Entry from the journal of Professor Samuel Oak, July 17, 2919
Incredible breakthrough in my research. The engineers finished developing a device for the live capture of the native wildlife which I have named the Capture Ball. This wondrous gadget is about the size of a baseball and can capture anything, regardless of size or weight. And it is extraordinarily easy to use. One must simply touch the creature with the locking device and it will be absorbed into the ball (I asked the engineers to explain the process to me, but the explanation ultimately escaped my understanding, I am sorry to say). Once the creature is subdued within, the only action necessary for its release is a simple press of the same locking mechanism which was used to place them inside the ball. It has been tested repeatedly and proven highly successful. The only failures occurred with certain individuals who proved strong enough to break through the barrier, but such species merely had to be weakened somewhat before capture (this was done in humane ways, generally through the application of a drug which induces sleeping).
This invention has made everyone happy. For myself, I now have an easy way of obtaining and storing organisms for my research. I have already undertaken no less than a dozen expeditions into the wilds outside of the settlements to capture subjects for study. The businessmen are ecstatic as well, due to their belief that the Capture Ball will allow them to create a business selling the captured animals as pets. Rather than having to keep the different animals in cages and kennels, the stores will only need to place the Capture Balls on stands and allow their customers to look inside. Although I do agree that this is a phenomenal business opportunity, the idea of using this fantastic invention for something so base repels me. Instead, I remain focused on the potential research benefits of the Capture Ball. I will contact my fellow biologists as soon as possible to inform them of this invention and to convince them to urge their local entrepreneurs and engineers to begin producing the Capture Ball as quickly as possible. While I do not enjoy the continual inclusion of men and women focused on exploiting these wondrous ideas for monetary gain, it is the perpetual curse of the scientific community that we must rely on people such as these in order to further our own designs.
In front of Red appeared a big lizard, standing approximately up to the boy's waist. Its skin was bright red everywhere that Red could see and it had two very small bumps on its back which seemed to be shoulder blades. A tail, about half the length of its body, trailed the creature, ending in a rounded point. Small claws, which did not look particularly dangerous, adorned each hand and foot, white and sharp. The creature looked around the crop of trees in interest, moving ungainly on its hind legs until it saw Red standing beneath one of the trees and it stopped. Its eyes narrowed and it opened its mouth, revealing small, stubby teeth. The creature hissed at Red and dropped down onto all four legs while raising its tail threateningly. Suddenly, a flame about the size of Red's fist burst from the end of the tail and the lizard belched a small ball of fire in the direction of the boy. Red cried out in fear and jumped out of the way before he realized that the ball of fire had gotten barely a foot out of the thing's mouth. When the boy stood back up and straightened his hat, the lizard began to eye him uncertainly and back away, all the while attempting to seem threatening.
The boy slowly moved from his spot at the base of the tree, keeping his eyes trained on the flaming lizard and one hand on the stun gun which he had received from Oak. As the animal continued to back away, Red remembered what the professor had said about the rat-thing which had attacked him on Route 1. See? They're more frightened of us then we are of them. At least when they're brought within the barrier. With slow, deliberate movements, Red reached for his pack, sliding his hand around inside without actually looking at the interior so that he could keep watching the lizard. Finally, he found what he wanted and pulled it out slowly so as not to startle the animal. Even so, when it saw his closed hand emerging from the bag, the lizard hissed angrily and continued to back away, the fire on its tail beginning to flicker and die off. Then the boy extended his still closed hand towards the lizard. When Red finally opened his hand, he revealed a small piece of dried meat.
The red lizard instantly stopped its retreat and sniffed curiously at the boy. While the obvious hostility hadn't disappeared, the lizard seemed less likely to either flee the crop of trees or attack Red in panic. Its tail lowered slowly and the flame finally disappeared completely. Seeing indecisiveness become clear in the animal's behavior, Red gently tossed the meat across the clearing so that it landed just in front of the lizard. Without a moment's hesitation, the animal snapped up the meat and gnawed at it. Its small, pointed teeth had difficulty tearing the tough morsel, but eventually, the lizard finished its meal and stood up on its hind legs to regard the boy, who still squatted next to the pack, watching the animal. The two looked at each other from across clearing, neither of them stirring until the lizard ran its rough, orange tongue out of its mouth to lick up any remnants of meat.
Finally, Red picked up the Capture Ball, which had fallen to the ground and remained there throughout the confrontation between the boy and the animal. The boy pointed the ball at the lizard and pressed the lock, closing his eyes against the red flash which followed. After opening his eyes again, Red gathered everything and placed it in his pack before beginning to make his way back to town. As he walked, Red considered his situation and the animal which would now accompany him on his journey. Although it had no longer seemed openly aggressive towards Red, the lizard had also displayed no signs of trust or comfort with its human companion. While the fire which it had shot from its mouth could be helpful, Red would also need to feed it if he ever released the animal from the Capture Ball. Unless he could trust the beast completely, Red wasn't sure that he wanted it out of the ball. Thoughtfully, Red looked at the ball as he held it in his hand and placed his thumb on top of the red half. In an instant, the lizard appeared, returning the boy's gaze from within the confines of its container. It opened its mouth, but Red couldn't hear whatever sound it made. The two stared at each other as Red continued to walk, boy and animal both trying to get a read on each other. Then Red slipped his thumb off of the ball and slid it back into his pack.
Red opened the back door to his house and listened for any sounds coming from within. Almost immediately, he heard his mother crying, her sobs coming from the living room. With a grimace, the boy opened the door a little farther and slid into the house, trying to be as quiet as possible so that his mother wouldn't hear him. Fortunately, the stairs were right by the door and only provided a moment of visibility from the couch when Red first started his ascension. Then he was out of sight and allowed himself to breathe again as the sounds of weeping covered his steps. Once he made it to his room, Red set his pack down on the bed and began rooting around, looking for anything and everything that could prove useful. Within his desk, the boy found a few snacks and a Med-Pack. Red unzipped the pack and looked at its contents: a container of Medi-Gel, three injection tubes filled with anti-infection medication, a roll of bandages, and several bottles of pills. He grabbed his second pair of shoes from the closet as well as a few odds and ends. Finally, Red picked up a picture which stood next to his bed on a nightstand. In the picture, a younger Red stood next to a beaming man who had the same red hair as the boy. The man had his hand on Red's head and his eyes practically sparkled with joy. Red stared at the picture sadly for a few minutes before setting it down on the bed next to the pack. Then he upended the bag and shook everything out to see what supplies Professor Oak had given him.
On his bed, Red now had five Capture Balls in addition to the one which contained the lizard. Next to these were the Biodex, another Med-Pack, the stun gun as well as its additional battery, and several cans of beans. Red stood there silently for a nearly half a minute, regarding the supplies which would have to last until he reached Viridian City. With a nod, the boy began to repack the bag, organizing everything neatly so that he could find whatever he needed quickly and easily. Finally, Red took a last look around his room and sighed. Many memories, both good and bad, came to life in that moment. He saw his mother coming in to wake him up for Christmas, a father and son playing cards and he heard the sounds of laughter echoing within the walls. These specters pulled at Red, begging him not to go, not to leave the comfort of this room. But then the boy recalled the emptiness and loneliness which he had felt while looking out of that window over the past year and the pleasant memories shattered with a shriek of pain and loss. Red shook himself and tossed the pack over his shoulder before he left the room in which he had grown up for the final time.
When he reached the top of the stairs, Red looked down to see his mother blocking the door at the bottom. Her eyes were red and puffy from shedding tears only minutes before and she stood resolutely in her son's path. "You don't need to go yet, Red," she said, her voice shaky and uncertain. "They said that you could have a few days before you have to leave." After a moment of hesitation, Red glared down at his mother, anger pouring from his young body and a fierce expression upon his face.
"What's it matter, Mom?" demanded the boy in fury. "I have to leave sometime. Sooner is better than later, right? That way, you'll all get more food for yourselves." Red practically spat the last few words, his disgust hitting his mother with an almost physical force. With each word, she cringed and took a small step back until the way was clear once more. Red descended the stairs and pushed past the visibly battered woman, but before he could make it out of the door, his mother gave one last effort and lunged to grab his arm.
"Please, Red. You know that I would do anything to let you stay," she sobbed as she held onto her son in a fit of desperation. Watching his mother silently, Red felt a twinge of pain when he saw fresh tears clear on her face and the dark rims beneath her eyes. Then the hot pit of anger returned anew, roaring back to life in his stomach to quell the rise of empathy which had threatened to overtake him. After a final moment to collect himself, Red looked his mother directly in the eyes.
"Would you take my place?"
His mother looked at her son in shock, her eyes widening and her grip loosening. Red took the opportunity to pull his arm free from her hand and walk out into the bleak afternoon sunset. Behind him, the door closed with a bang and then there was no sound, only silence to accompany the end of Red's life in Pallet Town. Lights flickered on throughout the town, illuminating families within their homes, holding each other tight as each parent imagined their own child being forced to strike out on their own. And at the back of each of their minds, they all imagined an even worse fate: they imagined themselves walking out onto Route 1 as an exile. Each of them would do their best to forget Red and to forget what they had done to him. They would justify it by saying that somebody needed to go in order to save the town as a whole and many of them would probably be able to sleep at night. At that moment, as he watched Pallet Town carry on as if he had never existed, Red felt another surge of anger, but it was mixed with something else: determination. Red decided that he would complete Professor Oak's request and he would survive to return to Pallet Town one day and remind them of what they had done. With that thought burning at the forefront of his mind, Red turned his back on the only home he had ever known and stepped out onto Route 1 for the second time that day. His life in Pallet Town had ended and his journey had begun.
