My Stubborn Cure TWO

   A few hours later, Silver arrived in New Bark Town. Crobat was more than happy to send Silver to his rival's hometown – mainly because he loves Kotone's happy personality. And also the fact that New Bark Town has a nostalgic, homely smell to it.

   Silver surveyed the place. The last time he was here is when he wanted to apologize to Professor Elm and return Feraligatr to the pokemon researcher (although his heart was very heavy to let Feraligatr go), but to his luck, the professor decided to let him keep Feraligatr and said "You and your pokemon have made a strong bond. It will be ashamed to separate such a great friendship. Besides, it's obvious that Feraligatr likes you".

   Silver smiled. He never thought he could get a chance like that. He was very happy – so happy at that time that he almost hugged the man. He chuckled.

   "Crooo!" Crobat crooned in happiness. Silver snapped back into reality. Find Kotone. Right.

   There weren't many houses in New Bark Town – which was good news for him. It got easier when he knew where the girl lived. Silver looked at the mailbox in front of her house.

   Soul's house.

   Huh. Kotone's last name is Soul. Kotone Soul. Heh. Who knew? Silver stood in front of her doorstep, suddenly dumbfounded. He was there. At Kotone's house. In front of her doorstep. Not knowing what to say or do next. Wait. What if she's not home? Then that'll just leave me and her mother – alone? What am I gonna answer if her mum's asking weird questions? Hi, I'm Silver and I'm here to challenge your daughter everytime I see her. You can say I'm her personal stalker.

   Yeah, that will sure win her mother's heart.

   Silver sigh. Crobat just flapped his wings in confusion. Why is my master standing there like a Sudowoodo? Why is he not calling for Kotone? Why is he not knocking the door? Does he not know how? The purple pokemon began making assumptions as Silver just kept standing there – like a statue. A cold, shaking statue. Suddenly, Crobat had an idea. Oooo, I know! I'll help my master!

   "CRO!!!" In an instant, Crobat flew past Silver and knocked on the door harshly with his wings and head. Silver who was extremely shocked by his pokemon's sudden behaviour took a step backward.  

   "What the hell?! Crobat, stop that!" He took the pokemon by his wings while Crobat was flapping for his freedom. Crobat was struggling so bad that it threw Silver off balance and on the floor. Soon, the two were making a ruckus that it attracted some attention. "Cro cro crobaaat!" Crobat yelled, preferably calling Kotone. Silver was getting pissed.

   "What is all the commotion out there?" Suddenly, the front door was opened. Silver and Crobat froze. In front of them stood a middle-aged woman, probably in her 40's. Her face looks serene, cheerful and calm – like Kotone's face. Silver gulped – it's her mother.

   Patricia looked down, only to find a red-headed boy straddling a Crobat. She looked confused. "Erm, can I help you?"

   Silver realised his weird position quickly got up and release his grip. His face blushed slightly. Crobat was flapping his wings happily as a gesture of greeting Kotone's mother. "Err, is Ko-Kotone here?" he stuttered. His fist clenching in and out to reduce his nerves.

   It wasn't helping as soon as he saw Kotone's Typhlosion behind the woman. The fire pokemon growled angrily as soon as he knew who the guest was. Silver gulped. Damn it.

   Patricia patted Typhlosion's head and looked at Silver. "Why yes. She's at home. You must be one of her friends." The woman flashed a smile. Silver couldn't help but resemble it to Kotone's cheerful smile. "But I'm afraid you came at a bad time. You see, she is –"

   "Achoo!" Silver heard a familiar voice. He peeked behind the lady and turned his head to face her again. Patricia smiled.

   "Sick."

   "Oh." Silver bit his lower lip. She's sick. Duh! What other excuse is there? Why would she want to go to the cold Dragon's Den if she was sick? Silver felt stupid. "Well, erm…if you don't mind…ma'am, I want to see her for a while." He could hear the Typhlosion growling in denial.

   Thank goodness Patricia was the opposite. "Sure." She welcomed Silver and Crobat in. Crobat was more than happy to enter the house. His wings flapped in joy. Just as Silver thought it couldn't get any worse, Crobat flew quickly upstairs when he heard Kotone's sickly voice, completely ignoring Silver's calls – it was as if the pokemon was making himself at home. Silver sighed. Frustrated and embarrassed. He heard Patricia laughing behind him. He turned around.

   "It's okay. I'm sure your pokemon is happy to see my daughter. But don't say I didn't warn you." She winked. Kotone really did adapt her cheery personality from her mother. Silver gulped, suddenly nervous. Since when did I become a nervous wreck? Silver slowly climbed upstairs. "Oh." He abruptly stopped when he heard the lady's voice. He turned around again. "Maybe Typhlosion could come with you, considering you don't know my daughter's room. He'll be a great tour guide."

   What? Silver was dumbfounded. Typhlosion didn't like the idea as much as he does. Let alone bringing HIM near his trainer. But for safety precautions, the pokemon followed upstairs, purposely knocking Silver out of the way. The redhead almost fell from the stairs. How can the stairs even fit for that huge hot-headed firebreather! Silver cursed. He sluggishly followed his rival's starter. Hands in his pocket, distance between them WAY apart.

----------

   Kotone shivered under her blanket. She felt cold eventhough Charizard next to her was giving her warmth with her tail. She smiled weakly. "Thanks girl." She scratched the giant dragon's head. Charizard purred slightly in both bliss and worry. A few seconds ago, she heard a commotion outside her window. It sounded like almost…a Crobat? Not only that, she also heard a male's voice. A voice she knew all too well.

   Kotone shook her head.

   Impossible. He can't be –

   "Crobaaaa!" Crobat barged inside the room – wings all open and his face was filled with smiles. Kotone shrieked in terror as the purple pokemon swarmed and hugged her. Charizard who was caught off guard tried to set her reality's straight and growled at Crobat. Threatening the all too oblivious pokemon. Kotone looked down as the giant bat hugged her stomach happily. "Cro..crobat? What are you doing here?!"

   "Good God Typhlosion, it's not like I want to battle her right now!" Kotone was even more shocked. She looked at her bedroom door. Outside was her defensive Typhlosion and in front of him was…Silver?

   "Silver?" Silver looked up. Inside the room, he saw Kotone wrapping up in a blanket. Her nose was red and her face looks pretty much swollen. Other than that, he saw Crobat snuggling up the sick girl. The boy gritted his teeth.

   "Crobat! Stop that and come back here!" Silver pointed Crobat's pokeball at him as a sign of return. Soon, a flash of red light sent Crobat back into his pokeball – much to his dismay. Silver sighed. He soon realized that he was still in a fit against a defensive Typlosion. He sighed even heavier. Too bad he doesn't have THIS pokemon's pokeball.

   Kotone giggled at his pokemon's overprotective ways. Well, at least around Silver that is. She was still in shock that the boy was here. "It's okay Typhlosion, he can come in." Her fire starter groaned in disapproval. Now it was her turn to sigh. "Ty Ty, honey. Come here." Finally, the fire pokemon gave in. As much as he despises Silver, he can never refuse Kotone.

   "Ty Ty?" Silver chuckled at the weird nickname. He immediately regretted it when Typhlosion turned around and prepared a fireball right at him.

   "Tyypph!" Tyhplosion roared angrily. But luckily Silver was saved as Charizard blocked the raging pokemon's almost-blast. Although Charizard was new and she didn't know much about the red-head, but she did know better than to start a fire war in her trainer's house. Kotone was grateful she had an understanding Charizard.

   Typhlosion harrumphed angrily and busted out of the door – preferably not wanting to be in the same room as the red-headed jackass. But he stayed near the bedroom just in case the trainer tried to do something stupid again – like the incident at the Radio Tower. Typhlosion growled angrily at Silver's face as he passed him, due to that event, he will never, ever forgive the boy.

   Finally, the room was only occupied with two humans and one pokemon. Charizard curled up at the end of the bed, still giving warmth to the room for Kotone. The two kept in awkward silence – both not knowing what to say. Kotone sat on her bed, her body still covered up from head to toe. Only her face and strands of hair were seen. While Silver just stood there at the front door, standing like a fool.

   "So," Kotone started the conversation. "May I know why you're here?"

   Silver just kept quiet. He didn't know what to answer. Kotone sighed. "Let me guess, you want to battle me?"

   He clenched his fist. For the first time, he felt a bit offended at the girl's question. It was as if that's all she sees in him. He looked at the Kotone. The girl was practically shivering eventhough the room was warm. He almost felt sorry for her. Almost.

   "No," he finally said. "I...you haven't been stopping by at the Dragon's Den. So I was wondering where you are." He tried to avoid sounding like he was worried. Although deep inside, he was VERY worried.

   Kotone raised an eyebrow. Silver had never asked about her whereabouts. Neither did he care if she ever appeared in front of him or not. "Silver, are you…worried about me?" She tried to fight back a small smile.

   Shit. She found out. Silver gritted his teeth slowly. Although the term 'love and care' was still new to him, but to show love and care to another human being, he will never admit. "No." He said between his teeth. "Just…be healthy so I can defeat you!" He yelled and pointed a finger at Kotone who looked fairly shocked – and quite hurt at his response. Half of him felt guilty for hurting her feelings (I mean come on, hurting the feelings of a sick person is considered illegal). Before Kotone could say anything else, he ran downstairs – not wanting to see any more hurt in her eyes. Because if he was still in that room, he might actually…hug her and apologize for his rude behaviour.

   He ignored Typhlosion's glares and snarls and Patricia's confused look at his departure. "Oh, leaving so soon? I was making some soup and thought you might want –"

   Before Silver could say no, the front door flew open and next thing he knew, he bumped a person and fell ass first on the floor. "Arceus damn it." He cursed under his breath, avoiding Kotone's mother's hearing distance. He opened his eyes. In front of him was a black-haired boy wearing a cap that resembles a lot like an ultra ball. He was also sitting on the floor due to the knockout.
   
   "Ouch." The boy rubbed his butt as he stood up.

   "Oh dear, are you boys okay?" The boy just nodded. "Yeah ma'am. I'm fine. Just a bit sore." He looked down at Silver. "Yo dude, you okay." He held up a hand to help Silver up, only to be swatted away by the red-head.

   Hibiki was startled at the rude boy's reaction. He wanted to start a quarrel but was cut back when he heard Kotone's voice. "Hibiki, is that you?" Hibiki looked upstairs. He told Kotone that he'll be there to check up on her. Without a second thought, he went upstairs – leaving the now extremely pissed off Silver.

   Silver abruptly stood up. His eyes filled with rage and pissed and…jealousy? He shook off the last thought. Why would I be jealous? Silver scoffed angrily. Suddenly, he heard a low chuckle. It was Kotone's mother.

   "If you're wondering, that's Hibiki Gold, Kotone's childhood friend. He always drops by to check on my daughter. It makes her happy. Hibiki is a funny boy and his antics do cheer her up." Patricia kept rambling on and on until Silver couldn't hear anything anymore. Childhood friend. Always drops by.

Makes her happy.

   Silver couldn't take it anymore. His head was literally fuming with anger. "Oh, you can stop by again if you want –" Patricia didn't finish her sentenced as Silver stormed off the house. She sighed into a small smile. My daughter is going to have an interesting sick day ahead of her.