oh, glory.

Christmas isn’t a holiday which he avidly celebrates, and it’s an affair which he celebrated quite modestly in the past; he was satisfied with commemorating the holiday with little more than a feast of more luxurious foods he usually would skip out on spending on, and his pokemon seemed to share the sentiment -- none of them were really big on parties or grand jubilees.

This Christmas, though, he’s putting a little more effort into it this time. The Battle Tree is getting decked out for the holidays, and Red had ended up getting engrossed in adorning the place, finding decorating a lot more enjoyable than he took it for and having ended up decorating a small portion of the Battle Tree all by himself. He lets a satisfied little hum as he observes his work, scratching Pikachu behind the ears as he observes the newly spruced-up institution, from the glittering tinsel, to the Christmas lights, to the wreaths with lurid, artificial pine leaves glistening in the light.

Red’s actually pretty decent at Poker. Those skills come from dabbling in underaged gambling at some of Team Rocket’s shady casinos, when he was too curious to turn away from playing the game and got some of the people there to teach him, as at the time they did not realize he was the threat to Team Rocket that he was and simply saw him as some quiet child who just wanted to learn how to play the game. Red eventually stopped once he started getting pestered to join Team Rocket by them, though, and instead continued to focus on his Pokemon Journey.

Not only does Red have a natural poker face, but he’s patient enough to wait for the right hand to come to him and he’s flexible enough to switch gears when he needs to. Granted, he’s become a little rusty over the years, but he still played it from time to time, although without the gambling element. He’s not one to gamble, but he does get into poker later down the line because he believes through poker, he can hone some skills that will come in handy in Pokemon battling.

You know, I’ve always had this headcanon that if and when Red goes to Mt. Lanakila, he was immediately drawn to the Alolan Sandshrew there because he’s always had this bias in his heart for round pokemon. Not the big scary ones, not the powerful ones, just specifically round ones. That bias is also part of the reason why he adores Pikachus so much, because they’re so yellow and soft and shaped like a friend.

Of course if his Sandshrew evolves though, he’s not going to throw a hissy fit or anything just because they’re not round anymore, but he’ll be a little sad. Just a little.

He’s staring at her Shiny Lopunny in amazement, admiring the beautiful, vivid pink coloration. Truth be told, he’s always thought of Lopunny’s puffs as cotton candy or little puffs of cream, but this just seems to add to that impression.

god of war.

“Nighttime.” Is his sole response to her question as he watches the last vestiges of the sunrise retreat into the night sky, and as the radiance of the sun fades away, stars begin to dot the skies. The rise of the moon hails the awakening of nocturnal pokemon, and birdsongs are replaced by the hoots of owls and the chirp of crickets. However, something aside from the environment also changes, an encroaching chill from a different kind of cold.

Ghost type Pokemon.

Suddenly it seems as if they are watched from all directions, and Red looks around warily, shining his flashlight into the darkness of the woods. The exposed dark, translucent shapes shift in the breeze before disappearing, and Red exhales, a bead of sweat sliding down his skin.

god of war.

It’s a remark that earns her a rather incredulous look at first, mystified by how she could tell so quickly, as if it were so obvious despite him never noticing, before he realizes exactly how she surmised her conclusion as he looks down on himself. His shoes are worn and dirty from travel, there’s still bits of dirt clinging to his clothes, and his arms are covered in little cuts and scratches from rough tumbles in the forests. Though he’s done his best to stay clean, it’s difficult to stay tidy when travelling such distances, and truth be told, he’s not the most elegant in navigating through dense terrain.

god of war.

It’s a fiery battle, one which neither he nor his adversary shies away from going full throttle. As a result, the battle is intense and explosive, from the whoosh of wings to the flight of debris to the eruption of fire, each moment so fleeting in the ecstatic motion of battle. The dynamics of the battle increase at an exhilarating pace, and plumes of dust rise up in the midst of the thunder of battle, but if such an explosive display has attracted any witnesses, Red pays them little mind. The fervor of the fight does not allow him to keep his eyes anywhere but glued to the battlefield, and how they shine with utter elation in the sunlight, with even a smile finding its way past his mien in the battle’s peaks of suspense. 

Alas, however, the thrill eventually, and regrettably, reaches its denouement. With a motion of his hand, his Mega-evolved Charizard unleashes a Fire blast that decimates the field and sends embers flying. The hot air that follows sends a wind that nearly knocks his hat off, and he has to hold it at the rim to keep it on his head, with fingers trembling with the trepidation of adrenaline that lingers even after the battle ends. Energized, he nods in respect to his combatant before retrieving his last Pokemon into their ball. It was a fight that had been down to the wire, with all the other Pokemon on his belt fainted. Such a feat commanded both respect and joy, and a smile lingered on Red’s face even as he made his way towards the Pokemon Center.

He hadn’t expected to be intercepted by a bystander, however, and his eyebrows lift in surprise at her remark. She seemed to be a tad overwhelmed by the fight, something Red could hardly blame her for. In response, he simply nods.