Chapter 52 - 52 - Meet Maneki's Relatives

Meeting with Maneki's relatives at a dense and sloped area of the city can be a good and exciting experience for Rico, but in the same time, it's a bit nerve-racking and surprising due to the background of Maneki's relatives, which were decent and average. So, just before lunch time, Rico and his group went to the home of Maneki's aunt, Ylona, and her family. The way to their humble home was a bit tight and a bit filled with turnings to the left and right, but it's not that hard to navigate through, and the streets and alleyways are wide enough for a vehicle like a small car to pass through. And as they walk along the stone path and climbed down the stairs, residents and their Pokémon are greeting them with positivity and friendliness, often at tables and small stores. Rico and his group then greeted them back, as well as their Pokémon. It doesn't take them long to find Ylona's house thanks to Maneki and Mr. Fukui's knowledge of the way. In less than 14 minutes, they had arrived at Ylona's house, a nice, painted concrete, small one that was located at a secured and safe edge of the cliff and was accessible by stairs. The house was one storey high, had decorations around and in the exterior, and had a two-door entrance with dark oak-made doors complete with decorated glass in it. The windows are normal and decent, with wooden frames fitted around the glass. And upon entering the porch, Ylona and her daughter, Theodora, were delighted to see them, greeting them with a welcome. Theodora ran to Mr. Fukui and hugged him in embrace on how much she missed him.

"Uncle!" she exclaimed to him in happiness. Maneki, having black hair as his cousin does, then greeted her back. He then turned towards Rico and introduced his aunt and her family to him.

"Hi, nice to meet you," Rico greeted back, "I'm Rico Cruz." His Pokémon then responded with greeting. They then all come in.

Inside the house, Ylona's father, an old man, was sitting at the dining table reading a book while using his glasses and Ylona's husband, Mike, was at work in the city's downtown. Upon entering the living room, Mr. Fukui greeted Ylona's father. And upon interrupting his reading time, Ylona's father became positive and greeted his grandson and son-in-law.

"Hi, grandpa," Maneki greeted him back, "This is my friend, Rico Cruz." Then to Rico, "Rico, this is my grandfather."

"Nice to meet you," Rico greeted in response.

"Oh, why hello there," greeted Maneki's grandfather, "come in." Rico, Maneki, and Mr. Fukui then sat down on a sofa along with their Pokémon. Ylona came back from the kitchen with a tray full of snacks and drinks and served it to her brother-in-law, nephew, and Rico. The atmosphere around them was calm and lovely.

"How are you, Maneki?" Ylona asked her nephew brightly. "How's your Pokémon?"

"I'm good, my Pokémon's good," answered Maneki back. Hearing his response, Ylona turned towards Rico and asked him the same questions.

"I'm doing just fine," Rico replied back with positive coolness. "And my Pokémon is doing okay." Riolu then responded with happiness.

"You had a Riolu," commented Ylona in interesting. "That's nice and awesome."

"Thanks," Rico happily responded. Then, a few moments later, Theodora became interested and amazed at Riolu, asking, "Is that really yours?" Rico happily nodded to say yes. This excites the young girl a lot, and then asked Rico again, "Can I touch your Pokémon?"

"Sure!" answered Rico happily in acceptance. Excited, Theodora gently touched Riolu's skin and gave it a nice pat-pat on its head, delighting Riolu a lot.

A bit later, they had lunch at the dining room along with their Pokémon. They had simple, yet appetizing, home-cooked meals with a tasty twist made by Ylona, and their drinks are just water and Iced tea with ice cubes for a cold refreshment. Their Pokémon are eating their special food around them.

"Wait, so you're saying that Maneki's mom, or your younger sister, had passed away when Maneki's young?" Rico raised a question while eating.

"Yes, and I was devastated by it for a few months," answered Ylona back in pity happiness. "She was a good and friendly person to us, a good daughter, sister, wife, and mother."

"Yeah, and I could bȧrėly remember her," Maneki agreed.

"She had met a similar fate as to my beloved wife," Maneki's grandfather added as his old, deep voice echoes out old memories of his late wife.

"What happened to them?" Rico raised another question in concern, curious about Maneki's family history.

"It's because of a disease that ended their lives," Maneki's grandfather replied back.

"Oh, I see," Rico replied with concern, "well, my grandparents died separately by time." The rest then pay attention to his story.

"My grandpa died when my mom and uncle were young," Rico continued his sharing, "and my grandma died when I was five. Both shattered my heart. I never to get to see my grandpa, but my mom and dad always gave me a clear account about him. Grandpa's kind and hard-working while my grandma is always there for me and my parents, and loves to bake for fun." The rest really listened to his tear-shedding story.

"We understand," Mr. Fukui commented with concern for Rico. "You had similarities to us in terms of family history, but..."

"But what?" answered Rico back.

"...we should move on in our traumas and give way to new opportunities in life," Mr. Fukui continued with an advice. "That way is a part of growing up and development to your own self." Listening to him attentively, Rico took a deep breath and responded, "Thank you for the advice. I really appreciated it. I think, if I had my own family, I would tell them about my story."

"Well, that was a good one," Maneki commented positively.

"Thanks," Rico happily responded.

Later in the afternoon, at 3:44 p.m., while the ȧduŀts are having a conversation at home, Rico, Maneki, and Theodora went out to the city's downtown for some fun and exciting time, along with their Pokémon. At the downtown, everyone is busy in their tasks, often with their Pokémon of various kinds. The sellers are selling food, drinks, and general merchandise like street vendors and constant merchants; kids and their Pokémon are having fun running along the streets safely and at playgrounds and narrow streets, often close to their homes as parents and other people are having conversations and cleaning, sewing, lace making, cooking, making art, music, and drinks, and gardening at their homes, often living at safe slopes which were accessible by stairs and alleyways. The weather was great and the white clouds are sailing across the sky.

And as they walked along, Theodora asked Rico, "Hey, Rico, how long you had been as a Pokémon Trainer?"

"Less than a year ago," replied Rico back positively. Riolu then responded with happiness.

"Wow, I only started my career as a Pokémon Trainer less than six months," Theodora replied brightly.

"Mine is like Rico, less than a year ago," Maneki shared his. Pidove then responded with happiness as it perched on Maneki's head. Then, thinking about something cool, Theodora stops ahead of them and asked them, "Hey, you two want a battle with me? My Pokémon versus yours."

"Sure!" Rico quickly accepted it.

"Oh, yes!" Maneki accepted as well. Riolu and Pidove then responded with acceptance.

Then, at one of the city's plazas, they had a battle. Their Pokémon are Houndour, Theodora's Pidove, Riolu, and Maneki's Pidove. The plaza at this time of day was not that busy and crowdy, and the conditions around are good and normal.

"I had been training almost everyday," Theodora said to them with a positive style, "so you two won't win against me."

"Oh, we will," Rico replied in competition. Riolu then responded with seriousness. Then, as the sun sets over the mountainous horizon, the battle had began.

"Houndour, use Ember!" Theodora commanded her Pokémon. "Pidove, use Gust!" Houndour and Theodora's Pidove then used Ember and Gust, attacking them with power. Riolu and Maneki's Pidove then tried to withstand the Gust and dodged the Ember.

"Quickly, use Karate Chop on Houndour!" Rico commanded Riolu seriously and quickly. Managing to withstand the Gust, Riolu jumped high and used Karate Chop, attacking Houndour with a sharp chop, striking it very effectively. Houndour was nearly weakened to the ground.

"What? So effective?" Theodora commented in surprise. Then to her serious attitude, "Oh, yeah, take this by the Flying-type! Pidove, use Air Cutter!" While in the air, Pidove used Air Cutter, launching razor-like wind to slash Riolu. Riolu did not noticed this effective attack, and got struck very effectively, launching it back to Rico's side, almost defeated.

"Riolu! Are you okay?" Rico asked it in alert. As Riolu struggles to get up, Maneki retaliated by commanding Pidove, "Pidove, use Gust!" Pidove then used Gust, flying high and whipped up a gust of wind using wings towards Theodora's Pokémon. Houndour and Theodora's Pidove tried to withstand the Gust, but the latter Pokémon got blown away and got defeated by it quickly. This shocks Theodora a lot, and Riolu managed to get up and ready for battle.

"Wow, such a good strategy," Rico commented to himself in mind. Theodora then snapped out from being shocked and responded to her cousin, "Oh, yeah, my Houndour will defeat you with its fire power. Houndour, again, use Ember!" Houndour then used Ember, attacking Riolu and Maneki's Pidove with small flames.

"Riolu, dodge it and use Focus Blast!" Rico commanded Riolu with coolness. Riolu then dodged Houndour's attack by jumping high and used Focus Blast, heightening its mental focus and unleashes its power, striking Houndour with so much power that Houndour got knocked out. And when they smoke clears, Houndour was defeated quickly with effect. Theodora was shocked at her defeat, and then sighed in accepting her defeat, calling her Pokémon without any contempt, and said to Rico and Maneki softly and calmly, "I guess I needed more training so I defeat you two. That was an amazing battle we had. I had win a lot against Trainers in this city, but it's my first defeat against someone who was from another place."

"Wow, thanks," Rico said brightly. Then in an embarrassment state, "Yeah, that's true. I come from another place." They then all laughed at it, filling the hour of the day. After that, they and their Pokémon went back to Ylona's house, and Rico, Maneki, Mr. Fukui, and their Pokémon stayed there until after dinner time, filling the rest of the day with bonding time and fun time.