Save 1: All Boys Leave Home Someday

Red awoke that day with a giant smile sprawled across his face, a rarity for the now eleven-year-old boy. Even though his birthday had been the day before, this day was much more exciting for him. Today was the day he would receive his very own Pokémon from the town's Professor Oak. The idea of finally leaving Pallet Town only served to make him even more giddy.

The boy leaped from his bed and after getting his morning rituals out of the way, dressed in his signature red jacket and cap before heading downstairs where his mother was waiting for him in the kitchen. She didn't share his enthusiasm for the day to come he could tell, merely from looking at her face. But she knew this day would come for the longest time and she was prepared for it.

"Right," Red's mother said, placing her hands on her son's shoulders. "All boys leave home someday, something I know all too well."

Red nodded, not being one to talk much. Despite his lack of words, his mother knew he'd miss her as she would him.

His mother smile at him warmly and proudly before saying, "Professor Oak, next door, is looking for you. You'd best go quickly."

Red hugged his mother tightly before leaving the house.

Pallet Town was by no means a small town but it's size wasn't anything special. Red lived to the north of the town, close to start of Route 1. There was no fence or gate separating Pallet Town from Route 1 so wild Pokémon would frequently enter the town in the dead of night to look for food. Luckily the Pokémon that would wander in were rarely of a high level and so posed no threat to the residents of the town.

At the south of the town just before the river was its only tourist attraction, essentially the only thing bringing outsiders there: Professor Oak's Pokémon Lab. It was there that Red would get his very first Pokémon.

Or so he thought.

"Gramps isn't around," Red's childhood friend Green said. "I ran here 'cos he said he has a Pokémon for me."

"Then where is he?" Red asked.

"If I knew then that's where I'd be," Green answered. "Why are you looking for him anyway? You're not looking to get a Pokémon from him are you?"

Red nodded causing Green to laugh.

"You're joking! There's no way a reject like you would ever get a Pokémon."

Red turned away from the laughing boy, not in the mood to retaliate. Not to imply he ever did. Red wasn't a timid boy but he was quiet and kept to himself. While he and Green had been friends in the past, that changed as they grew older. Green's delusions of grandeur gained from being the grandson of a celebrity was mainly responsible.

Red looked around town for Professor Oak but to no avail. Why would the man call him to his lab if he wouldn't even show up on time? Things like these frustrated Red to no end.

Red eventually gave up and went on his way home. It seemed like today wasn't the day he'd leave this boring old town. Just as he was about to the enter the door, Red heard a static noise that sounded like a Pokémon cry but not anyone he'd heard before. He turned to the edge of Route 1 and saw a small and slightly chubby yellow mouse like Pokémon limping through the tall grass, letting out an occasional cry. It was clearly injured and was most likely in a battle with a trainer but escaped.

The Pokémon fell in the tall grass, just a few metres shy of Pallet Town. Red ran into the tall grass to help the Pokémon but the creature got the wrong idea and attacked, letting out a spark of electricity from the red circles on his cheek in defence. The attack just about missed Red but the Pokémon was merely getting started. Red froze on the spot, unable to run away. This was a Pokémon, ruthless and desperate. He closed his eyes and prepared himself for the worst.

"You fool! Wild Pokémon live in the tall grass!" a voice from behind him called.

Red turned around to find Professor Oak running towards Route 1 as fast as his elderly body would allow him. In his hand was a red spherical capsule: a PokéBall!

Oak threw the PokéBall at the hostile Pokémon with all his might. The PokéBall burst open, a cloud of smoke dispersing from it. When the smoke disappeared, the Pokémon had vanished and the ball was closed once more. It wiggled around for a bit, as if it could burst at any moment. One, two and three times it did until it stopped. The Pokémon had been captured. At this moment both Red and Oak let out a breath.

"A Pokémon can appear anytime in tall grass. You need your own Pokémon for your protection," Oak said.

Oak looked at the boy, who was still shaking from the experience.

"You're Red correct? My grandson's friend?"

Red nodded, not bothering to correct Oak's use of the word friend.

"Ah yes, I called for you my boy. Here, come with me!"

Oak led the young boy to his lab where his grandson was waiting impatiently.

"Gramps! I'm fed up with waiting!" Green yelled.

"Why are you here Green? I said I'd give you the Pokémon at your house later on today," Oak said.

Oak could see that his grandson would have none of that and so said, "Fine, just wait there."

"Look, Red!" Oak said, gesturing to a PokéBall being kept on a table to the right of the room. "Do you see that ball on the table? There's a Pokémon inside. I want you to take it."

Red's eyes sparkled at these words. So he would be getting a Pokémon today. He'd waited so long for this day. As he approached the table, his heart began to beat faster and faster. Inside that ball was his first Pokémon, his partner. With it, he'd be one step closer to being like his father. Red's hand hovered over the PokéBall. Just as he was about to grab it however…

"No way! Red, I want this Pokémon!" Green said as he snatched the ball from Red.

"Green! What are you doing?" Oak yelled in outrage.

"Gramps, I want this one!"

"But I…" Oak started, looking over at Red who merely stared at his empty hand without saying a word.

Oak reached into his pocket and felt the PokéBall holding the Pokémon from earlier. Oak then smiled.

"Oh alright. Blue, it's yours."

These words triggered opposite reactions in the two boys: Green let out a cheer while Red looked down at the floor, distraught.

"Red, come over here," Oak said warmly.

The boy walked over to the professor with intrigue. Oak pulled out the PokéBall from his pocket and presented it to Red. Red's eyes lit up once again.

"This is the Pokémon I caught earlier. You can have it. Its name is Pikachu," Oak said with a smile as he handed the ball over to Red. "As it's not yet tame, I'll leave its training up to you. You can give it a nickname if you so please."

Red looked at the PokéBall holding his new partner Pikachu fondly before saying, "Pika."

Green let out a rude chuckle at this name.

"What a simple name for a simple Pokémon! I bet mine is much better," Green said before throwing his PokéBall at the ground.

The ball opened, releasing a small brown pup like Pokémon. As the ball bounced back into Green's hands, he smirked.

"An Eevee huh? What'd I tell you?" Green said cockily. "Mine looks a lot stronger too."

"You want to test that out?" Red asked.

Green smirked, knowing he got a rise out of Red, someone he knew didn't like to speak much.

"I'm glad you asked Red."

Red took a few steps back and threw his PokéBall on the ground, releasing Pika. Green laughed at the sight of the electric mouse.

"I knew Pikachu's were fat but that thing's on another level!"

"Pika attack Eevee!" Red commanded.

The electric mouse obliged, throwing a spark of lightning at the rival Pokémon injuring it a little.

"You prick, I wasn't ready yet," Green yelled. "Eevee! Tackle!"

Eevee rammed into Pika with all its might, sending the electric mouse flying. It seemed to do critical damage.

"Red! Pikachu's main technique at this level is Thundershock!" Oak said.

Red nodded before yelling, "Pika, use Thundershock!"

Another spark of lightning was thrown at Eevee, this time paralyzing the poor thing. It seemed Red had secured victory. Green frowned, not ready to give up.

"Eevee shrug it off and use Tackle!" Green commanded but to no avail- Eevee could not move at all.

"We've won this Pika! Use Thundershock!"

Pika let out a loud battle cry before finishing Eevee off with one last Thundershock, causing critical damage. The rival Pokémon fainted leaving Red the victor.

"Unbelievable!" Green exclaimed. "I picked the wrong Pokémon!"

Red smiled before returning Pika to its PokéBall. Green did the same, letting out a short sigh before walking past Red to the door of the lab.

"I'll make my Pokémon fight to toughen it up!" he said. "Red, Gramps! Smell you later!" Green said before opening the door and making to leave.

Before he left however, he had a few words for Red.

"You know, I haven't heard you speak that much in a long time."

With that, Green left, off to begin his journey.

"Congratulations on your victory Red," Oak said.

Just as Red turned to thank the Professor, Pika's PokéBall burst open, releasing it. Both Red and Oak looked at the Pokémon in bewilderment.

"That's…odd," Oak said. "Would you look at that. It appears that your Pikachu dislikes PokéBalls."

"What do I do sir?" Red asked.

"For now just let it have its way. That's sure to make it happy."

Red crouched down and patted Pika on the head. He wasn't met with a look of warmth and love however but one befitting someone who's trust and affection he had yet to earn, someone who begrudging accepted him as their master. And he was fine with that.

Red nodded to Professor Oak with a smile at the door before heading out to begin his own Pokémon Journey.

Trainer Red

Pika - Level 6