Now before you even start reading, please read this author's note:

1. This is the first story that I published in this site. Constructive reviews and criticisms are appreciated. Positive short comments are welcome too.

2. It's Pokémon. Yes, I'm just one of the many Pokémon fans out there, thus I do not own Pokémon, nor any characters, creatures (the Pokémon themselves), items, and settings in it.
Pokémon is owned by Nintendo and developed by Game Freak.

3.1. This story is about HonorShipping (FalknerxMorty). Meaning, it has a shonen-ai theme (but it might evolve to something stronger as the story progresses)
3.2. As of September 2012, I added Humor as the story's second genre. It'll be more noticeable on later chapters.

So... Don't like, don't read! There is to be no flames in the reviews section.
Thank you for reading the author's note! You may now proceed to the story.

An Honorable Relationship

Chapter 1: A Colorful Bond

"Ouch! I'm awake! Oww! Stop it!" That was just how I woke up in the morning if I had overslept, being pecked by my bird Pokemon, Pidgey in this case. Yes, there is a priority. Most of the time, Pidgey's peck is enough to wake me up. If I haven't woken up, Pidgeotto will peck me next. In very rare occasions where Pidgeotto's peck is not able to wake me up, Pidgeot will peck me. I have been pecked by Pidgeot in the morning, and that experience was enough to motivate me waking up at the right time.

After that rude awakening, I did everything I have to do in the morning; get some breakfast, take a bath, put on my usual clothes, and walk my way to the Gym. It was 11:40 AM. Normally, I'm ready for battles at 10:00 AM. Outside the Gym, three Bird Keepers, which were my Gym Trainers, and Mr. Bryde, the caretaker of the Gym, were waiting for me. I unlocked the sliding door to the building, and the five of us went inside.

I walked onto the wooden platform which brings me up to the sky-high area of the Gym. Finally, I had to wait patiently for Trainers at the other end of the Gym. Waiting is boring, but luckily, as I am the first Gym Leader in Johto, I have the most number of Trainers who will come to challenge me. Before the Pokemon Trainers can come and challenge me, they have the option to first battle three Gym Trainers that can help warming up their Pokemon.

Thirty minutes had passed, and there was only one Trainer so far. Too bad he lost against one of my Gym Trainer. Then I heard my Pokegear ringing, and I quickly picked it up before I had taken a look at the name of the person who called me. "Hello?"

A voice came up from the Pokegear, "Hello, Falkner? It's me, Morty. Say, I'm sorry if I ask you this all of a sudden, but can you help me here?"

Morty? It was quite unlikely that he called me, especially that early in the afternoon. But then again, I was almost never being the first to call the other Gym Leaders. I asked him back, "Huh? Help you to do what?"

But Morty didn't give me a direct answer, "You should just come here and see for yourself. I think you would understand easier by coming here than if I tell you from the Pokegear."

As I had no reason to refuse, and I didn't have anything enjoyable to do at that moment, I decided to go to Ecruteak City to help Morty. "Okay, I'll see you there soon." I hung up the Pokegear. I went back down and told Mr. Bryde to tell the Pokemon Trainers that the Gym Leader would be away for a while. Outside of the Gym, I withdrew Pidgeot from his Poke Ball, and flew on Pidgeot to Ecruteak City.

I landed on an empty lot in the city. Then I put Pidgeot back into his Poke Ball and looked around. Morty was standing near the entrance to Bellchime Trail. I approached him, and said, "I'm here. So what did you need my help to?"

"Ah, Falkner, come with me, I'll explain once we're at Bellchime Trail," answered Morty. I was already curious before I arrived in Ecruteak, and judging from the way Morty talked, it seemed that he needed my help for something very important. At Bellchime Trail, Morty pointed his forefinger to the Bell Tower. "Look at the roof of the fourth floor, can you see it?"

I looked at where he pointed, but I didn't see anything out of the ordinary. "See what?"

"Up there, there's a rainbow-colored feather," he answered. I looked at where Morty stated, and that's when I saw what had caught Morty's attention all this time... a Rainbow Wing.

I responded, "Uh... okay, so it's one of Ho-Oh's wings. What am I supposed to do with it?"

Morty chuckled, and then he answered, "Isn't it obvious? I need your help to get that Rainbow Wing for me." Urgh, so I came all the way here just to get him a piece of Pokemon feather.

Knowing the situation, I sighed. "Morty, can't you get it yourself? Or just tell one of your Pokemon to get it for you? Your Gengar is able to levitate isn't it?"

Morty replied, "My Gengar wouldn't want to go that high, so I thought I need the help of a bird master to get that Rainbow Wing." That sounded like a sarcasm to me. He could just ask someone else in Ecruteak to get that Rainbow Wing for himself, or like what I had suggested, get the item by himself with the help of a Pokemon.

"But why me? Are there no Bird Keepers around Ecruteak?"

My voice became a bit louder, but Morty still answered all my questions with a soft voice, "Falkner, don't you get it? The Rainbow Wing is a delicate item. If it's torn even a little bit, I might miss my chance to encounter Ho-Oh for the first time. That's why I chose you to help me."

There was something I didn't understand; Morty, who lived in the city where the Bell Tower stood, never encountered Ho-Oh? That didn't sound right. Perhaps Morty had seen Ho-Oh many times, but I guessed that didn't mean he had faced Ho-Oh eye-to-eye. I was going to ask him about it, but so I wouldn't prolong this conversation, I reluctantly decided to get the Rainbow Wing for him.

I withdrew Pidgeot again, and flew up high to the Bell Tower. As I approached the Rainbow Wing, I told Pidgeot to slow down so the wing wouldn't get swept away. I carefully reached for its quill, pinching it between my fingers. Then I returned back down, and gave it to Morty. "Here's your Rainbow Wing."

He looked at the multicolored wing, rotating in all direction to check up on it. He closed his eyes, smiled, and said, "Hm, you're able to bring the Rainbow Wing without a scratch, I'm impressed!"

I remained silent by Morty's praise, basically because I felt as if he was just using me to do an errand that he should have done by himself. "Can I go back to my Gym now?"

While still focusing on the Rainbow Wing, he answered, "Ah yes, you can go back now."

I had already been filled with anger at that moment, so I told my Pidgeot who was behind my back to hurry back to Violet City, but not so loud that Morty would know that I was angry. I got on top of Pidgeot. I and Pidgeot were back to back with Morty. But when Pidgeot had spread his wings, Morty shouted my name, "Falkner! Wait just a second!"

Without even looking at his face, I responded with a low voice, "What?"

He said to me, "Falkner, please don't leave yet, I only want to say thank you. And I'm sorry, my attention was caught up by the Rainbow Wing earlier." I turned my head to look at him, and I cooled down a little by his words. Morty continued his words, "Falkner, your help was very meaningful to me. Really, thank you." He ended his words with a smile on his face.

His smile seemed sincere to me, and so I replied with a soft voice, "You're welcome. Anyways, I'll go back to Violet city now."

Then Morty said, "Well then, take care of yourself." He was still showing his sincere smile as I left, and I realized my anger had completely gone at that moment. Well, at least Morty showed his gratitude to me. Upon my arrival in Violet City, I was glad that I was able to return with a calm mind, or else those Zephyr Badges would fly onto the hands of Pokemon Trainers easily.

That's the end of the first chapter of my very first story I published in this site. Phew...