Chapter Text
Davis sat in the principal’s office, his pokémon nestled in their poké balls on the healing machine just outside the door. He gripped his baseball cap tightly, wringing the brim as if it would somehow free him from the stress of the situation. Sitting before him was the principal, as well as Red… Champion Red… the one he had only seen on TV up until now.
‘No biggie,’ he lied to himself. ‘He’s just a boy like you, right? He’s not a grown-up. He’s just another kid.’
Red seemed to have a different disposition than earlier; his hat was tilted downward to the point the brim overshadowed his eyes, and he hadn’t spoken a single word since their introduction. There was a seriousness to him – as if something that Davis had done was unforgivable.
“Davis… Do you know who that feraligatr belonged to?” Mr. Franchino asked, leaning forward in his leather swivel chair.
Davis remained silent.
“Champion Red took time out of his exploration of the Johto region to come here and deal with the situation. Do you know why that is?”
“Because Ladis was blowing everything up?” he replied, feigning ignorance.
“Red is here because of the feraligatr.”
“Why? It didn’t do anything wrong. Ladis is the one who was hurting people!”
“Ladis and his father have already apologized to everyone, and they are big supporters of the school.”
‘There it is…’ Davis thought. He had often heard his father complain about how people with money could get away with anything they wanted, and sure enough it looked like they were about to do so again.
“校長先生, may I?” Red chimed in. “Davis-chan, what are pokémon to you?”
“To-mo-dar-chi.”
Red perked an eyebrow, then smiled. “Do not speak Japanese if you don’t know. I can speak English well enough.”
“Sorry.”
“いえいえ!” Red smiled. “Next question: what helps you to win battles?”
Davis thought for a bit. “Training together.”
“What kind of Trainers do you wish to battle?”
“Anyone, I guess.”
“Which do you think is more important: Strong pokémon or weak pokémon?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Davis replied.
Red sat back in his chair, hands clasped together.
“Okay. And what is most important for raising your pokémon?”
Davis thought hard about the question. There were so many answers he could give, but only one stuck out to him – the one his grandfather had told him: “My pokémon are my partners. Winning is not everything, and if I forget that then they become tools – like a lighter. My Gung taught me that!”
Red tilted his head, peering out from just under the brim of his hat.
“I love my pokémon! Rayedge is my best friend, and Dandie… even though we just met, she cares about me too. That’s why she came back. Just like Gung said!”
“え？ 彼女？” Red said, surprised. “校長先生, may I see Davis-chan’s hanecco’s poké ball?”
The principal assumed he meant hoppip, and rightly so. Red pulled out his Pokédex and scanned the ball, and after a moment he smirked.
“Hanecco has no gender difference, but you knew it was a girl,” he said. Red put the friend ball on the table, and lurched forward again. He looked up from his cap at Davis with a friendly. “You must love your pokémon a lot if you can tell so easy.”
Davis nodded slightly, afraid of what would happen next.
“校長先生, Davis’s grandfather is not who I am looking for.”
Davis’s eyes widened, realizing Red knew exactly what was going on the whole time.
“The International Police will work with your school to find out who is giving kids Dark Pokémon. But it is not this boy’s grandfather.”
“Do you think his grandfather is…?”
“Maybe,” Red interrupted. “But not anymore. Not if Davis is telling the truth.”
“Okay then,” Mr. Franchino said, then turned to Davis. “You’re dismissed. Take your pokémon and go back to class.”
Davis nodded quickly, and grabbed his poké balls. On his way out, Red stopped him by the shoulder.
“Davis-san,” he said, firmly.
Davis stopped dead in his tracks, a jolt down his spine.
“…”
Without a word, Davis knew exactly what was being said. His heart raced wildly as he gripped his poké balls tightly.
“I promise.”