Chapter V: The Departure

Noise filters into Green's subconscious long before his alarm goes off. He cracks one eye open, reaching out automatically for Leaf, who makes an incoherent noise and scoots closer against his side.

He rolls his head on the pillow so he can check the time. 0700. The noise from outside sounds like people—a lot of people. "What the hell," Green mumbles. Leaf issues another sleepy protest and rolls over, tucking her head under his chin. "Do you hear that?" he whispers at her.

"Too early," she complains, the words muffled by the bedsheet.

Green throws the cover off and gets up, frowning blearily. It's a Sunday—his day off from the gym—and Leaf also has the day off from work. It's a rare occurrence. He had plans for this morning, ones that mostly involved his girlfriend and sleeping, and he doesn't intend to let anything or anyone ruin them. He flicks the blinds open, ready to tell the crowd below that whatever sporting event they're celebrating, they can kindly do it somewhere else—before he slams the blinds shut and leaps back.

Leaf sits up in bed at the rattling of the blinds, her hair sticking up at odd angles. "Green?"

"Cameras," he mutters.

Leaf is at his side in a flash, and the two of them together peek cautiously through the blinds. There's a small forest of cameras waiting below them, some of them still raised in the hopes that Green will make a reappearance.

"What do they want?" Leaf says around a yawn.

Green's voice is tight with anger. "Who else?" he mutters.

Leaf grabs her bathrobe from the hook on the door and puts it on while Green wakes up his laptop. A quick glance at the Viridian Sun's top headline confirms his suspicion: The Prodigal Champion Returns!

"The League party," Leaf says, nodding. "There was probably a press release. But how did they figure out he was here?"

One of Green's hands buries itself in his hair as he skims the article. "Did you check the answering machine yesterday?" Leaf shakes her head. "Me neither," he says. "Come on."

They move to the kitchen. Leaf checks the window there as Green moves to the island and presses the button on the answering machine. "Three new messages," the automated voice says.

"Green? Leaf? Hello, it's Red's mother," the familiar voice says, her calm tone undercut with tension. "There are some... people here, looking for my son, and I thought you might—"

Green hits the delete button to clear all of the messages at once, then braces his hands against the island, hanging his head. Leaf walks back to him and rests a hand on his shoulder. "They're out there, too," she says, somewhat unnecessarily. Then: "Oh."

When Green looks up, Red is just rising from the couch, awakened by the sound of his mother's voice. Green's eyes narrow at him. "Thanks," he says. "Because of you, there are reporters outside."

Red's eyes flash with panic.

"They started looking for you after the party," Leaf says quietly, her eyes following Red as he moves to the window. Green has leaned down to put his head in his hands, the small tabletop tiles digging into his elbows. Red carefully pushes the blinds open and then jerks back, just like Green had. "They'll probably go away in a few days."

"They could go away now," Green growls. He lifts his head to meet Red's gaze. "Just a few words, Red. That's all they want," he mocks. "How hard could it be?"

Leaf frowns. "Green—"

"I have to go to work tomorrow. I don't feel like fighting my way out of my own house when the person they're looking for doesn't even belong here." Red doesn't respond, and after a moment, Green's head drops back into his hands. "Great," he growls. "Just great."

Red sits down on the couch slowly, staring at the closed door. Leaf looks at the two of them, then sighs. "Red," she calls. He doesn't turn. "Red," she calls again, louder, and he jumps. His eyes are wide when he looks at her. "Green and I were thinking about going on a road trip through Unova," she says. "Sounds like it would be a good time for you to come, too."

Both men stare at her in shock.

"I didn't say he could come!" Green shouts.

Leaf shushes him, drawing a finger to her lips. "They're right outside," she reminds him, and Green reluctantly settles back.

"I don't want him to come," he repeats.

"We can't just leave him here," she says in a low voice. She gestures at Red. Green glances at his bowed head and hunched shoulders, then quickly turns his gaze to the opposite wall with an aggravated sigh.

"Red?" she calls softly. He looks up again. "Do you want to come with us to Unova?"

Red's eyes flick to Green, whose face is turned away, his arms folded. Then they flick to Leaf's kind smile, and finally to the window, with the waiting crowd just beyond it. "I...I don't know," he says quietly.

A voice filters through the door, making all three of them cringe. "Leader Green? Are you in there?"

"Well, it looks like we're not going anywhere for a while," Leaf says. "Why don't you two just think about it? I'm going to use the shower first," she says, pecking Green on the cheek, before she returns to the bedroom.

Green's foot begins to tap a fast rhythm against the floor. He paces a few steps, and then turns, hemmed in by the small kitchenette. "You're just always attracting trouble, aren't you, Red?"

"This isn't my fault," Red whispers.

Green snorts. "You could have stayed up there forever. Certainly would've made my life a hell of a lot easier." Red shakes his head, and Green strides out of the kitchen to stand in front of his old rival, glaring down at him.

"Why'd you do it?" he demands in a low hiss. "Why'd you let that kid beat you?"

Green watches the variety of emotions that flash across Red's face before his expression shutters. He laughs, but the sound is mirthless.

"Well, when you figure it out—" he gestures at the closed window blinds— "just let them know."

Green marches to the bedroom and throws himself onto his bed, stretching out to take up as much room as possible. The shower's white noise helps to filter out the sound of the crowd outside.

"I hate my life," he mutters, and thinks about how it would be to pretend to be someone else for a while, on a continent far, far away.

—

Lyra's bedroom hasn't changed all that much since she and Ethan were kids. Her shelves are still lined with the same dolls she used to blackmail Ethan into playing with on their playdates. The walls stand as a testament to old obsessions: posters of boy bands and cutesy magical girl animes ripped out of magazines are still affixed there, the corners drooping where the tape has lost its adhesiveness.

It's comforting to Ethan, in a way. After working hard to make it so that his surroundings match the landscape of his most ambitious dreams, finding something constant grounds him. New Bark Town in general is like an old security blanket from his childhood; he may have outgrown it for all intents and purposes, but he still takes a secret pleasure in clutching it to his chest.

He sits on the floor, his back resting against the side of the bed. Lyra sits on edge of the squeaky mattress, bending forward from her vantage point to comb her fingers through his hair. Her bare feet propped on his shoulders, she hums along to a familiar pop song that plays on the plastic, princess-pink radio set.

Ethan's eyes are closed, but his mind is racing with thoughts he can't yet bring himself to say aloud. Instead, he cracks an eye open. "What is it with you and my hair?"

"I'm jealous, obviously," Lyra replies, deadpan. "My hair just doesn't compare."

"Obviously," Ethan agrees.

Her fingers bury themselves in his hair to start scratching at his scalp. "Besides, you know you like it."

"I would like it better if you scratched a little more to the right. Now go up... more..." When she hits the spot, he closes his eyes and sighs thankfully.

"And you wonder why everyone and their mom thinks we're dating," Lyra says wryly.

He snorts. "Please. As if I would ever lower my standards to date you."

"I think," she says, punctuating her words with a wrenchingly painful pull of his hair, "that you have that backwards."

Yelping, Ethan swats ineffectually at her hands. "Lyra—ow! C'mon, quit it!"

"Not until you say you're sorry," Lyra sings sweetly.

He resists as long as he can, but alas, even the Champion's valiant courage has its limits. "Ouch! Okay, okay—I'm sorry!"

She loosens her grip and resumes massaging his scalp, like nothing had happened. "I accept your apology," Lyra says magnanimously.

He barely manages to bite back a retort. Knowing Lyra since they were both toddlers has acquainted him well with the manner in which her counterattacks only escalate in severity. She had probably learned that from playing with Ethan and the other boys in town for most of her life, and—though he would never mention it aloud—he has to admit that she's learned well.

"So," Lyra begins, "are you going to tell me why you're here?"

Ethan lets his head fall back onto the mattress. Fluttering his eyelashes, he pouts at the upside-down Lyra in faux sincerity. "Am I not allowed to visit my, like, best friend ever?"

She rolls her eyes. "No. At least not if you don't have anything new to say to her."

"Ouch."

Lyra's smirk mellows into a grin. "No, but really. You're usually too busy with 'Champion stuff' to bother with little old me. What's this about?"

"I was kinda, sorta..." Ethan says slowly, pausing to chew on his bottom lip between words, "hoping that you'd give me some advice."

"Advice?" she repeats. "What for?"

He sucks in a deep breath, considering. "Uh—well..."

"Is this about Silver?" Lyra interrupts, her tone suspicious.

Ethan splutters as the mental image of his self-proclaimed rival replaces the much more pleasant one in his mind. "S-Silver!?" he squeaks. His face goes the color of slowpoke skin. "What the hell made you bring up Silver?"

Giggling, Lyra looks away and twirls one of her pigtails around her index finger. "Some of your fans think the two of you have great chemistry."

"What fans?"

She shrugs nonchalantly. "Some members of this online forum." Her eyes meet his. "You're practically a celebrity, Ethan. You might as well get used to stuff like that."

He scowls, mulling it over. "I guess," he concedes, albeit reluctantly. "It doesn't mean that I have to like it though."

She lets silence settle between them for a minute or so before prompting, "Speaking of like..."

Before he can open his mouth to reply, his pokégear begins vibrating in his shorts. Both he and Lyra stare at each other in bewilderment for a moment before Ethan shoves his hand into his pocket and fishes it out. At the sight of the name on the screen, his cheeks turn a telltale shade of pink. Flipping it open, he lifts the receiver to his ear, hiding the screen from Lyra's curious gaze.

"H-hello?" he says, his voice cracking embarrassingly.

"I know this is probably really odd and presumptuous of me to ask," the voice on the other end of the line whispers, "but how fast can you whip up a media shitstorm?"

Ethan blinks a few times. "Huh?"

"It's horrible, Ethan," Leaf moans. "The press got wind that Red is staying with us, and now they're camped outside our apartment building and snapping pictures of us each time we look out the windows. Green hasn't been able to make it to work, and he blames Red for everything, naturally, even though Red's been staring into space without saying a word since this morning." She pauses, seemingly for dramatic effect. "It's gotten so bad that Green actually agreed to my idea."

Mindful of Lyra's interested stare, Ethan tries to keep his voice level. "Your idea? You mean that, uh, trip?"

"Yes," Leaf confirms. "We already bought the tickets and everything. Our flight to Mistralton leaves tomorrow morning, but I don't know if we'll even make it in time if the paparazzi hounds us all the way there."

Ethan nods a little. "So... you need my help?"

Her sigh manifests itself as a wave of static in his ear. "I'm really sorry to put you in this position, but I don't really know of anyone else that they would be more interested in."

"Okay," Ethan says. "Yeah, I'll do it." He doesn't exactly know how yet, but he'll do it.

Leaf's gratitude is practically palpable. "Thank you so much!" she whispers. "Your next five—no, ten meals at the diner are on me, okay?"

"That sounds a little lacking to me..." says Ethan, trailing off.

She snorts. "Don't push your luck, Champ." After a meaningful pause, she says, "If you come through really spectacularly, I might consider fifteen."

"Deal," he says immediately.

"Thanks again," Leaf says fervently. "Really, Ethan. You're a lifesaver."

"It's no problem," he replies.

The moment he puts the pokégear down, Lyra is on him like a pack of houndour. "Who was that?" she demands.

"A friend...?"

Lyra smacks him on the head. "Bullshit," she declares, jumping off the mattress and stalking over to stand in front of him. She towers over his seated form, her hands on her hips. "You practically lit up like a Christmas tree when you were on the phone!"

Sheepishly, Ethan scratches at the back of his head. The tips of his ears are bright red; there really is no way to dodge her questions. "She's... this girl, okay."

"She sounded like more than a girl to me," Lyra interrupts.

Ethan covers his face with his hands. "Okay, okay. She's this girl—woman who really helped me out when I was in a tight spot, and we became friends..."

Lyra is practically jumping in place. "Oh my god, oh my god."

"You're enjoying this way too much..."

"How can I not?" Lyra nearly shouts, gesticulating widely. "My best friend in the whole wide world has a crush on some woman!" The sound of her giggles is almost effervescent.

Ethan bites his lip. "Uh, well. She's... kinda already with someone..."

His best friend pauses mid-giggle, her eyes wide. "You're crushing on someone who's already in a relationship." It's not really a question.

Nodding guiltily, he goes on, "It's not like I wanted to. It just happened."

There is a pregnant pause between them as Lyra processes the situation. "But she called you just now," she says slowly. "Why did she call you?"

"One of her friends is kinda famous," he explains, "and reporters are waiting for him outside their apartment. They have tickets for a flight, but they can't get out. She asked me to do something to help them."

Lyra frowns. "Let me get this straight," she says, crossing her arms over her chest. "She wants you to cover for her while she and her famous boyfriend run off to some exotic locale?"

"The famous guy is her friend. Her boyfriend is a gym leader," he corrects.

"Is her gym leader boyfriend going too?" He shrugs, and Lyra's eyes narrow at him. "There's no difference then!" she exclaims. "Why would you help her with that? You're acting like a doormat!"

Helplessly, Ethan shrugs again. "She asked."

"Wow," she mutters. "You haven't had it this bad since my sister!"

Ethan scowls. "Can we not bring that up again?" Mocking him about the way he'd mooned after Kris as a kid is still one of Lyra's favorite pastimes. Groaning, he continues, "Look, I said I would help her. I am going to help her." He takes in the pitying look of disapproval on her face, and in that moment, he makes his decision. "I have a plan," he says decisively.

She doesn't look convinced. "What kind of plan?"

There's no turning back now, he thinks. "I'm going on that trip too."

Lyra blinks at him, incredulous. "You're going to stalk this girl and her boyfriend?"

"N-no!" Ethan protests. "It's not stalking! Besides, I—I know that she isn't happy with the way things are in her life right now. If I just—if I really try, I know things will work out." He can hear something desperate insinuate itself into his tone, but he plods on anyway. "I need to do this," he insists, "but I need your help too."

"You're talking about breaking up a relationship here," she points out.

"I know," he says. "I have to do it anyway."

For a few moments, Lyra only stares down at him. Ethan keeps his expression resolute, his desperation keeping the doubts within him from showing on his face.

Finally, she speaks. "If it were anyone else," she says, "I would try to talk them down. I know you though; you never back down."

Ethan beams, a wild hope blooming in his chest. "So you'll help?"

She nods. "I can't let you make a fool of yourself," she says. "At least not alone."

In a rush of movement, Ethan rises to his feet and embraces her. "You're the best friend anyone could ever have, Lyra," he says.

"I know," she replies, pulling away and out of his arms. "But before you get too grateful... I have an idea about this distraction thing you need to create."

He cocks his head to the side curiously. "What?"

In retrospect, Ethan should have refused the second he saw that devious smirk spread across her features.

—

After staring at the phone for almost ten minutes, Red finally decides to punch in the familiar sequence of numbers. He waits while it rings, his heartbeat heavy against the inside of his chest.

There is a click. "Hello?"

"Hi, mom," Red whispers into the phone.

"Red?" His mother's voice sounds concerned and slightly breathless; she usually hangs the laundry outside around this time of day. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." He shifts the phone on his shoulder. "I'm still staying with Green and Leaf."

"Oh, good," she sighs. "I knew they would take care of you."

Red doesn't know what to say in response to that, so he doesn't say anything. He picks at a loose thread in the carpet, trying not to breathe too loudly.

"What is it?" his mother asks quietly.

"They—want me to go on a trip with them. To Unova."

She pauses before she speaks again. "That sounds like it might be a good idea," she says slowly. "At least until things quiet down. Have either of them been to Unova before?"

Red shakes his head, then remembers and says, "No."

"Hmm." He can hear the echo of her voice change as she moves through the house. "Well, Pikachu will be with you. You should be fine." There's silence on the phone line for a moment. Red fans his fingers out, feeling the rug's rough fibers tickle his palm. "But there's something else, isn't there?" she asks.

Red takes a deep breath. "Green and Leaf. They're...different."

"They are," she agrees. "You all are. The three of you have grown up so much since you left home."

Red waits.

"But they're still your friends," she says. "Aren't they?"

"I don't know," he murmurs.

She pauses, thinking. Red presses his fingers more deeply into the carpet and digs his fingers in. The plastic weave that holds it together bites into his fingers. "Do you want to be their friend?" his mother asks.

Red takes a moment to think about it. "Yes."

"Then maybe this road trip will be for the best," she says, sounding relieved. Leaf is the daughter she never had after all, and she's always been fond of Green, even when he was at his worst. "You'll have time to get to know each other again, and you'll get to see a new region, too." She clucks her tongue at him, softly. "It's not good for young trainers to stay in one place too long."

Red doesn't say anything, and his mother lets the silence linger. Finally, she asks, "Do you have time to visit before you leave?"

"The flight is tomorrow," he says.

"Well, that's okay," his mother replies. "Have fun, and call me when you land, okay?"

The plastic is starting to hurt where it's digging into Red's fingers.

"You'll be okay," she says gently. "Life is all about taking risks, and I've raised you well."

He nods. "Okay," he whispers. "I'll call."

She says good-bye and hangs up. Red gets up and places the phone back in its cradle on the kitchen island, then walks to the bedroom door and knocks.

Leaf opens it, looking expectant. Behind her, there are two large suitcases fighting for space on the bed, each one half-packed. Green is standing by the farthest one, looking at him. He's not pleased, but he doesn't seem angry either.

"I want to go," Red tells her. Leaf's eyes brighten, and Green turns away, reaching for something else to jam into his bag.

"Great! I'm glad we don't have to waste the extra seat," she says. "It's a good thing you don't have a lot to pack."

Red nods and pulls the door closed. He's going to Unova, he thinks.

He nods again, this time to himself, and goes to tell Pikachu.

—

Leaf sits on the couch, morosely munching her way through a bag of carrot sticks. Their flight leaves in a few hours, but they're still trapped in their apartment. After calling in to the diner and using all her vacation time, Leaf would really hate to miss this window of opportunity. "That's what I get for trusting Ethan, of all people," she mutters to herself. Somewhat ferociously, she bites hard into another carrot. The crunch is only fleetingly satisfying.

Abruptly, the noise in front of their building spikes. She barely glances up at first, but when the sound level doesn't drop, she stands with a sigh and walks to the window. She's cautious as she peeks through the blinds, then quickly realizes that she doesn't need to be. The reporters are packing up their cameras as fast as they can and running down the stairs. From their shouts, she makes out "Champion," "girlfriend," and "scandal."

"Green! Red!" she yells, racing back towards the bedroom. Red pops his head out from the bathroom, and Green looks up from the book he's been reading. "They're leaving!"

All three of them go to the front window to check. There are still one or two reporters in front of their house, angrily finishing the work of packing their things up to leave. Then they, too, are gone.

There's a moment of stunned silence before Leaf begins to laugh thankfully. "What are you waiting for?" she demands of the two boys. "Come on, let's go! Before they change their minds!"

There's a flurry of motion as the three of them grab coats and bags, check one last time that all the lights and appliances are off, and then run out of the apartment. They take the stairs to the roof three at a time, thrilled to finally be outside in the open air. Once they're on the roof, Pidgeot and Charizard appear with near-simultaneous flashes of light.

"We're going to Fuchsia," Green shouts to Red as Leaf hops up behind him, and in the next moment the two pokémon are powering their way upwards, towards the clouds and out of sight.

Fuchsia International Airport is the only airport in Kanto that services Unova Airlines. Green and Leaf take point on Pidgeot while Red and Charizard soar a few wingbeats behind them. They're up high enough that no one should notice them, and once they get into the airport itself, security should keep them safe from the press.

Green glances at the ocean as it flashes by. Leaf is holding a scarf around her nose and mouth, and her other arm is wrapped around his waist, sharing warmth between their bodies. He leans forward until he's almost against his pidgeot's neck, focused on navigating. It's been awhile since he's flown to Fuchsia; the last time was for the exhibition match against Janine, and that was back when he first became a gym leader. How long ago was that? Four years now?

Maybe Leaf is right—maybe he could use a vacation. This trip to Unova, however, definitely doesn't count.

Fuchsia City is first visible as a tiny point on the shore, and he gives Pidgeot the signal to start coasting down towards it. A quick look behind him confirms that Red is following their landing pattern. They're over the city in ten minutes, but the airport is just outside the city limits. Technically, it's a no-fly zone for trainers. There are legitimate concerns about airbound trainers and their pokémon colliding with the airplanes that are taking off and landing, but Green's never been one for rules.

The two pokémon fly low, turning heads as they pass over the jammed, spiralling roadways that lead to the main departure and arrival gates. They finally land by the Unova Airlines terminal, the wind from their pokémon's flapping wings buffeting pedestrians and making some cars screech as their drivers try to figure out what's going on.

"Act casual," Green says to Leaf over the sounds of shouting. He dismounts first and digs out his wallet, seemingly unfazed by the security that's running towards them.

"Sir! You can't—"

"Sorry, we're in a hurry. Official League business," Green says, flashing his gym leader identification.

He lets one of the guards take his ID and scrutinize it, turning back to his pokémon. Leaf hands down their suitcases before offering him her hand. As Green helps her slide off of Pidgeot's back, one of the security guards says, "No one told us about this."

Green rolls his eyes and returns Pidgeot to his poké ball. Charizard has already been recalled. "Must have been a mix-up with the paperwork. Honestly, that's not my problem." He plucks his identification from the security guard's fingers and gives them all a lazy two-fingered salute before he starts to walk away, Leaf and Red trailing behind him. "Good work, guys."

"Thanks for understanding," Leaf adds as she passes the guards, giving them her prettiest smile. Red pulls his cap lower as he passes them by.

"Was that really necessary?" Leaf hisses the moment they enter the air conditioned terminal.

"We're late," he says, distracted as he looks for Unova Airlines's check-in. Once he sees it, he starts towards it, hearing Red and Leaf fall into step behind him. He snorts, almost amused but mostly irritated; whenever he travels, Red always seems to follow, almost like the shadow he can't get rid of.

The line at the desk is short, and Green breathes a sigh of relief once their bags are checked in. As they follow the signs to security, Green takes Leaf's hand. Red trails behind them, looking around in every direction. Suddenly, Green remembers that he's never left Kanto before.

"Having fun?" he asks Leaf. She grins at him and snuggles against his arm.

"Yes," she says. "Unova, here we come!"

"Security first," he reminds her, and she gives him a good-natured groan.

—

"Your shoes," Green says to him. Red gives him a confused look.

"You have to take your shoes off and put them through the x-ray machine," Leaf says, gesturing to the large set-up in front of them. "And if you have anything metal, you have to drop it into the bin." She hands him one, and he takes it, bewildered. After a moment of watching Leaf kick her shoes off, he starts to fumble with his watch strap.

A man comes by, holding a tray with six poké ball-shaped depressions in it, and Green drops his team's balls into it without comment. The man walks away, and Red starts to say something, then stops himself.

"They check your pokémon to make sure they're not carrying any dangerous items," Leaf continues, pointing towards a second machine that resembles a pokémon center's healing station. "That's why I just left my pokémon in the box for now; you get through security faster that way, and you can just pick them up at the pokémon center in Mistralton."

The guard comes over to Red next, holding the tray out. Red takes Pikachu's ball off his belt and hesitates. "Come on, there's a line," the man says, gesturing impatiently with the tray, and Red quickly drops all of his poké balls in. He keeps an eye on them as they're placed in the queue in front of the machine.

"Step through," another guard says, gesturing at the metal detector. Green and Leaf are already on the other side, gathering their things, and he manages to walk through without fanfare.

Red is relieved once his pokémon are given back to him. The guard smiles and says, "First time flyer?" When Red nods, she continues, "Don't worry. Your pokémon are safe and sound. Have a nice flight." He mumbles his thanks and clips them back onto his belt. Then he grabs his backpack and the bin with his stuff and pads towards Green and Leaf in stockinged feet.

Leaf helps Green with his necklace clasp as Red jams his feet back into his shoes. As Green turns away and shrugs into his jacket, Leaf grabs her purse, the first to be ready, and grins. "And they say girls are slow," she says.

The airport reminds Red of the Celadon Department Store: there are crowds of people and stores everywhere. The difference is that the people around him speak several languages, and the view through the windows has sleek airplanes moving slowly beneath the midmorning sun.

Leaf doesn't give the shops more than a glance, easily keeping pace with Green until they find their departing gate. "We're at gate C28 for Mistralton City," she tells him. "Remember that, okay?" Red frowns at her but nods anyway.

She glances at the TV screen overhead, whose headline reads Champion Ethan's Gay Scandal! in yellow letters. She winces at the sight of a grainy recording of a pigtailed brunette yelling at Ethan, who raises his hands in a mixture of placation and panic. "It's over!" she screams. "I know all about you and—" and the screen cuts to a shaky video of a scowling, redheaded boy leaving a Pokémon Center and trying to keep his face covered.

Leaf clears her throat. "I'm going to go... look around," she says. "Do you guys want to come?"

Red has already released Pikachu, and the two of them are moving towards the floor-to-ceiling windows to stare at the planes. "I'll come with you," Green says. "I'm kind of hungry."

Red barely notices as they leave. His breath lightly fogs the glass as he and Pikachu watch a distant plane pick up speed down the long straightaway, the piercing whine of the engines increasing in volume as it zooms by. It lifts off the ground with almost painful slowness, but gains altitude faster than he expected. It's out of sight within minutes, and Pikachu cries out with excitement.

Fifteen minutes later, a large plane turns in front of his window, tugged by a vehicle that looks far too small to be towing something so huge. Signallers walk backwards, beckoning the vehicle closer to the building with the bright red cones in their hands. UNOVA AIRLINES, the side of the plane reads, and its tail is banded in stripes of gray, black, and white.

When the plane is in the right position, the signallers disperse, and an accordion-like walkway extends from the building to the door on the side of the plane. The people around him look up at it, and begin to gather their things.

Red looks at Pikachu, who has placed his front paws on the glass in an imitation of his trainer. Our plane, he thinks, and feels a rush of butterflies well up inside his stomach.

—

They bought their tickets much too late for any of them to get window seats, unfortunately. Green and Leaf are sitting next to each other, with Leaf taking the aisle and Green sandwiched between her and another passenger. Red is beside her on the other side of the aisle, in the large middle seating section. "International flights are the worst," Leaf says. "I'm glad we've got a stopover in Hoenn."

Green nods, double-checking the poké balls on his belt. His hand lingers on Eevee's ball before he reaches up, turning the air on. A peek out the far window gives him a last glance at the Kanto's low fields, with Fuchsia City's skyline in the distance.

"Please turn off all cell phones and electronic devices," the flight attendant calls, but Green's pokégear has been off since they left the house. He's not in the mood to talk to anyone right now; he's too focused on what's to come. Leaf leans across his lap to get a look out the window herself. "Red, can you see?" she calls across the aisle as she leans back. Red twists and turns in his seat, and eventually shakes his head.

With a slight jolt, the plane begins to move. Green half-listens as the screen in front of them plays the customary pre-flight video, checking his seat belt when it goes over how to properly fasten it, turning away with disinterest when it talks about emergency landings. The flight attendant closest to them moves in time to the video, her movements quick and rehearsed. Soon afterwards, the attendants disappear to their own seats.

"Cleared for takeoff," says the speaker overhead, and there's a pause of a few minutes before the engines begin to roar.

Green allows the building momentum to flatten him back in his seat and turns to look at Leaf. She's nearly bouncing in place with excitement, a huge grin on her face when she catches Green's eye. Her hand finds his and grasps tightly.

He looks past her to the young man sitting silently across the aisle, his face emotionless. Red doesn't look back, and eventually Green turns to the tiny bit of window he can still see, watching the ground and sky rush past them. He tilts his head to rest against Leaf's and feels the earth drop away.

Over 9,000 kilometers to Unova, on a flight with one stopover and at least eighteen hours in the air. There's a twelve-hour time difference with Mistralton, and a thirteen hour difference with other parts of the continent. It's farther from Kanto than he's ever been. He's...excited? Worried? Annoyed? But he feels calm, almost happy. He squeezes Leaf's hand in his and leans against the chair.

Five and a half thousand miles to go, he thinks to himself, and kisses Leaf on the cheek.

"We're off."

A/N: We apologize for the delay between updates, though we do hope that it was worth the wait! Part II of this fic will be about the road trip, so be sure to stay tuned for that in the near future!

Thank you for reading! As always, reviews are much appreciated!