RED's Suicide
I always have loved Pokémon. Ever since I was little I enjoyed Playing Pokémon on my Gameboy Color. I was fond of all the games in the series, but I was extremely attached to Pokémon Red. Red version was the game I grew up with only a simple red cartridge a long time ago. Eventually I moved on to different games of the series, enjoying every one of them. However, as I grew older and moved on with my life, my favorite game disappeared. I was devastated because my favorite video game went missing. It was almost like I had lost a part of my childhood when I lost it. It was hard for me to get over the loss of my favorite game, as it was a huge part of my life. Even though I eventually distracted myself with college, I couldn't help but feel sorry for what seemed to be a long lost friend.
When I became a freshman in college, I met a good friend named Stan. We also had been bonded by video games, particularly Pokémon. We conversed about various games, always challenging each other when we got the chance. Stan was the person that introduced me to emulators and Roms. I was so happy to be able to find games that I felt had nostalgia value, including some N64 games and some Gameboy games. The one thing we could never find, however, was a Rom for Pokémon Red Version. It took us a while to search for one, until we found one on what seemed like a shady website. We didn't think it was going to work, since the link looked like a link to some virus. Since I had a test in the morning and had to leave to my dorm, Stan decided that he would try it out the rom and see if it worked, then he would send it to me. I said my usual goodbyes to Stan, as I went to my dorm and started to study for my test. After a while of mind-numbing staring into a book, I decided to turn in for the night. As my head hit the pillow, I immediately shut down.
The next day, I heard a loud banging. Still half asleep, I lethargically moved myself towards the door. I opened up the door and on the outside was my RA, with a serious look on his face. He told me in a comforting voice, that my friend Stan had committed suicide. Tears welled up in my face as I heard the news. The first friend I met in college was gone. I felt frozen in place, as if my mind didn't want to accept what had happened. My head was spinning. What was even worse was that Stan didn't even leave a note. My RA left me to my thoughts as I pondered what had happened. My brain could barely understand what had just happened. I had to skip my test. I needed a day to mourn my friend. I wept silently in my room as I decided to use my computer for a little while. I checked my email and there was a new message…from Stan! He had left me an attachment. I clicked on it, unsure of what it was. It was a download link with a single line of text:
Play Me To Find The Truth…
It was the link for the Pokémon Red rom. I shook as I clicked it, trying to steady my hands. I downloaded the rom, seeing it as my only option. I had to know why Stan killed himself. I needed to know the truth that the email spoke of. It didn't take a long time to download it. so I booted it up. The title screen didn't begin with the open with the scene of a Nidoran battling a Gengar. Instead, a high pitched screech erupted from my laptop. The screen flashed for a minute, then started the normal game title screen. Immediately I was taken back to nostalgic moments of my past; but something was different. The scrolling Pokémon on the title screen seemed to be cut up, and covered in bruises. Despite the graphics not being up to par, I could see every little cut or bruise, as if they were real. What made my blood run cold were the expressions the Pokémon had on their face. They were frowning, tears on their face. Their tears seem to reflect every little pain and fear. I shuddered as I hit start. There was a file already on there, which is strange because I had just downloaded it. It said "RED," in all capital letters. I tried to start a new game, but it didn't work. A text box appeared and I was unable to start a new game. So, gulping and nervously hitting the keys on my laptop, I loaded up the saved game.
The Avatar of Trainer RED stood in the middle of what looked like a cave dungeon that looked extremely familiar. I moved him around to get my bearings. I checked the trainer card, and RED had all the badges. His profile had the same confident look as I had remembered on his face. The music was a mesh of notes not recognizable. It was so loud, causing my head to hurt. I felt like the constant repeating of mish mashed notes were going to drive me insane. It didn't even sound like music. It almost sounded like cries that angels. What was mind-boggling was that his Pokémon party was impossible. He had a Lapras, a Pikachu, a Blastoise, a Charizard, A Venasaur, and a Snorlax all high levels. It was impossible for Red to have all the starters. Any player was only able to choose one starter…unless...
The familiarity of the place that RED was standing in became clear. RED was standing in the middle of Mt. Silver. My jaw dropped open with the sudden discovery of where the game had put my characters. My mind was trying to comprehend how it was possible for RED to be here in this game, and the more I thought about it, the more it frightened me. How the hell was this happening? How is this link related to Stan's suicide? I was afraid that I was going to get my answer, but I wasn't going to enjoy it. As I attempted to escape through the passageway, but the game froze. The game flashed as if someone had entered the room, all of a sudden, a figure similar in shape appeared in front of RED. I immediately knew who it was. It was GOLD from the Silver and Gold Games. Something was very wrong. The whole game was messed up. it was showing places that weren't supposed to be in the game. I was disturbed as to how different it was, and even though I didn't know if there was any danger, but I felt an unnerving feeling on the back of my neck, as if something bad was going to happen. All of a sudden, a text box showed up on the screen. GOLD started talking, although he never talked. He said one phrase that chilled me to the bone:
I will Defeat you…at any cost…even if it kills your Pokémon…
A Pokémon battle screen started. GOLD wanted to defeat me. I finally realized what was happening. The rom was reenacting the fight between RED and GOLD; however, something was different. The avatar for GOLD wasn't the confident kid with a smile in his face. It had been replaced with the demented and psychotic grin of a greedy demon. He sent a Meganium against My Lapras. I wasn't even going to question the impossibility anymore. I tried to change to a different Pokémon to counteract his Meganium, but it didn't work. Lapras was trapped. The game made a sound as if GOLD was laughing at me. My whole body was beginning to feel rigid as I tried to fight him, but any attack I threw missed. His Pokémon defeated mine with a Razor Leaf. A gruesome shriek came out of my computers. Lapras' sprite seemed to be cut to be ribbons and started to bleed profusely. Instead of saying defeated Lapras was defeated, the text box said that Lapras was dead.
The same thing happened to any other Pokémon that I sent out. This game was starting to freak me out, but I had been locked in curiosity. I was frightened, and yet something to pull me in. one by one my Pokémon were cut into pieces. I tried to stop the pokemon from attacking by fighting back, but my attacks would never work. I struggled. I shouted at the fucking computer, but nothing could save RED's Pokemon from being destroyed. He sent out a Typhlosion and Feraligator as well, and I watched as I they tore all of RED's Pokemon in a bloody pulp or burned to death and every time they died, a terrible shriek. I was sick. It was like they had gone mad, attacking anyone with a bloody rage. All of the Pokemon had been destroyed. I laid there on my bed about to cry. GOLD had killed all of RED's Pokemon. He wanted to win at any cost, and he won by murdering his foes. He kept laughing as I began to cry tears of sorrow and fear for what I just saw. I was disturbed by all the blood and gore. The battle scene ended. GOLD spoke again, the laughter emanating from my laptop as another text box read:
You and your Pokémon were pathetic. You never deserved to be a Pokémon Master…
His laughter echoed through my laptop and into my head as I screamed in pain. Though the game seemed fake, the Pokémon acted as if they we're actually in pain. I felt sad and angry for RED's lost Pokémon. I cried as I remembered the horrible images them being ripped apart. Gold disappeared in a flash, obviously running away like a coward, leaving RED alone with no title or dignity. All of a sudden, cries of anger and sorrow came out of my computer again. RED was in pain. I cried with him, feeling every ounce of his pain. He had lost everything. I was crying so hard that I barely realized that the screen had gone black. I tried to move it, but it was moving on its own. My feelings went from fear to panic as the screen came up. six huge blood-soaked tombstones were erected now, commemorating RED's fallen friends. A text Box opened up and the words of RED spoke directly to me:
Finish it…
He was begging for death. I was both frightened and lost in fear. I tried to move RED But he didn't budge. I went through his items, and saw nothing except a one single item… it was called GUN. I couldn't stop myself. I was compelled to select it. I activated the item. The screen flashed as a deafening bang resounded through my whole room. The screen showed RED falling down in a pool of pixelated blood. I stood there, unable to breathe, and unable to think. My tears fell again, more profusely. I know now what happened to RED after GOLD defeated him in Mt. Silver. He had killed his Pokémon and had taken will to live. I understand why Stan lost his will to live. He watched the horror of his and my favorite character from Pokémon killing himself after being tormented. I…I've lost the will to live. Something is calling me. I feel like the horror of what I saw is starting to affect me… I feel myself slipping...I want it to end. And it will… soon as I end my life…Goodbye…