Chapter Text
Life wasn’t fair.
Blue learned from a very young age that no matter how hard you worked, if someone worked just a little harder they could and would rip everything from you. His accomplishments, his title, and both of his best friends had been torn away from him in the span of two years but he couldn’t do anything about it.
Yeah, life wasn’t fair.
He was tired, that’s why he lost. At least that’s what he kept telling himself. In all honesty the kid who had decided to walk into the gym and demand to battle that day was just an amazing trainer. He had commanded his Pokemon with such skill Blue couldn’t help but be a little amazed.
Grinning, more to himself than to the kid in front of him, he dropped the badge into the younger boy's hands whose eyes shone with excitement.
“Congrats kid, you did pretty good.” He said, rolling his eyes all the while still smirking.
“Thank–thank you.” He spuddered, still in disbelief of his win.
With eyes still as bright as ever, the kid ran out the gym laughing with his Typhlosion trailing right behind him. Blue had expected that to be the end of it. He would go back to his day to day life of challenging young trainers right before they went to the elite four. But to his surprise that didn’t happen.
The next week that same kid came back with the same huge grin on his face and pep in his step. Blue had assumed he wanted a rematch, but instead the kid just started talking to him.
It started off as nothing in particular, just general conversations of Pokemon, battle techniques and occasionally how their day had been going and it had become a bit of a routine for the two.
Ethan, as he later introduced himself as, would swing by once a week and the two would just spend the day together. Sometimes they would go out for lunch. On rarer occasions he would drag along one of his Johto friends. It felt nice, just having a friend again.
“Watcha workin on?” Ethan asked, looking over the older boy's shoulder.
“School paper.” Was all he said before going back to editing his work.
“I didn’t know you went to school.” He half joked earning him a playful punch from Blue.
“Not yet,” He explained. “I have to submit a paper then see if I got accepted.”
“Oh,” Ethan commented thinking for a moment. “Well what are you gonna do about the gym?”
“Beats me,” the older trainer shrugged. “They could burn this whole place down for all I care, just as long as I can get my stuff from the top apartment first.”
“You hate this place that much?” Ethan asked now with a more serious expression.
“More indifferent than anything else,” He shrugged. “I just don’t wanna be fighting toddlers for the rest of my life I guess.”
That had gotten a major laugh out of Ethan. He was practically in tears at the mental image of Blue getting swept by some toddler with a Pichu and nothing else.
“Mind if I ask you something?” Blue asked seemingly out of nowhere.
“Sure man go ahead.” The other boy responded, wiping away small tears that had built up in his eyes.
“Why do you come here so often?” He asked his tone now a bit more serious “Not that I mind, I know I’m pretty great."
The two started laughing again as Ethan playfully punched his shoulder.
“I dunno you just kinda…remind me of someone.” The younger boy said, looking down a little.
“Are they like, still around?” Blue asked, his tone turning serious once again at Ethan’s expression dropping.
“Oh no, not like that!” He quickly answered, waving up his hands in defense. “I just don’t get to see him all that often, we’re both kinda busy…”
Blue gave him a sympathetic smile and placed a hand on his shoulder. He knew what the kid meant in a way, and yeah, Ethan reminded him of someone too.
The winter months came flooding in sooner than expected. Snow coating the whole of Kanto seemingly overnight. Blocking roads and causing work and school to be cancelled for the majority of the region.
However, it was a luxury Blue didn’t get. Sometimes he wasn’t sure if living just above his gym was a blessing or a curse. Sure he got to live on his own, but that also meant he couldn’t call out whenever he didn’t feel like working that day.
After much coaxing from Eevee, he managed to pull himself out of bed and into his cold kitchen. He attempted to make himself an omelet before having to drag himself into the gym, which was somehow always colder.
Of course his breakfast didn’t come out the way he wanted it. It looked more like he just threw an egg into the pan at full force. In some parts it was over cooked while undercooked in others. He was also convinced that some of the egg shell managed to sneak its way in
Sighing, he poured the egg on a plate, taking it as a sign for how the rest of the day would go. Maybe some salt could fix it? Before he could attempt to make his breakfast a little more tolerable a major cold spike caught his attention.
“Hey Blue it’s me!” Ethan yelled, stepping into the apartment.
“Just comin’ in like you own the place huh?” Blue joked, but it came out a little more bitter than he meant it too. Ethan didn’t notice or just didn’t care because all he did was give a chipper “yep!” and sat down at the teens kitchen table.
Sighing, he put his plate on the table and joined the younger trainer. Who knows, maybe Ethan was what his mood needed.
“You’re here early.” He commented, shoveling a fork full of too salty eggs into his mouth. Turns out he was right about the egg shells.
“Couldn’t sleep, got on the ferry here at like three.” He smiled, playing with a small envelope in his hand. “I actually had a battle with Brock as his ‘warm-up’”
Blue couldn’t help but smile at Ethan’s words. Of course Brock was up at three in the morning, and of course he saw battling the literal champion of Johto as a warm up.
“Didya whip the floor with him?” He asked, still smirking.
“Oh yeah, it was embarrassing.”
The two burst out into a small bit of laughter at that.
“Oh right,” Ethan shouted, suddenly stopping his laughter and handing over the letter he was just playing with. “I got your mail for you, it was about to fly out of the mail box.”
“Oh thanks,” Blue replied in genuine surprise. “You didn’t have to.”
“Well as payment you can tell me what it is.” Ethan teased, watching as the other boy's eyes went wide in what he could only assume was surprise.
On the envelope read in big bold letters. “Kalos School of Science and Engineering.” Without even giving the other boy any answer to his question the redhead practically tore the envelope open and ripped the letter from inside.
He had barely noticed the other person's presence as he scanned through the letter as quickly as he could, searching for the one word that would make or break the rest of his life.
“‘Dear Blue Oak,
It is with great pride that we welcome you to the Zoology program here at Kalos School of Science and Engineering. You have been given this opportunity due to your outstanding academic achievements as well as your participation in Kanto’s Indigo League Gym Challenge.
Financial details as well as any scholarship opportunities will be sent in a separate letter in the following weeks.
We look forward to having you this coming Spring.
Sincerely,
KSSE Admissions.”
“Oh it’s just one of the schools you applied to.” Ethan said, like it was no big deal. “How many of those have you gotten already?”
“This is the third one.” He said, mouth agape.
“Isn’t that a really snooty school too,” The young boy added, while laughing a bit. “Like all the rich kids with too much money go there so they can just work at their families lab or something?”
Blue only nodded absentmindedly. Rereading the letter over and over again like it would just disappear out of his hands and he’d no longer be able to attend. Finally his ticket out of Kanto was placed directly in his hands, he’d just have to confirm that he would be attending.
“You’re not actually thinking of going right?” Ethan asked, his tone sounding less jovial than it had just a moment ago. His expression grew even sadder when Blue didn’t answer him.“Please tell me you’re not.“
His voice turned into a soft beg, as pitiful as a child's.
“I-I don’t know,” Blue answered as honestly as he could. “Do you know how good this school is Ethan?”
“Yeah but…I won’t be able to see you.”
“Ethan I’ll still visit.” Blue reassured but it was clear the younger trainer wasn’t having any of it.
“That’s not the same!” He shouted tears welling in his eyes. “Kris is already going to Paldea, Lyra’s always busy helping out her grandparents, and now you’re going off to another region. I’m gonna be all alone.”
“What about Silver?” He asked in a last ditch effort.
“Like he likes me,” He replied, rolling his eyes. “He’s made that clear.”
Oh Arceus he wasn’t good at this. He just wanted this kid to stop crying.
“Can’t you go somewhere closer there’s tons of good schools in Johto, I’ll even let you room with me.”
“Ethan…”
“Please Blue,” He whispered, full on sobbing at this point. “I don’t wanna be alone.”
“Dude look.” Blue tried to say, placing a comforting hand on the younger kid's shoulder, only for it to be quickly slapped away.
“No, don’t,” He mumbled. “I don’t want you to excuse why you’re leaving, I just want you to stay.”
He felt anger build up in his chest. All he wanted to do was scream at Ethan that the final decision hadn’t even been made yet. But even if it had been, why would it matter?
Why couldn’t he be just a little happy for Blue?
Couldn’t he see this was a dream come true for him? A way to get as far from Kanto as he could.
Somehow, he held back. His mouth felt like it was on fire, the vitriolic words begging to be released burning on his tongue.
“I’m just gonna head home,” Ethan finally muttered, shuffling his way to the door. “I’ll, uh see you later Blue.”
He hadn’t really noticed before, but his cheeks were starting to stain with tears. Shaking his head and whipping away the tears he turned back into his apartment. Now wasn’t the time for throwing a fit over a dumb fight. He had work to do.
As he looked back at his apartment one last time before leaving for the day, he reminded himself. Life wasn't fair, and Arceus forbade he’d forget that.