A Forced Relation?

The Man stared dead on Max eyes, his eyes had deep anger within it.

"W.. What? You gonna speak?" Max asked.

"How dare you..." He sneered again.

Max sighed in frustration, this guy have been staring at him with deep anger and just replies with a simple How dare you... Everytime something is asked.

Speak something dude!

"Is something wrong? Did i do something by mistake?" Max asked, hoping he would get some reasonable answer.

"I am Luc," He said... Yea, that's all he said.

Yea...sure..that helps a lot...

"Anything else?," Max asked, trying to mask his annoyance with a light smile.

Something about that smile annoys luc as he immediately steps forward and grabs Max by his collar.

"You...! You dare hurt my little brother!"

Max eyes raises in realization. Brother? He slowly raises his hands to Luc's, and slaps it away from his collar.

He thought he was way over it, but after realising this dude was Big brother of that brat, he feels a strange anger welling inside him.

Luc furrowed his brows even more as he picks up his pokeball holding it towards Max, doing it the regular trainer way.

"Battle me!"

"I accept!"

Although Max's Pokemon-Kaen, Raiken, Jerry- were being treated right now, he still had Lux, Shu his two pretty strong mons along with Needle and Haze.

"Oh... A battle huh..."

A chilling cold voice rang from Luc's back, he slowly turned around looking at the source of the voice.

Green stood behind them, radiating her imposingly terrifying aura that sends chill shiver down Luc's spine.

"I.. It's ju-"

"Huh... What? I didn't knew Ace trainer these days were bullying new comers nowadays, Oh.. How much they have fallen.."

"B.. But.."

"Don't 'But' me and get outta here!"

Luc's clicked his tongue, but he knew better then to face Green, with a final glance at Max, he walked away.

"Max Jasper, count your days!"

"What was that punk!" Green shouted with her voice at the top of her lungs. Her eyes white of anger and she kinda looked like a sharp-teeth demon at the moment. But Luc unfortunately already ran away.

"G.. Green? What are you..."

"Sigh, seriously, why do you always get yourself in trouble?" Green exhales, but she wasn't annoyed though, at least not at Max.

"Anyway, bygones be bygones, I have someone you want to meet," Green said with her eyes shinning, she looked like a little girl showing her parents an achievement of hers.

"Someone I want to meet?"

"Uhmm," Green said with her chest puffed out in haughty way. But her eyes draws to the little girl who is currently tugging at his pants.

"Uhh, who is she? A fan?"

"Oh... She is.... Well... I don't know," Max said, looking at the little girl. He still had no idea who this girl was, and why was she puffing her cheeks in a pout at Max remarks.

"My name is Gwen," She said with her pouty face.

"Yea... That," Max said looking back at Green. "She just came and challenged me for whatever unconcieval reason."

"Hmm... " Green thought as she looked at the little girl, she looked kind of familiar.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" She immediately turned around, towards the front door. "You should probably go out, someone is there waiting for you."

"For me?" Max asked, surprise evident in his voice.

Green nods, her face now wide with smile with excitement.

"Yes, go!" She said pushing Max towards the exit. "Don't worry, I will look after the little girl!"

Max was curious of what made Green so excited, curious, he steeped out.

The first gaze that met his was Luc, who was walking away, still with sneer.

Max drew his face away from him and towards the person Green was denoting.

Who was she talking about?

He looks around, suddenly, his gaze falls upon a man of mid 30's, long dark coat and a hat covering his face ad he walked towards max.

Who is he? Max pondered. Giovanni?

"Max, long time no see," Said the figure, standing at arms length in front of Max as he slowly raised his hat and placed it on his chest. "Missed me?"

F... Father!

______________

"I see, so that's what happened..." He exhaled in relief.

Max stood a fair distance away from him, he still had no idea how good the relationship between this Max and his Father was, in his world, they weren't on that good of a talking term as his father was barely home and they barely had any words to exchange, as a result, they slowly started growing distant. It's not like they totally shut down on talking, they weren't just too close.

Apparently, words about the forest fire had reached him as he had recently went to Paldea for his research. After learning his Son was almost jailed, he immediately got back to Kanto as soon as possible.

"Yea, that's pretty much it..." Max said, his gaze distant into the horizon, finding it still had to make any sort of eye contacts. "When did you landed though?"

"Just 3 hours ago," He said sheepishly. "I came as soon as I could."

He tried contacting Max directly, but since Max didn't had a phone of his own, he had to call Back to Pallet town to his mother. After knowing he was in Pewter, he immediately took a flying Taxi and came here.

Mother also informed Green, who happened to be most available, to get to him, and she did just that, and also to surprise Max if possible.

"So... Since you are here... You should probably head home and give Mom a visit,"

"And also, please take her with you to Paldea if possible, I hope she won't get in your work but I think she needs some free time." Max said, he couldn't help but feel concerned for his mother, remembering the last exchange they shared.

His father chuckles a little bit as Max pondered what he found so amusing about all this.

"What? Did i said any joke?"

His father shook his head frantically, seems his son wasn't joking indeed.

"So, Since I am sure you are fine..." The father looked away, then back to Max. "I guess I should head home indeed."

"And yea, I guess I can afford a vacation for a week or two."

Max nodded, relieved that his mother will finally get some company.

"So what are you planning to do next?"

"I guess I will continue the gym challenge." Max said, finally in the whole conversation, looking into his father's eyes.

Despite his father trying his best to hide it, Max could still see the faint trace of concern in his expression, it's not like he didn't trusted Max, he was just anxious.

"Don't worry, I will be fine... " Max saidbo showing his newly obtained Boulder Badge, a small reassuring smile on his lips.

His father looked away, taking a deep breath he let out a heartful chuckle.

"Of course, You are as ambitious as me and as stubborn as your mother," He turned towards Max.

"But before I go," He added, reaching into his bag and handing him a box. 'Well, that's a small gift from me."

Hesitantly, Max took the box, "T.. Thank you..."

His father gave a gentle nod, and picking up hos bag he gave a final pat to his son's shoulder.

"Take care," He said, as he made his way towards the taxi waiting for him at the end of the road.

Max stood there, box in his hands as his father gave him a final wave before sitting in the flying taxi which took away, finally disappearing in the sky.

Why do I suck so much at conveying emotions...

Max thought to himself, he felt he was way over it, he felt he had finally adapted to it, but this recent conversation, this recent encounter made him doubt himself again.

Was he really what he thought he was? Or just a wolf under someone's skin? After all, he wasn't who his parents thought he was.

"So... What's the box you are holding?" came Green's voice from behind, whispering directly on his ears.

Max jumps in shock as the sudden arrival of Green, he was so deep in his thoughts he didn't even noticed her arrival.

"G... Green?!" He stammered.

"What? You look like you have seen a ghost." She said with a small chuckle at the end. She kinda find his silly reaction endearing.

"So come on, open the gift box, I wanna see what's in!"

Green's eyes were practically shining as she said that, she might just be even more excited for it then Max himself.

"Ok, ok..." Max said, with a sigh.

He opened the box, leaving inside was another box, a box of a brand new smartphone.

"A... A smartphone!?" Green said, her eyes sparkling even more as she said that.