"Stop that, Milo! Don't eat so many sweets!" Gladion shouted, chasing after his little brother, who was clutching a fistful of candy bars.
Milo, with his third round of sweets this night, giggled mischievously as he darted around the living room of Vortex Manor. His small legs moved surprisingly fast, dodging Gladion's outstretched hands with ease.
"Hehe, you can't catch me—" Milo started to taunt, but before he could finish, he was lifted off the floor by an invisible force. He flailed his arms, trying to grab onto something, but it was no use. He floated straight into Gladion's arms, landing with a soft thud.
"You were saying?" Gladion said as he hugged Milo, smirking. Oh, he was definitely not feeling the tiniest bit competitive or irritated at being outrun by a kid half his size.
Not at all. The great Gym Leader Gladion, master of rare Pokémon evolutions, the bearer of two legendaries, the strongest Psychic, was totally fine with chasing a sugar-high eight-year-old around the house. Absolutely.
Milo squirmed in his grip, pouting. "No fair! You're using your powers for evil! Dad always says, 'With great power comes great responsibility,' big brother. And you're misusing your power!"
Ben, their father, looked up from the couch where he was setting up snacks for the big match. He grinned, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Well, Milo, he stopped you from eating so many sweets you'd turn into a Snorlax and get cavities, so I'd say he used his power responsibly."
"Glady, you're more childish than Milo," Gwen teased, giggling from her spot on the floor where she was sprawled out with a bowl of popcorn. Her hair was tied back in a messy ponytail, and she tossed a kernel in the air, catching it in her mouth.
"Says the one who tried to prank me by putting itching powder in my shampoo last week!" Gladion shot back, glaring at her.
The memory still made him twitch, his scalp had been red for days, and he'd had to endure Zeus and Arsenal snickering at him every time he scratched his head. "I smelled like a Grimer and looked like a Voltorb with a rash!"
The Vortex Manor was loud today, and Daisy loved every second of it. The whole virtex family had gathered to watch the highly anticipated match between Lance and Pryce for the title of Indigo Champion.
Gladion, Gwen, Milo, Lila, Ben, and Erza were all there, along with Daisy and Sabrina, who had dropped by to join the viewing party.
Some Pokémon were also sprawled across the floor. Daisy sat on a cushy armchair, with Lila, Milo's twin sister, perched on her lap, calmly munching on popcorn as they waited for the match to start.
Lila looked up at Daisy with big, hopeful eyes. "Big Sis Daisy, are you staying with us longer?"
Daisy smiled warmly, brushing a strand of hair from Lila's face. "Just for today, Lila."
Lila's eyes reddened, and she turned to Gladion, her voice pleading. "Big Bro Glady, can we keep her, please?"
Gwen, who was now tossing popcorn at Milo (and missing), piped up before Gladion could answer. "You already have me as your big sister! Why do you want another one?"
Lila pouted, clutching Daisy's arm. "Because Daisy played with me and my dollhouse all day. She even let me play with her Pokémon! You're always off with Old Hag Agatha."
A heavy silence fell over the room, and the temperature seemed to rise. Everyone's eyes darted to Erza, the mother hen of the family, who was sitting on the couch with a serene smile
Erza was strict about her kids using polite language, and "old hag" was definitely not on her approved word list.
"My dear Lila," she said, her voice dangerously calm, "where did you learn the word 'old hag'?"
Lila blinked innocently, oblivious to the tension. "Big Sis Gwen keeps complaining about Old Hag Agatha. She says Agatha's so old her wrinkles have wrinkles, and her Gengar smells like dusty old books. Oh, and she said Agatha's so slow she makes a Slaking look like a Ninjask!"
The room erupted in stifled laughter. Daisy bit her lip to keep from giggling, while Gladion snorted and quickly covered it with a cough. Gwen's face turned bright red, and she sank lower into her pile of blankets.
Sabrina, usually composed, let out a soft chuckle. Milo, still in Gladion's arms, cackled and dropped a candy wrapper on the floor.
Gladion raised an eyebrow and Milo 'It seems Milo has a good sense of humor and is not as innocent as Lila. Good to know.'
Erza's gaze zeroed in on Gwen, her smile never wavering but her eyes were filled with maternal authority. "Well, now we know who's on cleaning duty for the gym Pokémon's feces for the next month."
Horror flashed across Gwen's face, and the rest of the family grimaced, as if they could already smell the stench of the gym's manure pile.
Daisy winced sympathetically, she'd seen the massive pile of Pokémon droppings behind the ranch, and it was not a pleasant sight.
Erza turned to Lila, her expression softening. "We can't keep Daisy, sweetheart, but after she finishes her journey, she'll be staying with us a lot since she's now sponsored and apprenticed by Gladion."
Lila's face lit up, and she spun to Gladion, bouncing excitedly on Daisy's lap. "Big Brother Glady, you should buy Big Sis Daisy lots of evolutionary items! And give her a big pocket money too!"
Gladion's eyes narrowed suspiciously, and he glanced at Daisy, who was suddenly very interested in a piece of lint on her shirt, whistling innocently.
'Oh, she's good', he thought. Daisy had a knack for getting what she wanted, and he had a feeling she'd already won Lila over as her personal cheerleader.
Before Gladion could respond, the TV blared to life, drawing everyone's attention. The announcer's voice boomed through the room. "Are you ready, everyone? Because I am! The match of the decade for the title of Indigo Champion is about to start!"
The screen showed the massive stadium, packed with cheering fans. The camera panned to the challenger, Lance Wataru, the heir to the Blackthorn Clan and a Dragon Master of the Elite Four.
He strode onto the battlefield, his red cape billowing behind him, his face set in a serious, determined expression. His presence was commanding, and even through the TV, Daisy felt a shiver of awe. Lance was a legend, and his Dragon Pokémon were unstoppable.
Then the camera shifted to the current champion, Pryce, the Ice Master. Pryce walked out, his steps slower and less confident than Lance's.
His face was calm, but there was a tightness around his eyes, as if he knew the challenge ahead would be tough.
Gladion thought, 'Lets find out more about Lance if we ever have to battle in the future.'
-----Author Notes------
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