Invisible by Marvech93

Chapter 7: I'm alive

One more week and then I'm done with school. I'd be celebrating but I have two essays and a math final to prep for. This is one of my favorite chapters in the book bc well.. You'll see. Enjoy!
Chapter 7: I'm alive

"Are you mister Blue Oak?"said a voice somewhere behind his shoulder the wandering trainer already decided was annoying.

The blonde teenager was just finishing the cup of lemon tea he had just gotten from some shop in Goldenrod and he was on his way back on the road for another expedition. Whoever was interupting his moment of relaxation better have a damn good reason.

Blue took the time to finish his now lukewarm tea before turning around, making his disinterest clear. He was expecting some pesky bug catcher to challenge him but he was only mildly surprised to see a middle-aged suit and tie wearing snob and he immediately noticed the Indigo League insigna sown on his blazer.

"There is only one Blue Oak, pal, and he's pretty busy,"the boy said, examining his fingernails dissmissively. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the penguin-suit man flinch slightly. It was a reaction Blue was used to provoke in many people. They weren't used to being talked back to by an eleven year old.

The black suit man cleared his throat to shake off his surprise. "I am an official representative of the Indigo League and I have been instructed to find you because the League wants to offer you a job."

Blue raised a curious eyebrow. He didn't know what he was expecting but it certainly wasn't that.

"The Indigo League sent a guy in a suit and tie all the way to Johto to offer me a job?" he asked in a mixture of disbelief and suspicion. "They must be pretty desperate," he then snickered.

The representative did his best to hide his irritation at the teenager's arrogance. What was the League thinking hiring this obnoxious boy? "They wish to offer you a very prestigious and might I add, well paid job as the new Viridian City gym leader."

The man seemed pretty proud of his sales pitch. Blue was tempted to spin him around and tell him to get lost but his curiosity held him back. Him? A gym leader? And not just any gym but the most respected one in Kanto? Blue vaguely remembered hearing that the former gym leader had abruptly abandonned the position not long after he and Red had battled him (Blue won his battle first, of course). They hadn't found anyone to replace him yet? Something sounded pretty fishy about this...

"Why me?" he inquired. "Why did you take so long to try and find a replacement for the old one?"

"Well, you see, the position was intially intended for former champion Red Papenbrook after he decided to resign his champion title. Unfortunately, he's nowhere to be found since he did. Considering that you have been a champion yourself, you seemed like the next best choice." Maybe Blue imagined it, but he could have sworn he heard a hint of mockery in the man's voice.

The poor fool was completely oblivious to the annoyed twitch on the corner of Blue's mouth. He had no idea how bad of an idea it was to call him the 'next best thing' compared to Red. Curse the stupid League and their inability to recognize true talent!

The wandering trainer was strongly tempted to send his Arcanine after the idiot and set his ass on fire. The League didn't want him. They wanted Red. Who did they think he was? Some pathetic kid who would gladly accept someone else's scraps? What made them think what wasn't good enough for Red was good enough for him? They didn't know the first think about Blue Oak if they thought he was gonna stand for it.

It's not like he needed the money. He made money faster than he spent it because of all the trainers whose asses he kicked during his travels and for the moment being, he didn't need a home to go to. He was perfectly content with living on the road ever since he left Pallet Town a year ago. However, Blue took note of the fact that the man had mentionned 'prestige' when describing the job. Viridian City's gym was the citizens' pride and joy. The former owner had given the establishment the envious reputation of being the toughest gym of them all and the viridians constantly bragged about it. That was before the former gym leader had all but dissapeared after both Blue and Red had fought him and now the League was missing a vital part of their system. They had to find a trainer worthy of the position. Of being the toughest leader of them all. Apparently, the gym had been closed down ever since and in the absence of a trainer who would hand over the Earth Badge, all the upper levels of the League were paralyzed. No one could come and try to claim the title of champion without the Earth Badge. It was only natural they had come after their latest champion, considering he was not interested in staying on the plateau. But even if they had found him, Blue knew Red wouldn't have taken on the offer. Knowing him as well as he did, the youngest Oak knew that staying in one place was not in his neighboor's nature. It wasn't in his either, really, but...