Red stared at the horizon as the first streaks of crimson signaled a new day. Under normal circumstances he'd be asleep at this hour, but when he defeated the Elite Four the previous afternoon he'd been unable to rest following his triumph. How could he be expected to? After over a decade of training and fighting he'd finally been granted the title he'd been aiming for since he was ten years old: Kanto Pokémon Master.
If Red couldn't sleep, he may as well welcome the first full day of his new life.
Charizard grunted dutifully next to his master. Red looked up at the orange dragon towering above him. The Pokémon had been only a Charmander back then, but he'd also been by Red's side since the beginning.
Red had also called out one of his other favorite Pokémon, Pikachu, to watch the sun rise. Pikachu had joined the team when Red was still a youth, and had proved an amazing companion time and time again.
"Our lives are going to be a little different now," Red said to his friends. "Unless the other regions make peace with one another, there will be no more badges to earn. It'll be a matter of bettering ourselves and instructing the next generation of Pokémon trainers,"
"Pika," Pikachu nodded in agreement as he rested his head against Red's side.
Red looked at both Charizard and Pikachu. "Thank you," he said, "For being by my side after all this time,"
[Thank you all for the read! I'm listing this as a one-shot, though if I end up creating additional content I will update this chapter.]