Backstory of Red meeting Ethan and Cynders.
Red
More than several years had passed since Ethan, wearing that exact same cap, had crossed his path on Mt. Silver and challenged him. In the time since, Red had found himself on a long journey back to Pallet Town. With no money left—Charizard, in a fit, still blaming Red for the loss, refused to Fly him and had taken off—he'd taken to travelling on foot, and on Lapras's patient shelled back or Blastoise's stomach as its canons gently jetted out water, whenever they were near a stretch of water. Hearing rumours of a small boy with a large Typhlosion travelling throughout Kanto had not surprised him.
Red certainly remembered that day. For one, there'd been another person instead of a Pokemon encounter. For another, Ethan's accompanying Pokemon had been a Typhlosion: a Johto pokemon with a collar of pure flame towering over his small boy of a trainer. Red had large Pokemon too—Lapras, coming in at the highest at eight feet included—but even his fainted Venosaur hadn't intimidated Ethan the way that Typhlosion had Red.
For something so powerful, it'd been amazingly obedient. Lean, strong, powerful muscles and a lumbering, steady gait as it loped forward to step into battle. It followed in sync with every one of the small boy's commands. It wasn't unheard of, for trainers to form strong bonds with their Pokemon, particularly if they went along the battling route, but out of all the Pokemon that Ethan had brought out in battle, this one had seemed the deadliest. Touchable only by type advantage.
Red remembered the Typhlosion half for the image it'd presented when it was out in battle, a quarter for the fact that he'd actually blacked out, and the remaining quarter because it'd been quite the sight post-battle. Red had put Pikachu back in his pokeball for the first time in years, just in time to look up to see that giant of a Pokemon accept its Max Potion spray, and then crouch down to lie on its back eagerly.
As Ethan pet its stomach, scratched it, and gave it a good belly rub, the Typhlosion made a sound that Red could only describe the rumble as very pleased. "Cynders," the boy had said happily, "you did a good job." He glanced up at Red. "I'm Ethan, by the way! Nice to meet you."
Red himself forgot the names and the faces of the people he battled and won against. Losses weren't common, but as a young child, he hadn't thought more of it. Training had been all he needed. These days, it was difficult rehabilitating himself to people. He only half-remembered to phone his mother back, and he was still trying to talk to her like he did his Pokemon.
But if anyone asked him, he would have been honest. Silent, a terrible conversationalist, yes, but honest.
Red had battled Ethan and Cynders only once, and he'd never forgotten the sight of them.
