Pokémon: A Tale Of Time (Volume One: Zephyr)

Chapter Forty-Six - Support From Back Home

Raido continued to walk towards the Pokémon Centre, the late afternoon sun casting a golden glow over the city. Beside him, Nidoran walked proudly, though her steps were slower, showing the fatigue from the intense battle against Fanale. Raido twirled his new Zephyr Badge between his fingers, its blue and silver hues catching the sunlight. He could still barely believe what had happened.

As he walked, his phone rang. Lifting it up, he saw his mom's name flashing on the screen. He clicked the accept call button and was immediately startled by excited, high-pitched screaming. His mom's face filled the screen, her eyes wide with joy as she jumped around with unrestrained excitement.

"Raido! Raido! I saw the battle on TV!" she exclaimed, her voice a mix of pride and happy tears. "You were amazing! Oh my goodness, I'm so proud of you!"

Raido chuckled, trying to keep up with his mom's rapid shifts in emotions. "Thanks, Mom. It was... it was pretty intense."

"And Nidoran! Oh, my sweet girl, you were fantastic!" his mom continued, her eyes welling up. Then, her expression shifted to fury. "Why didn't you tell me you were battling? I could've missed it! Raido, how could you?"

Embarrassed and taken a little off-guard, Raido scratched the back of his head. "It was sort of a last-minute thing, Mom. I didn't know for sure when I'd be battling," he explained, chuckling as he tried to play off his mom's furious eyes.

His mom's face softened again, quickly shifting back to pride. "You were amazing, Raido. And Tyrunt! When did you get a Tyrunt? He was incredible! I can't believe you've already got a new partner. You're just like your brother, always surprising me."

Her words blurred into a mesh of high-pitched sounds as she could barely contain herself. Raido bashfully chuckled, trying to get a word in between his mom's excited emotions. He pointed the camera towards Nidoran, who chirped happily, her little nose twitching with pride.

"Oh, Nidoran, you sweet thing! You were so brave! Good girl!" His mom cooed through the camera, and Nidoran purred with pride.

That's when his mom tilted her camera, and Raido was greeted by his older brother, Domuno. His mom tried her best to get Dom to congratulate Raido, but like a typical competitive brother, he brushed off Raido's achievements.

"Not bad, little bro," Domuno said with a smirk. "But don't think you're in the big leagues yet. Gym Leaders only get tougher from here. Better not think you'll ever overtake me. I've already beaten four Gyms."

Raido would have liked a genuine congratulations and praise from his brother, but he knew this was Domuno's way of being proud. Accepting the taunts with a smile, he felt more determined than ever to keep going on his journey and one day beat his brother in a battle, earning his respect once and for all.

The call continued, with brief conversations with other people back home cheering him on. Professor Elm appeared on the screen, giving Raido a thumbs up. "Great job, Raido! I knew you had it in you. Keep up the good work!"

"Thanks, Professor Elm," Raido replied, feeling the weight of the day begin to lift. "Nidoran and Tyrunt really gave it their all."

Professor Elm nodded, his expression serious yet proud. "You've shown great potential. The way you strategized during the battle, it's clear you have a strong bond with your Pokémon. Keep nurturing that, and you'll go far."

Raido felt a surge of pride at the professor's words. "I will, Professor. I promise."

Some of his friends popped in and out of the call, offering their congratulations. "You were amazing, Raido! That battle was something else!" one of his friends exclaimed, their face beaming with excitement. "Nidoran and Tyrunt were incredible!"

Raido even had a moment of embarrassment when Megane came on camera, cooing happily about how great he was.

"You were so amazing, Raido!" Megane gushed, her eyes sparkling. "I knew you could do it!"

Raido flushed bright red, his heart racing at the sight of Megane. Her praise ignited a firework explosion of feelings inside him, and his knees went weak. He tried to play it cool, but everyone laughed at his clear bashfulness.

"Nidoran was a star out there," Megane continued, her voice filled with admiration. "And Tyrunt, too! You've got such a great team."

Raido bashfully chuckled. "Thanks, Megane. It means a lot coming from you."

The screen tilted back to his mom, her face beaming with pride. Raido hesitated for a moment before asking, "Hey, Mom... have you heard anything from Dad?"

His mom's expression faltered slightly, her eyes softening with sympathy. She sighed, feeling sorry for Raido. "I'm sorry, sweetie. I haven't heard from him yet. But I'm sure he'll get in touch with you soon. He's probably busy with work, you know how he is."

Raido sighed, a bit of disappointment seeping into his sea of happiness and pride. "Yeah, I know. Thanks, Mom." He forced a smile back on his face, trying to brush off the disappointment.

His mom's face brightened again. "You just keep doing your best, Raido. Your dad will be so proud of you when he hears about this. We all are."

Feeling a bit better, Raido nodded. "Thanks, Mom."

The call continued with more well-wishes and congratulations from friends and family back home. Finally, Raido led the conversation to a close. "Thank you, everyone. I promise to come home and see you all soon," he said, his voice filled with gratitude.

Everyone screamed their goodbyes down the phone, and Raido bid them farewell. Nidoran chirped happily, enjoying seeing everyone again. Ending the call, Raido took a deep breath. The phone call had been a lot to take in, but it filled his heart with the amount of love and support from those back home.

As he continued his walk to the Pokémon Centre, he felt a renewed sense of purpose. The journey ahead would be challenging, but with the support of his friends and family, and the bond with his Pokémon, he knew they could face any obstacle. The Zephyr Badge glinted in his hand, a symbol of their first victory and a promise of many more to come. With Nidoran by his side, he was ready to take on the world.

Raido entered the Pokémon Centre, feeling the weight of the day lift off his shoulders. The familiar smell of the Centre, the sight of trainers and their Pokémon, and the comforting hum of the healing machines made him feel at home. Nurse Joy greeted him with a warm smile.

"Congratulations on your victory, Raido," she said, her eyes shining with genuine happiness. "Would you like me to take care of your Pokémon?"

Raido nodded, handing over Nidoran's and Tyrunt's Poké Balls. "Thank you, Nurse Joy. They did an amazing job today."

Nurse Joy nodded, taking the Poké Balls with care. "We'll have them back to full health in no time. You should get some rest too."

Raido found a seat in the waiting area, his mind racing with thoughts of the battle, the victory, and the support from his loved ones. He felt a sense of contentment and determination. The journey ahead would be tough, but he knew he had the strength and support to face it.

Raido sat in the Pokémon Centre's waiting area, exhaustion weighing heavily on him. The vibrant activity around him began to blur as his mind drifted back to the intense battle and the wave of support from his family and friends. He twiddled the Zephyr Badge between his fingers, watching it glint in the light, barely believing what had transpired.

Suddenly, a voice pierced through the fog of his thoughts, startling him. "Raido..."