>>38260905It kind of is though, with how hard they push your Pokémon and any non-villain(ORAS not included) important character liking you for how great you are eventually if not on-sight. Your point still stands though that most of the time they're basically schoolyard-level friends who're only your friends because they're there.
>>38260203You know, I always wonder why people don't consider Blue a friend. I mean, sure, he doesn't really get as buddy-buddy with you/Red as the other rivals(which arguably changes as he gets older), but to call him hostile or even aggressive feels like pushing it. After all, what
>>38261042 says stands, and honestly makes him feel more like a real friend than some of the other rivals. The worst he ever does is fight you in Silph Co., which honestly just feels kind of like a strangely placed battle for the sake of having a harder fight there, since he barely acknowledges the Rocket takeover at all. Even Origins sort of sidestepped dealing with it.
