A boy clothed in red excitedly ran out of Prof. Oak's lab. He had just received his first Pokémon, an energetic Charmander. He couldn't wait to go out and start his journey. The professor looked as the new trainer ran to the first city. The mother of the boy, who was known as Violet, came to see her son go, with worry etched on her face.
"Don't worry. I'm sure your son will be fine." Prof. Oak assured the mother.
"I know he will be. I'm just afraid he might follow in his father's footsteps." The female brunette silently muttered.
The professor stood silent. He still remembered the sad fate of Violet's husband. They were too late when they found out that he had passed away years ago. The memory played like an old record.
Professor Oak and Violet quickly went for the Pokémon Center that was situated at the base of Mt. Silver, thanks to the professor's Pidgeot. They saw a large group of people surrounding it. But when the people saw the two, they immediately stood aside to give way for them to enter the center. Seeing as they had close relation to the victim, they didn't hesitate to run through the now open path. Professor Oak stood in shock while Violet felt tears run down her cheeks as she saw her husband lay stiff on the hospital bed, pale and lifeless. From what both Oak and Violet remember, the man said that he will set foot for Mt. Silver, hoping to catch some rare Pokémon. And that was the last time they heard from him.
It had been roughly 9 months when they last had contact with him. By that time, Violet had given birth to a baby boy. The newborn never knew or even heard about his father, let alone see him personally. The now mother wondered if her husband was okay, but she was dead wrong. A call was received that a group of explorers found a body of someone lying stiff on Mt. Silver.
"Don't think you'll win that easily just because we're friends, Red! I didn't travel and train all my team members to become the Indigo champion for nothing!"
"Heh, I know that! Just prepare for a major beat up!"
Red was now facing his long time friend and rival, Green, the Indigo League champion, at the Indigo Plateau. He had passed a lot of trials and struggles just to have finally made it to the final test. He defeated all eight gym leaders situated at different locations at Kanto; he had levelled up all his Pokémon with utmost care; he defeated the Elite Four in a straight row; and he's not going to put all those efforts to waste.
Their final battle was about to begin. It was Red's Charizard against Green's Blastoise. Both were on the verge of fainting, but Red had one more trick up his sleeve. As Blastoise kept ramming Charizard from the distance with a powerful Hydro Pump, Charizard kept protecting its tail's flame, which had been growing bigger and bigger.
"Finish him!" Green commanded as his Blastoise dashed forward with a Skull Bash. At the perfect timing, Red commanded his Charizard "Dodge it!" And the giant lizard immediately jumped up and glided an inch above the Pokémon. While Green and Blastoise were still in shock that the flame Pokémon still had energy, Charizard used the opportunity to give the final blow. As Blastoise turned around, he was met with a powerful smash on the head, knocking it out.
"You did it, Charizard!" Red ran to congratulate his Charizard for doing so well and defeating the champion. Green was still standing, shocked that he lost. But a loss is a loss. He had to step down from his title as champion. Red heard clapping and turned around to see the Indigo League's Elite Four.
"Congratulations, Red of Pallet Town." Lance the dragon master and leader of the Elite Four said. "You have outclassed us Elite Four, and defeated the champion. You are now considered as Kanto's Pokémon Champion." At this point, Red blushed, with it matching his name. The brunette shook hands with Lance, but said "Thank you. But I might want to turn down your offer." The room stood silent in shock. How can anyone refuse the title as champion?
"As much as I want to stay here and battle others, I can't stop here just yet. I want to keep travelling, just so I can achieve my dream as a Pokémon Master." Red explained.
The Elite Four immediately huddled to discuss. After a minute of tension, Lance finally said "Okay Red, if you insist. You won't be our champion, but your name will be written in the Hall of Fame as a trainer who had beaten the league." "Sounds like a good idea to me." Red nodded. "But...since Green has been defeated, and you declined our offer, who will be our new champion?" Lorelei asked. "Why not Lance?" Green spoke up. "Since he's the top trainer of Kanto and the strongest of the Elite Four, I don't see any reason why he can't be our Pokémon champion."
"Where do you plan on going next dear?" Violet asked his son as they both had breakfast back at home.
Red thought about it for a while as he drank down his orange juice. "Well...I'm thinking of heading for the Sevii Islands. Then the Johto region later on."
Red's mother dropped her glass onto the floor as she heard the word 'Johto'. "Mom? What's wrong?" The boy asked. "O-oh, nothing Red. I just...remembered something."
Time flew by quickly. Red had already travelled to the Sevii Islands and visited each one. He had also defeated the Silver League of Johto and claimed his title as the Johto Champion.
"So Red," Prof. Elm of New Bark Town began. "You've already done everything in your list. What do you plan to do next?"
"I'm thinking of heading up for Mt. Silver. I told Green that we'll meet up there." Red said. Prof. Elm was about to protest when the trainer immediately left the lab with his Pikachu riding on his shoulder.
"Oh dear. It seems like his mother never told him about the incident at Mt. Silver."
The snow was becoming heavier as Red trekked up Mt. Silver. He regretted not bringing a scarf with him. He wouldn't last up here! His Pikachu refused to get back in its Pokéball, despite its shivering condition. By now, a blizzard came in.
"Ugh...I...don't think Green...will come here..." Red began to slow down as the blizzard toyed with his condition. They were near the summit when Red collapsed to the fluffy white snow, exhausted. Before he fully fainted, he saw a figure in front of him.
As Red woke up, he felt warm. He saw a Charizard (not his, he could tell) putting its tail near him so Red wouldn't feel the biting cold. As he tried to put his back against a wall, he felt something squishy instead. He looked up to see a Snorlax. The brunette tried to analyze where and how he got here. But first he worried about his Pikachu.
"Pikachu? Where are you, Pikachu?" Red looked around. A familiar "Pika!" was heard and Red saw his partner running to him. "You're okay!" Red said in relief.
"So, you finally woke up, huh?" An unfamiliar voice asked. As Red stood up, he saw a boy with a Pikachu on his shoulder as well. He had raven black hair, but strangely had the same style as his; He had hazel brown eyes which could rival his own; a red cap with a Pokéball symbol near the edge of it as a design was worn straight on his head; His jacket had a popped collar but it was unzipped to reveal his black shirt.
Red just stood in awe. They almost look like each other! The other boy giggled "Hey, ever heard of introducing yourself?"
"Wh-what? Oh, right. My name's Red and I come from Pallet Town." Red introduced himself.
"Red huh? Nice name. My name's Crimson." The other boy introduced.
"Nice to meet you, Crimson." Red shook Crimson's hand.
"So what brings you here to Mt. Silver? You know it's bad if you come here unprepared." Crimson sat down and cuddled to his Snorlax. So that's his Snorlax...Red thought. The brunette sat down as well to the Snorlax. "Well, a friend of mine promised to meet up here, but I guess he was watching the weather." "I see." Crimson replied. "You're lucky I found you. Or else you would've been a 'Red-sickle'!" Red couldn't help but laugh at what Crimson called him.
"How long have you been here in Mt. Silver, Crimson?" Red asked as the black haired boy prepared hot tea, with help from his Espeon. "Hm...I'd say around, 3 months or so. I've discovered this cave during my journey, so I decided to stay here for a while." Crimson replied. "But enough about me. What about you? Tell me something about your journeys." Crimson said as he handed a cup to Red. Thus, their story-telling began.
"You've conquered both Kanto AND Johto? That's amazing! I conquered them as well, but I lost my title."
"No way! Seriously?"
"Yup. After that, I went here for more training, making this here cave our safe house."
"I see. But it must be lonely being here by yourself."
"Sometimes, but I have my Pokémon to keep me company."
"It's great that you have loyal partners."
Red and Crimson were still talking when the blizzard stopped.
"Oh! Looks like the snowstorm stopped. Thank you for everything Crimson! I'd best be on my way now!" Red stood up to leave but Crimson stopped him.
"Um...before you leave Red, would you mind giving me and my team here one Pokémon Battle? A 6-on-6 match." Crimson said.
Red couldn't turn down the offer. "Sure. But where will we battle?" he asked.
"Follow me." Crimson said as he went deeper into the cave.
Red followed Crimson until he saw a light coming from Crimson's direction. "We're here." Red heard the black haired boy say in the dark. When they both entered through the light, the brunette stood in awe. In front of him now stood a Pokémon Stadium within the cave, complete with the places where the trainer should stay in, torches at all four corners and the Pokéball symbol found in the middle.
"I was just exploring through the mountain when I came to this open space." Crimson said. "I thought that maybe, if a trainer or two came to this mountain, they might battle with me." He turned to look at Red and smiled. "And you're apparently the first customer to see it." Red couldn't help but be glad on the inside.
Red's Lapras fainted in the match against Crimson's last Pokémon, Pikachu. The brunette decided to play it equal by sending out his Pikachu as well.
"Not bad, Red! You managed to defeat 5 of my Pokémon without your Charizard, Squirtle, Bulbasaur and Snorlax fainting." Crimson commented. "But...That's gonna change! Pikachu, quick attack!"
"Oh no you don't! Headbutt!"
After a grueling battle, Crimson's Pikachu finally gave in and fainted.
"Alright Pikachu!" Red tightly hugged his Pikachu for giving the victory. Crimson stood as he picked up his fainted Pikachu. He went to the other side to congratulate Red, shaking his hand without saying a word. The brunette was confused.
Red was suddenly pulled to a tight hug by Crimson. "C-Crimson! What the-...?" He didn't continue as he heard the black haired trainer say, "Congratulations and thank you for the battle, son." The brunette blinked. Son?
When Red blinked once again, he saw that he was back at the foot of Mt. Silver, near the Pokémon Center. "Wh-what just happened?" The brunette asked himself. "Red!!!!" He turned around to see Prof. Elm, Green, and his mom running towards him. He was hugged by his mother as soon as she was near. "Red, are you okay? Oh, I thought I lost you!" She said, crying. "I'm fine, mom." Red replied.
After the hug, he received a knock on the head by Green. "You idiot!" He said "Why didn't you check the report before freezing yourself to death?!"
"Mom..." Red began. "Yes dear?" his mother asked. "Who's Crimson?"
It was already 2 years after the Mt. Silver incident, but Red still can't forget. Ever since he found out that Crimson was actually his dad, he couldn't stop thinking about him.
"Dad..." Red murmured in his sleep. He seemed to be having a nightmare. He twisted back and forth, scrunching his sheets, beads of sweat running down his face.
Finally, Red woke up with a jolt. It was like he was in a deep trance. The trainer immediately put on his clothes and sent out his Charizard once he was outside. "Charizard, go to Mt. Silver." Red commanded. Nodding, Charizard roared as he got off the ground and began to leave Pallet Town for Johto.
Violet woke up as well, hearing roaring outside. It's midnight; she thought who would go out this late? That was, until she remembered Red seeing his dad at Mt. Silver.
"RED!!" She ran outside in her night gown and jacket to see Charizard flying away. "Violet, what's wrong?" Prof. Oak, hearing his neighbour scream, ran out of the laboratory, putting on his lab coat. "Red! He's flying away! I'm sure he's headed for Mt. Silver!" Violet replied, worried. "Hurry! We can catch up to him on my Pidgeot!" The professor said as he sent out his Pokémon.
Red trekked all the way up to the part where he first saw Crimson. The blizzard was at its worst, but that didn't stop the trainer. It was already up to his chest when he finally snapped out of the trance. At first, he was shocked on how he got here. Next, the cold came in. It shivered the trainer terribly. Finally, he caught a silhouette that resembled Crimson. Red smiled as the bitter cold took over his body. He shed one last tear and muttered silently "Dad..." and closed his eyes.
Prof. Oak caught sight of Red on his Pidgeot, but was to his biggest shock when he saw the brunette nearly buried in the snow, skin very much pale, not moving.
As Violet saw Prof. Oak come down from his Pidgeot, she saw Red behind the professor. For a second, she was relieved; But at the next, she was horrified to see her son, pale and on the verge of death.
Immediately, the two brought him to the Pokémon Center nearby. He was already in a critical condition. As the other doctors tried to keep Red's pulse alive, Violet was worried to no end and began to cry. But a cold hand slowly reached for her warm and delicate one. She dried her eyes to see it was her son, despite his fragile condition.
"R-Red...?" She trailed off as she began to cry even more.
"Mom...I'm sorry...for suddenly running away like that..." Red weakly said.
"No, no...It's okay, dearie." Violet hugged him carefully like she had always done when he was still little.
"..." Not another word came from the young trainer as he died in his mother's arms.
"...And thus, people have never dared to trek unto the perilous Mt. Silver, as two have been reported dead on this attempt."
It had been almost 7 years after Red's death. A young girl named Soul heard about his ventures. She closed the book she was reading and proceeded to the library's exit. Her pigtails swayed a little to the outdoor wind.
"I see no reason why though those people called the mountain 'cursed'. Must be their imagination." She put on her winter coat as she began to walk on the frosty road toward Mt. Silver. "I'm going to prove them wrong that there's nothing cursed about the mountain."
"I guess I was wrong about this mountain." Soul was coming closer to the location of where the so-called 'spirits' had stayed on Mt. Silver. The snow was becoming harsher and colder, that even her coat can't keep her warm for long. Her Togepi hid within her jacket. "Ugh..." She was beginning to have frozen feet and her movements were slowing down. Snow was becoming knee-deep, but that didn't stop her.
Soul began to feel sleepy as she felt the cold. Her little partner tried to keep her awake even for a second, but Soul couldn't take it anymore. "Help..." was her last word. She fell to the snow, but felt someone tug her through it.
"...Huh?" Soul woke up to find herself in a cave and with a Charizard next to her. Her Togepi was quietly sleeping on her lap. "Thank goodness..." She quietly said. The female looked around to find herself in a cave, and outside was the blizzard.
A male trainer came and handed her something that seemed like a cup of hot tea. Soul accepted it after having second thoughts. "Were you the one who saved me?" She asked. The boy nodded. Soul noticed that the boy seemed to cover his eyes with his red hat, which had a white Pokéball symbol in the middle. He had brown hair that stuck out from both ends of his hat. He wore two black sweatbands on both arms and had a red jacket which had a popped collar.
He seems familiar... Soul thought to herself as she drank the tea.
After a while, the snowstorm stopped. Before Soul could leave, the boy stopped her and without saying a word, suggested that she follow him. The female brunette was hesitant but followed anyways.
When they came to their destination, Soul was surprised. It was a Pokémon Stadium within a cave! The boy stood at the other end of the arena. So, this guy just wants to battle huh? She thought, Well then. I'll give him a match he won't forget!
The boy's Blastoise fainted after receiving a powerful Thunder Punch from Soul's Ampharos. "Woohoo! We defeated the trainer, Ampharos!" Her Pokémon smiled with glee. As the red haired boy came to congratulate Soul, that was the only time he revealed his brown eyes and smiled.
"Thank you for a good match." He said. Soul blinked. "You're Pokémon Master Red!" She stated. The boy nodded.
When Soul blinked again, she found herself and her Ampharos back at the foot of Mt. Silver.
When people have heard of Soul's misadventure, they immediately went to see if this was true. A group of professional mountain climbers went to see the cave, but they found nothing, even if they dug their way. They didn't even see Red as the girl claimed. People thought it was a hoax.
But then again, how could they explain the sudden appearance of those misfortunate on the mountain getting back to the bottom safely?