Episode 2: Akai's POV
Wonderful... I thought while staring down the next trainer. He was a tough-looking guy that appeared capable of breaking several of my bones if he lost. Simply wonderful... WHY DID MR. ASH HAVE TO BE AWAY?!?!?!? I cleared my throat and began my usual speech. “I apologize for the inconvenience, but Mr. Ash isn’t here right now. I would be more than willing to battle you, however, if you so choose. Should you win, you will still obtain your Earth Badge.”
“Shaddup, pipsqueak.” The challenger gruffly said. “I’m ‘ere to battle the famous Ash Ketchum-” Technically Ash Oak, but no one needs to know that. I thought while spacing out as he threw insults at me and demanded to see Mr. Ash. This happened every time someone came here and he was gone. I understood that Mr. Ash was busy with Mira and all but for Chrissakes, she was already 15! He didn’t have to be home for her everyday! Especially since whenever he was home, I was in charge of the gym as a replacement for him and no one really liked that. Somehow, Mr. Ash could get away with almost never being here. I honestly don’t know why he just doesn’t close it when he’s gone- Oh, that’s right. Because he has me.
I adjusted my glasses and brushed my black hair out of my red eyes. “Again, Mr. Ash has placed me in charge of this gym while he is away. You battle me for the badge. Or perhaps you can wait for Mr. Ash to return which – judging by his schedule – is at least a week away. And you don’t want all of your hard work to go out the door like that, now do you?”
The tough guy finally understood. “Alright.” He said reluctantly. “I’ll battle ya, shortstack. But I’d better get my badge, ya hear?”
Yeah, yeah. Keep blabbing. “Referee, if you would be so kind.” I motioned to Chris who was the young blonde referee here at Viridian gym. Nice guy, if I say so myself.
“Of course, Akai-san.” It always felt so good when someone referred to me with my proper Japanese honorific. Many a people forget to do that. “This battle is between Second-in-Command Gym Leader Akai Shigeru and Challenger Damian Derep! This will be a three-on-three match, no substitutions! Challenger, are you ready?”
“Bring it on!” Damian shouted, pulling out his first pokeball.
“Akai-san, are you ready?”
Let’s just get this over with. I nodded.
“Begin battle!”
“Go, Arbok!” He shouted, throwing his pokeball in the air.
I hate snakes. “You know what to do, Gyarados.” Cool as ice, I tossed Gyarados’ pokeball and waited for it to come back. “Gyarados, use Dragon Rage.”
Within minutes, Damian was huffing and puffing out the door, furious with losing to a shrimp like me.
“Thanks for reffing, Chris.” I took off my glasses with a sigh and began cleaning them off. “Honestly, I don’t understand why they can’t just battle me without complaining-”
My rant was cut off by extremely fast clapping by the stands.
“Great job out there, Akai-kun!” Mira bounced over to me with a broad smile on her face. “I’m surprised that you took him down so fast! I always assumed you were weak-”
“Shut up.” Frustrated, I put back on my glasses and glared at her. She always insulted me like that and yet if I even TRIED to hurt her, her dad would kill me. Professor Oak might be regarded as kind, but he is the devil when someone tries to hurt his precious daughter.
In speaking of which, he appeared right behind Mira. “Akai-kun, I have a favor to ask of you.” Professor Oak placed his hand on her shoulder.
“Yes, sir?” Gary Oak might not have been my boss, but he did have the ability to kill me and get away with it.
“I want you to go with Miranda on her Pokemon Journey. She will be leaving tomorrow.” He flashed his chilling smile at me that affirmed my suspicions that he wanted to murder me. “Don’t be late.”
Oh, crap.
