Nothing now bothers Ethan as he trudges up Mt. Silver. The Pokémon attacking him are easily beaten by the overwhelming power of his own. The extreme climate also doesn't affect him in the slightest, but this isn't because his Typlosion's fire is warming him up. He navigates the mountain with ease as well, almost effortlessly climbing closer to the apex. It's clear that Ethan had experience with this mountain before.
With one final Rock Climb, he reaches an exit. He goes through and Ethan is back at the summit of Mt. Silver.
His head throbs the instant he steps foot outside. Ethan forces himself to keep walking. The pain increases with each passing second, and his pace slows as his headache grows worse. Dizziness soon consumes Ethan, and his vision blurs. He clutches his head with both of his hands. He yells in his mind for the torture to stop. He falls to his knees and soon collapses.
When Ethan awakes, his finds that his pain has disappeared along with the other symptoms. He pushes himself up to his feet, where he finds Typlosion looking at him with a concerned and worried expression. Ethan simply smiles and pats his friend's head reassuringly. When he faces forward, the smile upon his face disappears. He sees the back of a figure staring at the horizon. Ethan walks closer to the figure, and the person becomes more distinctive. Blue pants, yellow backpack, sleeveless red jacket, black undershirt, brown hair. However, all Ethan can focus on is the red hat on the person's head. He stops a few paces away from the figure, and just stands there. Tense silence overtakes the atmosphere. Not a single sound is heard except the winds of the blizzard of Mt. Silver.
At last, the person turns around. Ethan stare at the boy in front of him, and his Typlosion gives his own intimidating glare. They go ignored because the hat the boy bears shadows his eyes. The boy reaches for his belt and pulls out a Poké Ball. He drops it, and it explodes in a frenzy of lightning bolts. When it dies down, Pikachu stands in place, bursts of electricity going off in his red cheeks. He glares at Typlosion, and he does the same to the yellow mouse. Upon seeing the Electric-type Pokémon though, Ethan's eyes soften and a fond smile shows. The time is brief due to his refocusing on the opponent in front of him. The boy in red tips his hat up, and his gray eyes meets Ethan's own gray eyes. The intimidation trick doesn't faze Ethan in the slightest as he prepares for the most difficult battle of his life.
The fight ends. All twelve Pokémon fought with their best, countering each blow with their own. In the end, the red figure recalls his last defeated Pokémon to rest with a surprised face. Ethan does the same for Typlosion, the winner, and claims victory. Ethan inspects the boy's face closer and finds no emotion expressed. That's all he saw before the boy turns around and fades away from existence.
All he leaves behind is his red cap, which sits on the snow-covered ground.
When Ethan awakes, his finds that his pain has disappeared along with the other symptoms. He pushes himself up to his feet, where he finds Typlosion looking at him with a concerned and worried expression. Ethan simply smiles and pats his friend's head reassuringly. He looks around his environment, and he still finds himself at the peak of Mt. Silver. His eyes soon catches something in the ground. He walks slowly towards it, Typlosion following behind him. When he reaches it, he picks it up. He feels the smooth surface of the red hat with his fingertips. A grin full of nostalgia plasters on his face. Ethan takes off his black and gold hat and places the red hat on his head, facing forward in contrast to his backwards hat. Typlosion watches the performance curiously, which Ethan responds with another smile and pat.
He returns his Pokémon to his ball and walks to a nearby rock. He investigates behind it and finds six Poké Balls, where he puts five of them away in his Bag. He picks the remainder up and throws in the sky. It explodes in bolts of electricity and the Pikachu inside calls out his name and drops towards his Trainer. Ethan catches the Pokéball and smiles fondly once more when the Pikachu lands on his hat. Ethan then walks back towards where he came from, intending to trek back home.
The Pikachu eventually notices the black hair of Ethan. Anger fills the Pokémon's face and electricity sparks from his cheeks. He jumps off the hat and lands in front of Ethan with the purpose of attacking this impersonator. Ethan just stands still and stares at Pikachu emotionlessly. Inside his heart, though, is the feeling of disappointment and sadness. He also couldn't blame Pikachu as well.
Pikachu was about to electrocute the unknown boy when he lays his eyes on Ethan's gray ones. In that moment, it clicks in Pikachu's head. He ceases his lightning attack and his anger disappears, replacing with delight. He returns to the hat, where he lays down with a smile. Ethan's own negative feelings vanish as well. The two continue on their way off Mt. Silver and back home.
It was a long journey, but it finally came to an end when he reached New Bark Town. He stepped inside his home. He walked towards the kitchen where he found his mom. She turned around and greeted, "Welcome home Ethan!" She then notices the red cap on his head and the Pikachu on top of it. Tears are released from the mother's face and a smile of great joy forms as well. She hugs Ethan, and he comforts her as she cries and cries. When she finally stops, her face is flushed red and she sniffs a whole bunch. That doesn't stop her from say her next sentence with upmost happiness.
"Or, should I say, 'Welcome home Red!'"
Disclaimer: Pokémon belongs to Nintendo