, but Riku held me back and shook his head no. I frowned and pouted, turning the other way.

“But they would have been so easy to catch up to! Plus I-“

“Plus you still have your Pokemon to take to the Pokemon Center, correct?” I fell silent at his words that were true. Ugh, why does he have to be right?! WHY?!

The manager of the factory chuckled at me and my rival before thanking us for all we have done. We told him it was nothing and before we could say he didn’t have to give us anything, he gave us a Master Ball and a Big Nugget.

“Oh, I don’t need-“

“Please, it’s for everything you did for the factory, it’s the least I can do.” I stared down at the two objects and thanked the man for his kindness. He nodded and left to go check on the rest of the factory as me and Riku started walking out.

“Hey Riku,” I started as we walked on the metal bridges within the building. He turned to face me and had to flick his hair out of eyes before asking me what I wanted. “How… Did you know I was getting in trouble?”

“Oh, so you were in trouble after all?”

“Not now you baka! I’m being serious!”

He laughed and looked at the ceiling above us, a giant skylight shining down on us. “The room’s windows might have been closed with blinds, but I could still see some shadows. I figured you would have made it to the bosses by now, and I thought you might have barely won your battle against one of them…” He looked down at the ground in front us, his whole body tensing up. “So I got scared and thought you needed help…”

“Geez! Thanks for believing in me!”

“Well when someone starts backing up slowly, you kind of get ideas!”

“Looks like the love birds did it again.” We both jumped as the rest of our mini group showed up. I narrowed my eyes at the main speaker out of the three. “What do you want Kat?!”

“Nothing, just wanting to know my surrounds is all.”

“THAT DOESN’T EVEN MAKE ANY SENSE YOU DAMN ICE TRAINER!”

“Says the girl that got lost in the Professor’s Lab!”

“THAT SHOULDN’T EVEN COUNT AS A LAB FOR A BUILDING THAT BIG!”

Everyone else only laughed as I stormed ahead of them, Piper coming to catch up with me. She tugged on my shirt and smiled at me, “So did you and Riku-san beat the bad guys?”

I looked at her and sighed, “For the most part… But they did get away. Sadly… This whole ‘Team Flare’ thing isn’t over yet.”

“So?” We all turned to face the Pokedex master, who was smugly eating a chocolate bar? “We’ve got some of the best trainers right in this very room.” He looked at me and pointed to whole group of us, mocking me about how I’m ‘dense’ sometimes.

Damn jerk.

“Haha, thanks for the help, jackass.” I said back, full of sarcasm. He waved me off as we all counted to the Pokemon Center, mostly because someone won’t get off my case if we didn’t go!

But I guess that means he cares… Which, I may or may not mind…