Chapter 118: Sibling Banter and Trust

Lavender Town was too damn quiet.

The Pokémon Center lights flickered, casting long shadows across the floor. I sat on the phone chair, waiting for the call to connect, my eyes flicking over to Erin sitting at a nearby table. She was playing with Raichu, his electric cheeks sparking faintly as she rubbed his fur. She was always calm, too calm sometimes, as if nothing fazed her. And Raichu? Too eager, too cheerful, unlike my lazy Shadow, who lay dozing on the floor beside me.

I sighed, my fingers drumming against the armrest. "Are you sure you don't want to talk to your grandfather first?" My voice was steady, casual.

Erin didn't look up. She spoke in that soft, even tone of hers, barely above a whisper but clear as day. "I already did. He said he wanted to talk to you alone."

"Alone, huh?" I leaned back, crossing my arms. "But…"

"Don't worry." Erin's eyes flicked toward me, that calm gaze always unsettling. "If I talk with him while you're there, I'll hug you, and he'll get angry, like any grandfather would."

I chuckled, but the humor didn't reach my eyes. "You're right. I'm an orphan, so I don't know much about that."

Erin's gaze softened. "Don't say that. I'm with you, and your Pokémon are with you. And besides…" She paused, glancing at Raichu, who nodded eagerly before attempting to leap into my lap. Erin caught him mid-jump and stroked his fur gently. "My grandfather is your grandfather."

Shadow, ever the lazy one, woke up just long enough to nod in agreement before flopping back down to nap again. I stared at him, dumbfounded. "Lazy as hell…" I muttered under my breath. 

A grin tugged at the corner of my lips. "So, if your grandfather's my grandfather… does that make you my sister?"

For a moment, Erin just blinked, completely dumbfounded. The silence stretched on until I couldn't hold it anymore—I burst out laughing. Her lips twitched, and then she shook her head. "No… he's not your grandfather."

I chuckled and turned back to the video call. The screen flickered to life, and there was Professor Oak, his stern face filling the screen.

"Ah, Punit," Oak greeted, though there was a sharp edge to his voice. "I'm still angry, but if Erin likes you… well, I'll consider it. However—" his eyes narrowed, "you'll have to defeat me first. After you win the Pokémon League, defeat the Elite Four, and the Champion."

I blinked. Seriously?

I leaned back in the chair, my voice casual, almost dismissive. "That's it? Doesn't sound too hard. I was expecting something impossible."

Oak's brows furrowed. "Even if you manage that, do you think I'll just let it go? You'll have to come to Pallet Town and face me in battle. And trust me, you won't enjoy it."

A chill ran down my spine, but I didn't let it show. The man had a way of getting under my skin, but I'd never let him see that. Before I could respond, Erin shouted from across the room. "Grandfather!"

Oak sighed heavily, rubbing the bridge of his nose. I smiled, the kind of smile that sent people running. Oak's frustration was almost palpable through the screen.

"I sent your Master Ball to Professor Ivy's lab on the Orange Islands," Oak finally said, his voice clipped.

I nodded. "Good. How's my brother-in-law ?"

Oak's expression shifted from anger to confusion. "Brother-in-law? What are you talking about?"

"You know, the guy who caught a bunch of Pokémon but hasn't done much else. Just curious." I shrugged as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

Oak's eye twitched. "You focus too much on a few Pokémon. You'll need more if you expect to beat the Elite Four."

"No other Pokémon have caught my eye. But…" I paused, locking eyes with him through the screen, "have you considered me as Erin's future husband?"

The old man's face went blank, and then Erin, sitting a few feet away, burst into laughter. I kept my composure, though the corner of my mouth twitched. "Anyway, I want to swap Venusaur for Gengar. Venusaur doesn't need more training right now."

Oak shook his head, his lips pursed. "And how can you be so sure about that?"

I ignored the question, already placing Venusaur's Pokéball into the transfer slot. "I'm sending Venusaur for Gengar. Let's swap."

The Pokéball exchanged, and I glanced back at Erin. She stood up and walked over to me, her steps soft, deliberate. Before I knew it, she leaned in, and I kissed her—right there, in front of the screen, in front of Oak. It was quick, but deliberate.

The moment I pulled back, I saw Oak's face turn red with rage.

"WHAT—"

I disconnected the call before the man could explode further. Erin was still blushing, but there was a flicker of amusement in her eyes.

"Why did you do that?" she asked, her voice still calm, though there was a new warmth in it.

I just laughed, leaning back in the chair. Shadow stirred at my feet, but I could still feel Oak's looming anger even from this distance.