#guy who wants to learn about pokemon AND genuinely has flop moments? what more could a man want to try fill that hole in his heart

[grumpygilly]

im sure ingo still scratched that itch in his brain to look out for his immediate family - him being close with the clan is why he takes no action during the MCs banishment - but i know this fucking bloke became his new pookie the minute he watched him trip over his own feet

[rhnuzlocke]

Episode 14

Scene 6:

[Ren and Kai finally reach Fortree city, and Ren drops Panahi off at the Pokemon Center. They make their way to their expensive hotel, looking much too damp and bedraggled to be staying there. Ren pulls out her nav while they wait at the front desk and texts Wally.]

Ren: Are you coming tonight or tomorrow?

Wally: Tomorrow. Why? Do you two need a chaperone? (*⸰‿-)

Ren: No! Just making sure.

Wally: Making sure you’re alone? ʸ(➜◡ु⚈᷉)♡⃛

[Ren blushes and furiously types out a response.]

Ren: NO. NOT THAT EITHER. How come you are never this sassy in person?

Wally: Didn’t know I was allowed to be. (✿´ ꒳ ` ) Will take this into consideration from now on… JK I could never do this in person. I’d totally chicken out. ( ⚆ _ ⚆ ) Texts are so much safer.

Ren: Except that they are recorded.

Wally: Touché.

[A bellhop appears and takes them up to their room. There are two twin beds, a bunch of bean bags of varying sizes and a cute little table with two chairs. Ren and Kai take turns showering and unpacking before ordering dinner and eating it in their pajamas. Ren explains about Josh and what she has learned about Team Magma while they eat and after as they sit on their beds. Their pokemon are scattered about the room, mostly dosing on bean bags. Eventually Kai is out of questions and Ren out of explanations and they just sort of lay there in silence for a while thinking it all over. After a time, Kai stretches and sits back up, swinging his legs over the side of his bed to face Ren.]

Kai: Soooo, I have a hypothesis for you.

Ren: Oh yeah?

Kai: I hypothesize that this person you have a crush on is… Steven Stone!

Ren: What?? Your hypothesis is INCORRECT.

Kai: I'm pretty sure I saw you checking him out.

Ren: [blushing a little and sitting up] I was not!

Kai: All this time I thought it was something embarrassing. But this is totally understandable. I felt a little overcome myself. [He fans himself for emphasis.]

Ren: [turning to face him] Kaiiii!

Kai: I'm saying you don't have to be embarrassed about it. He is super good looking. Besides, everyone is allowed their little celebrity crush.

Ren: It's not like that.

Kai: Oh really?

Ren: Okay, so maybe it is a little like that, but there's a lot of other stuff I like about him too.

Kai: So you are admitting to having a crush on him now?

Ren: [She growls and her face screws up in annoyance. She looks away, chewing her lip before finally grumbling] Alright, fine. You got me. Happy?

Kai: It does make me feel a bit better actually. I mean, how is anyone supposed to compete with that?

Ren: Kai…

Kai: Come on, he's like the total package: [ticking Steven’s qualities off on his fingers] insanely handsome, smart, wealthy, loves pokemon—

Ren: Kai!

Kai: I'm just jealous you had the nerve to flirt with him. You saw me: I turned into a puddle just being in his presence.

Ren: [blushing harder and throwing a pillow at him] Ohmygod! No I wasn't! Shut up!

Kai: [laughing] Looks like I found something to tease you about.

[She grabs her other pillow and smacks him with it.]

Kai: Ren!

Ren: By the laws of the slumber party, this is grounds for a pillow fight!

Kai: [trying to fend her off as she continues to hit him with the pillow] Gah! Ren! [pillow hits his face] It's not a slumber party!

Ren: Yes it is!

Kai: Oof!

Ren: [chanting] Pillow fight! Pillow fight! Pillow fight!

Kai: [grabbing his own pillow] You're in for it now!

[She stumbles back into her own bed under the barrage of blows. She hits him over the head and he stumbles. She laughs as they go back and forth. She climbs up on the bed to get some leverage over him but he follows her up.]

Kai: Why is battling your solution to everything?

Ren: Pillow fights are a very important part of any slumber party.

Kai: Says you!

Ren: Who here is the slumber party expert?

Kai: Is my deprived childhood ever going to stop being funny to you?

Ren: No!

[He smacks her with his pillow and she falls down and rolls off the bed to get away. From there the battle ranges all over the room, disturbing their resting pokemon. Ren falls back next to Tāraki who opens a golden eye.]

Ren: Help me!

Tāraki: Nah, I think you got this one.

Ren: [as Kai pummels her from above] Betrayer! I thought you loved me!

[Tāraki just yawns and closes his eyes as Ren squeals. She kicks out and trips Kai. He falls down and she pounces on him. He uses his own pillow as a shield to limited effect as Ren looms over him on her knees. Finally Kai deals her a blow to the head and she falls back dramatically with a groan. They just lie on the floor for a while, panting and giggling.]

Ren: So?

[Kai takes his pillow and thumps it right on top of her smug face. She pushes it lazily off.]

Kai: Alright, I admit that was fun.

Ren: Ha!

[There is another pause while they catch their breath. They both stare up at the ceiling.]

Kai: So what do you like about Steven? You know, besides him being super hot.

Ren: [groaning and covering her glowing face] Kai.

Kai: You don't have to tell me. I’m just curious.

Ren: [sighs] Well, like I told you before back in Lavaridge: he's really kind. And it's like… He totally doesn't have to be, you know? He could easily get away with being a jerk all the time, but he doesn't. He’s rich and famous and, no offence, but guys really don’t have to be nice at all. He just always surprises me with how compassionate he is. He is kind of vain, and a little bit of a show-off, but he knows it and he can take a joke and even be a little self-deprecating now and again, which is nice. And I guess I like that he is kind of nerdy too. It’s cute… [They both smile a little awkwardly at that.] He’s really passionate about a lot of things and he’s super smart of course. [She heaves a big sigh.]

Kai: What’s the matter?

Ren: I guess I thought I’d get over it? I thought the more time I spent with him, the more of an actual flawed human he’d become instead of this perfect dreamboat. And that is true I guess, but it made it worse? Like the more of an actual person he becomes, the more things I find to like about him. I even like some things that I really didn’t expect to.

Kai: Yeah, I guess I understand that.

Ren: [pained whine] Oh nooo! [She rolls over to look at him.] Shit, I'm so sorry, dude. I'll shut up now. Please just pipe up next time I'm pummeling you in the gut like that.

Kai: It's okay. I brought it up. I'm not idiot. I knew what I was signing up to hear.

Ren: It’s just— I wasn’t even thinking! I should really get someone else to dump this kind of stuff on. You shouldn’t have to put up with it.

Kai: But I like talking to you. And like I said before, I knew what I was doing. It— it actually doesn’t bother me as much as I thought it might. It’s okay.

Ren: That’s good. I’m not rescinding the apology though.

[She flops onto her back again. The silence is less comfortable this time and finally Kai has enough and breaks it.]

Kai: Sooo, what didn’t you think you’d like about him?

Ren: You really want a round two?

Kai: We were having a good conversation. I just wanted to get it back on track. And he is my idol. I’m curious what he’s actually like as a person.

Ren: Well, if you’re super sure… I guess I kind of like how theatrical he is? Usually that would annoy me but with him… I don’t know it’s just different. It’s— it’s kind of nice that he has some flaws. Oh, and he’s a flirt, which makes things a little tough, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it.

Kai: [interest suddenly spiking] Wait, does he flirt back? Like with you?

Ren: No! I don’t know. A little, I guess? But I’m not sure he means it. I think he just has a sort of charm offensive going all the time. But anyway, it doesn’t really matter. He’s way out of my league.

Kai: That’s not true! You may be green, but you’re really strong! You could totally catch up.

Ren: [surprised] Thanks, but he’s also still way too old for me.

Kai: He’s not that old. He’s only, what, twenty-five?

Ren: And I’m eighteen.

Kai: Almost nineteen.

Ren: Fine, almost nineteen. But my point still stands. Maybe in a few years it would be fine, but right now, no way. Even if I beat the League it would still be weird. [She sighs.] He’s still pretty cool to have as a friend though.

[She smiles, blush completely gone. He smiles too, though a little wistfully. We see Pohaku in the background, watching this interaction with particular interest.]

Kai: Yeah, I gotta admit I’m jealous. You have his number and I didn’t even get his autograph.

Ren: Who said I had his number?

Kai: You called him. That’s why he showed up, right?

Ren: Oh, yeah. Um… I could get you an autograph next time I see him.

Kai: [genuine] Thanks, Ren.

Ren: [turning her head to him] You're okay though?

Kai: Yeah, of course. You whooped me pretty good, but they're just pillows.

Ren: No, I meant about everything else. [She heaves up onto an elbow to look at him.] You got like a truckload of shit dumped on you today. Are you going to be okay?

[He is quiet for a long moment, staring at the ceiling, thinking it over. He finally looks over at Ren, making eye contact.]

Kai: Yeah. I think I am.