Chapter 1: Red
"Hello there! Welcome to the world of Pokémon! My name is Oak! People call me the Pokémon Prof! This world is inhabited by creatures called Pokémon! For some people, Pokémon are pets. Other use them for fights. Myself… I study Pokémon as a profession. First, what is your name? Right! So your name is Red! Red, Your very own Pokémon legend is about to unfold! A world of dreams and adventures withPokémon awaits! Let's go!"
A soft sigh filled the bedroom of a young boy who replayed his message through his Pokegear. Red couldn't believe that he had been chosen to serve as one of Professor Oak's aids when it came to filling the pokedex once again. Now that many Pokemon from all over the world had migrated and made their homes in many different places, the elderly researcher had drafted a new set of assistants willing to go out and explore. Naturally, the hot blooded brunette was up to the task. As Oak's message repeated his name once again, Red plopped back onto his bed, eyes aimed at the ceiling.
"Tomorrow is finally the day that I get to embark on my journey… the day that I follow my old man's footsteps."
Red reached out to the ceiling before clenching his fist shut, a confident smirk on his face. "I'm definitely going to surpass him though," the brunette announced proudly before hearing footsteps from outside of his bedroom. "Oh crap…" he mumbled before watching his door swing open, a woman in her early thirties standing there with her hands resting on her hips and an irritated expression on her face.
"Red! I believe I told you that the curfew would be ten o'clock tonight so that you could be up on time to meet with Professor Oak!" Red's mother stated, eyes still locked on her son who had pulled his hat off and tossed it aside, beginning to remove his day clothing in a panic. "S-Sorry, Mom! I was just too excited!" The young boy confessed, bowing multiple times as he was left in only his boxers. The brunette woman sighed softly and shook her head, looking at her son absentmindedly for a brief period. This did not go unnoticed by Red, who could already guess what she seemed to have seen.
"Is it about Dad?" Red questioned, his mother seeming to snap out of her small trance.
"What?"
"What you were thinking about just now. It had something to do with Dad, right?"
Not being one to hide things from her child, the woman nodded her head and allowed a small smile to spread across her lips. "I suppose I'm still too easy to read, huh? You were right. Seeing you act this way just reminds me of that big goofball and how he was always so excited when it came to pokemon, even as we got older." The young boy looked down a bit, feeling bad that he'd inadvertently forced his mother to think about his father. As far as Red could tell, there was nothing wrong with his Dad or that they did not get along. Rather, it was that so much time had past since he was home and the topic would usually make his mother melancholic, something that Red hated seeing. Lightly pressing her hands against the apron that was round her waist, the woman shook her head at her son's actions. "Ah, ah, you know how I feel about that. No frowns, young man, especially when it comes to your father. Even if you have the same cute pouting face, it does not mean I wish to see it," the matriarch declared, stepping over to Red and ran her slender through his brown locks, causing Red to blush.
"But-"
Before another word could exit Red's mouth, he was pulled into a tight embrace. "I'm alright, Red. Every mother is forced to face the fact that their child leaves for a journey someday. You've passed your trainer classes and got a license to train Pokemon so I won't stand in your way." Stepping back a bit, the woman smiled happily with a joyful expression on her face. "I know that someday you'll be an even stronger trainer than your father so until then, please do not concern yourself with me or worry about me…" Looking up at his mother, Red could feel himself trembling for a moment before running into the woman's arms and hugging her tightly. He likely would not be unable to stop worrying about her but the least he could do was try and confirm her beliefs. Red would become a better trainer than his father would ever be as he had his mother believing in him now as well. Gently pressing her lips to the top of her son's head, Red's mother sighed softly and then released him.
"Now, it's actually time for you to hit the hay, my little pokemon master."
Releasing his hold on her, Red grinned before yawning and stretching his arms into the air. Removing his socks on the way from his mother, the brunette pulled back the multi-colored blanket on his bed and shimmied under the covers. Giggling softly, Red's mother moved towards the doorway and stepped out, peeking her head in one last time for the night.
"Good night, Red. I love you," she whispered softly before pushing down the boy's wall switch, turning off his lights, closing his door, and leaving him to his sleep.
As promised to his mother, Red did fall asleep, and rather quickly at that. Though he slumbered, the young soon-to-be trainer dreamt of nothing but Pokemon. The brunette dreamed out all of the adventures he'd have, all the friends he would make and all of the amazing battles that would involve him. It was something that drove him wild just visualizing it. Before he even knew it, sunlight began spilling through the young man's window while pairing up with a repeated beeping frequency. Tiredly blinking a few times, Red opened his hazel colored hues and sat up in his bed, roused from his slumber. After yawning and stretching, a smile overtook the young man's face with the realization that his day had finally arrived. Without another moment to waste, the brunette hopped out of bed and moved over to his desk chair. Before their little moment last night, the young trainer and his mother had laid out an outfit for Red's first day as an official Pokemon trainer. Red took a moment to observe his new purchased outfit: A pair of comfy looking black jeans, red shoes with a black and white pokeball design on both sides of the foot, a long sleeve shirt hidden under a red hoodie that bore the same pokeball insignia, and to top it off, a vibrant hat that consisted of a white and red coloration though the red was more prevalent. Hastily changing into his new clothes, Red pulled on a pair of fingerless gloves that he'd purchased nearly a year back. Fully dressed for success, the brunette retrieved his wallet and pokegear along with it's additional items before opening his door and making his way down the stairs.
Before he could even reach the bottom of the stairs, the scent of freshly prepared
breakfast permeated in the air, flooding his nostrils. Without even seeing the food, Red knew that his mother had gone all out with preparing his favorite foods, something that he was grateful for. Finally placing his feet on the floor at the end of the stairs, Red stood proud before feeling his stomach growl, something that instantly crippled the young male.
"Red! Are you up yet?!" Red's mother called out, unaware that her son had already been rounding the corner and entering the kitchen as she spoke.
"Right here, mom." Red took his seat and pulled off his hat, looking at the large meal set on the table, enticing him with a harmonious aroma.
Turning from her location at the stove, the brunette woman smiled whilst dusting her apron of any flour that had situated itself there. She took a few steps over to the table and kissed her son on the top of the head, a slightly melancholic smile on her face. She hadn't realized just how hard it would be to let him go even after their conversation that took place the night before. By this point, Red had already began tearing into his food though his mother didn't mind too much this time. Seeming him like this, casual and happy, brought a more relaxed smile to her lips and calmed her worries. Her son would be alright and she'd always known that he had what it took to care for himself so now, she'd just have to give him all of the support that she could. After taking her seat at the table, the two person family ate their breakfast as they normally did albeit with a larger pool of food. They spoke of dreams, reminisced on days gone past, and told stories that they'd heard time and time again.
Ring! Ring!
Looking away from one another, both sets of eyes were drawn to a clock resting on the kitchen counter. The alarm continued to read, vibrating against the marble counter. For a moment, there was nothing but a heavy wave of silence. Slowly, Red's mother moved to the clock and shut off it's nagging ring though she didn't say anything as she did so. The young man gathered up his hat and made sure that it was pleasantly snug on his head while the woman made her way back to him. She stopped and changed directions, moving to the living room before returning with a new backpack. Having both prepared for Red's departure in silence, the two exchanged a silent nod as Red's mother handed him the bag.
"I made sure that it was cleaned out for you. There's a new journal for you to mark down notes and anything that you think is amazing, a few snacks to get you started off on, a change of clothes and shoes. Oh! And please don't forget to call or write or any other way of getting in contact with me. Make sure you call me every day just so I know that you're okay. Also-"
Before she could say another word, Red pulled his mother into a hug. Within a moment of being pulled in, the woman had already began crying softly. It didn't take her too long to push him off a bit and smile happily as she lightly rested her right hand on his shoulder.
"It's so much harder than I thought… but all boys leave home someday, right?" The parent said, a chipper expression resting on her face.
Even if she didn't necessarily wish to let go of her baby boy, she would have to. She believed in him and his dream so as his mother, she would be his cheerleader from the comforts of their home. "Now, go on. If you're not gonna be the Pokemon master, then who will?" She asked, Red letting go of his mother and nodding.
"I love you, Mom," Red declared, stepping to the door and pulling it open.
"I love you too, Red. Good luck…" She replied, waving gently as her son smiled.
With that, the young boy pulled the door shut and prepared himself for the journey ahead. With Autumn's chill making itself known to the world, Red began taking his first steps into his destiny as a trainer. First stop: Professor Oak's lab!
