I don't own Pokemon. If I did, I'd be writing scripts, not fanfic.

One year, they were the best of friends, excitedly jabbering and shoving pokemon books in each other's faces.

But the next year, they were Ten. They knew that they were all grown up, that they had to be interested in adult things. So Blue snubbed his friend, because friends and games were for little kids. And Blue had time for neither.

And the next year, they were eleven, taking on the world with their little monsters. Blue had his eevee and Red his pikachu. Their rivalry grew and grew, the trainers becoming downright nasty. Both denied the fact that they'd ever been friends as they raced from town to town, badge to badge.

But when they were twelve, there was a greater evil. Team Rocket was hurting pokemon. Both trainers fought valiantly, albeit separately. But Red started gaining something that Blue lacked- for how little the boy spoke, he was much more emotive and caring for his pokemon. So even though Blue stayed one step ahead, he was always looking over his shoulder, afraid of his shadow.

By the time they were thirteen, Blue had said goodbye to his raticate, and through his grief had managed to become Champion. He hated it. Too many lights, cameras. Too much pressure.

So when they were fourteen, and Red beat Blue, becoming champion, Blue was relieved. He took over Giovanni's old gym, and was happy. And little by little, they began to patch up their relationship. Red started talking to him more and more. Soon, they were once again best friends and confidantes.

Red came to Blue's gym one day. He had said it was urgent, so Blue closed the gym.

He started, nervous. "Blue, I can't take it anymore. Too many people. You know." Blue nodded. "So I'm going to Mount Silver to train."

"Yeah, right," Blue scoffed. No one could survive on Mount Silver. Even if someone could, why would they want to try?

"I'm serious." Red looked him in the eye. Blue became serious when he saw his friend wasn't kidding.

"You can't do that! You'll die!" he said, incredulous. Please stay, he thought.

"I have my pokemon. I'll be fine. And I thought you of all people would understand. I need to get better. I need to do something."

Blue wanted him to stay but couldn't, just couldn't say the words that might have convinced Red. So instead he looked down and said the words he would regret for years to come:

"You're still as pathetic as ever."

Red's face hardened, and Blue's last glimpse of his best friend was a flash of his red hat as he ran out of the gym, hating Blue. Blue didn't like himself too much at that moment either.

So the years went by and to Blue's surprise, Red stayed and thrived on the mountain. The champion baffled the Indigo League- could he still be champion if he lived up on a mountaintop? The League had never before required challengers to climb foreboding Mount Silver. So even as the legend of the boy with the mahogany eyes spread throughout Johto and Kanto, Lance the dragon master was appointed champion in Red's place.

Blue was angry at this. Red deserved the title much more than that pretty boy with a cape. But it wasn't his place to argue with the League, so he stayed quiet. He also secretly was happy. Now without the pressures of the championship, maybe Red could return to Pallet. But Blue also doubted the boy even knew of his demotion. He hadn't even contacted his mother since the day he left.

Or so Blue thought.

One day Blue decided to take a small break and visit his grandfather at the lab. He hadn't called to tell him, knowing his grandfather would find it a delightful surprise. Plus, he wouldn't remember even if he called, the forgetful old man! Blue chuckled at his grandfather' antics. It was only about a few hours' walk to Pallet from Viridian, but Blue took the whole day to train his pokemon in the forest on the way. So when he reached the lab, it was already nightfall and Blue was exhausted. He walked into the lab and was about to call out that he had arrived, but he heard his grandfather talking in the next room over. Professor Oak always had calls, but Blue took pause at his grandfather's words.

"For your pikachu, yes. You don't need anything else, do you?"

There are plenty of pikachu trainers in Kanto, he thought, brain working rapidly. But, what if?

Blue crept towards the wall dividing the rooms and poked his head over the divide. His grandfather startled, having heard him, and quickly hung up the videophone.

But not before Blue had seen a flash of a red hat, a quizzical look in those mahogany eyes.

It hit him right in his gut. Red. Red, Red, Red.

His grandfather turned around quickly, too quickly. "Oh, Blue! I wasn't expecting you!"

Blue just looked at him, eyes like daggers. The professor winced.

"You've been talking to him this entire time?" he said, voice low. "And you didn't tell any of us how to contact him? Not even his mother?"

"Red said he would sever contact if I did that! I had to try to help him on this ridiculous quest. I didn't want him to go upC there either!" Blue had his back turned to Oak and the old man reached out for his grandson. Blue spun around, knocking the old man off balance.

"We care about him too," he said, on the verge of tears. He ran outside the lab, and his grandfather hastily followed.

"Pidgeot!"

"Blue, wait!"

But Blue was gone in a cloud of hurt and anger. All the professor could do was go back inside and sigh. He thought about calling Red back to warn him that Blue knew now, but couldn't risk the teen severing contact. Plus, he thought, I've hurt Blue too much already for one night.

Blue was so angry he could barely even think straight. His grandfather had been keeping this secret from everyone for how long? Three years? Blue gritted his teeth against the wind and pushed his pokemon even faster.

When he arrived back at his gym a few minutes later, he jumped off the bird-type and recalled it in one swift motion. Blue burst into his gym, heading straight for his room and started throwing his things into a bag. He was on autopilot, ready to leave any moment until he realized he had already overworked his pidgeot that night. Fine, he decided. I'll leave in the morning.

"You rest tonight, Pidgeot. We've got a long trip tomorrow," he told the red and white ball.

The next morning, Blue rose even earlier than usual, and sat down to write a note. To who? He didn't care. Probably Gramps, maybe even a challenger. At this point, he just needed to leave. But only after sitting there for half an hour did he come up with this:

Dear whoever,

I need to get out of here. I need to find Red. I don't know what I want to tell him, but… I just need to go. It's been too long already. I need to tell him what I didn't.

So don't come looking for me- the place I'm going only a champion could survive.

Smell ya later,

Blue

With that, Blue jumped on his pidgeot and headed for the snow-capped peak of Mount Silver.

Author's note: After suffering a bit of writer's block, I came up with this. Expect the second half by this weekend, although it may be sooner, I just have to give it the finishing touches.

Please R & R!

~Sofia