The next day, Red and Link were standing on the porch of Red's house. The house was tiny, compared to the looming, flaming red barn in the backyard. It was a one-story house with two bedrooms, a kitchen, and a living room. The house was a sickly pale color, as the sun faded away its true, gold color. In the distance, amount the dry, straw-colored countryside, was a tiny town known as Melee Bay. It was one of Smashville's neighboring cities.

"Look! There's Ike and Roy!" Link pointed to a silver car that parked in front of the drive way. Two of its doors swung open and out came Ike and Roy.

"Ike, give me a call when you're ready!" Elena called to him.

"Yes, Mom!" Ike replied before slamming the door shut.

As Elena drove off, Ike and Roy hurried towards Link and Red. "Hey guys!" Ike spoke with a smile. Roy smiled softly and nodded.

Red gave Ike and Roy a high-five. "I'm so glad that you guys can come!"

"So, what are we going to do now?" Link asked.

"We're going to see my Pokemon!"

Ike, Link, and Roy followed Red into his house. As soon as they stepped in, they were greeted by a woman in her late thirties with long jet black hair dressed in a humble red dress. She shared Red's warm brown eyes.

"Red, are they your friends?" she asked.

"Yes, Mom." Red began to introduce his friends. "Mom, this is Link, Ike, and Roy. Ike and Roy recently moved to Smashville."

"It's very nice to meet you." Red's mom smiled at her son's friends. "Do you three want something to eat?"

"No thanks." Ike simply replied.

Roy shook his head.

"Well, no thanks." Link answered. "I've already eaten. Thanks anyway."

"Enjoy your day here." Red's mom softly said as she watched Red and his friends enter the backyard.

Ike's footsteps softly crushed the dry grass as he followed his friends to the towering, red barn. Its bright, flamboyant color indicated that it was recently coated with paint. The air was humid and warm, making Ike perspire. Sweat began to soak in his indigo hair. Heat began to embrace his body, refusing to let go.

When they approached the barn's entrance, an abrupt growl coming from the inside the barn caused Roy to yelp in surprise, dash behind Ike, and clutch Ike's waist tightly for protection. Link jumped as his ears twitched. What was that?! Ike's face went pale for a second. Did it come from the barn?! Unlike his friends, Red kept his cool.

"Don't worry, it's just Charizard." he calmly reassured as he unlocked and opened the door. "He's actually excited that we have visitors!"

Ike gently stroked the shaking Roy's cardinal hair as he tried to comfort him. "Don't worry, Roy. Everything's alright. I was scared too."

As soon as the barn's doors flew open, Charizard leapt out of nowhere and lunged onto Red, knocking him down. Despite being abruptly tackled by a monstrous fire Pokemon, Red began to laugh as Charizard happily nuzzled his head with a gentle snarl. Ike and the others could only watch with an awkward facial expression. Whoa, Charizard was HUGE compared to Red! Red could mount him and take off to the skies! Why was he so friendly?

"I know, Charizard." Red happily whispered to Charizard as the fire Pokemon got off, allowing his owner to get up. "You're happy that we have visitors! Now, be gentle!"

Charizard turned and looked at his owner's friends, identifying their physical appearance. Red's cardinal hair caught his fierce light blue eyes. As Charizard sharply gazed into Roy's navy blue eyes, Roy froze in fright. He was a deer caught in a pair of headlights. Oh no... What was he going to do? Did he want to eat him or something?

Red caught Roy's alarmed expression. "Don't be scared! I think Charizard likes your hair, Roy!"

Ike and Link smirked at Red's remark. However, they instantly stopped when Charizard slowly went towards Roy, careful not to scare him. Once when he was a step away from the redhead, Charizard gently nuzzled his cardinal hair. His cheeks flushing pink, Roy giggled loudly. Ike, Link, and Red looked at each other. That was the first time they heard Roy laugh.

"Charizard's really friendly." Ike commented.

"Yeah, he is!" Link agreed. "Why is he so nice?"

"He's been raised by humans ever since he was rescued as a Charmander." Red answered.

"Let's see your other Pokemon!" Link exclaimed.

Along with Red, Ike, and Link, Roy stopped playing with Charizard and quickly trailed his friends. Charizard did not seem too upset at the act. He simply followed his owner and his friends.

As soon when Ike entered the barn, the boiling air that refused to let go of him suddenly fled away from him. It dreaded the cool air lingering in the barn. A beam of white sunlight shimmered from the open window.

A Pikachu was playing in the haystack with a Pichu. Sitting in a baby pool filled with cold water was a Squirtle. He was spraying water onto a nearby Ivysaur, who seemed to enjoy it. A meditating Lucario was peacefully sitting at a corner of the barn. A Jigglypuff was sneaking on oran berries.

Pikachu noticed Red enter the barn with his friends. Exclaiming a "Pikaaaa!", he excitedly scurried towards him and leapt into his arms.

"Hi there, Pikachu!" Red said to the mouse Pokemon, cuddling him. "We have some visitors!"

With a shy blush, Pichu timidly approached Red's friends. Roy kneeled down and held out both of his hands. This made Pichu overcome her shyness and quickly jump into the redhead's hands.

Link noticed Squirtle playing with Ivysaur. Wanting to join the two Pokemon, he approached them. Squirtle took notice of the Hylian and mischievously squirted water at his face. As Link wiped his face with the sleeve of his green jacket, Ivysaur giggled along with Squirtle.

"Your Pokemon is neat!" Ike said to Red as he petted Charizard on the head.

"Thanks!" Red replied with a smile, gently setting Pikachu on the ground. Pikachu happily leapt into Ike's arms and looked at him with endearing, innocent eyes.

As Ike softly petted Pikachu on the head, he suddenly thought of something. "Hey Red, is your Dad here? I didn't see him."

"No, he isn't." Red answered. He shrugged his shoulders with a sad sigh. "He's working in Goldenrod City. I'm kinda worried about him."

"I know." Ike replied, watching Link sprinkle water onto Ivysaur, who nuzzled his hand. "He's working to support the farm, isn't he?"

"Yep." Red said. "Sometimes, he doesn't even come home for dinner! We would move out of Smashville to Goldenrod City for convenience if it weren't for the Pokemon!"

"I see." Ike spoke, nodding his head in understanding. "If you moved to Goldenrod City, then you needed to give the Pokemon away."

"Yeah." Red replied. "I can't picture giving my beloved friends to some stranger!"

Meanwhile, Ganondorf and Wolf entered the room where Pit was held. The two henchmen had just presented their idea to Zephiel, who immediately allowed it. The strict leader of the facility approved the idea of having the winged boy search for Experiment #9.

Ever since he became aware of his surroundings and responded to stimuli, Pit was strictly disciplined by members of the research institute. It got to the point when Pit believed that the only reason he was alive was he was born to take orders from superiors. Due to his belief, Pit never disobeyed orders.

Ganondorf turned on an intercom. "Pit, may we have your attention?"

Pit's wings perked up as he excitedly looked at his superiors. Yes! He finally got something to do!

"Y-Yes! I'm paying attention!" he happily answered.

"We have an important mission for you." Ganondorf explained. "Your mission is to find someone."

"Who is it?" Pit curiously asked.

Ganondorf held a picture of a cardinal-haired male with navy blue eyes against the window. Pit hurried closer to the window to take a better look.

"Is that who I'm looking for?" Pit innocently asked.

"Yes." Ganondorf answered.

"Why?"

"It is because he is associated with us. We can't give you details."

"I understand. Where do I look for him?"

"We'll show you soon. Right now, we need to make preparations."

Ganondorf gave a nod of approval to Wolf, who unlocked and opened the door to Pit's cell. Instead of taking this rare moment as a chance to flee, Pit simply stepped out and went to Wolf's side, waiting for an order.

"Follow us." Wolf said.

Pit followed the henchmen to a small medical room. Its walls were completely white along with the flat ceiling lights. It had a few cabinets and a small bed.

As Wolf browsed through the cabinets and took four syringes, Ganondorf asked Pit to sit on the bed. Pit obeyed obediently not aware what was going to happen.

"Now Pit, look at the walls." Ganondorf calmly commanded.

Pit did what he was told. As he gazed at the boring walls, he felt two pinches on each of his arms. Wolf was injecting vaccines into the youth's body. It would be terrible if Pit needed to return to the facility if he got horribly sick!

After Wolf was finished with the shots, Pit wearily said, "I feel really sleepy..."

"You're supposed to feel sleepy." Ganondorf replied. Due to not being exposed to any bacteria, whether good or bad, Pit had a weak immune system.

"I can't." Pit responded, lying down on the bed. "I need to look for the boy..."

"Not now." Wolf said as he pulled the covers over the drowsy teen. "For now, just sleep."

Pit slightly nodded before his consciousness entered a pitch-black, silent world.

"When are we going to release him?" Wolf asked Ganondorf as they left the room.

Ganondorf locked the door with a tiny key before replying. "We'll release him in a few days, unless if he feels ill."

After spending an hour with Red's Pokemon and thirty minutes snacking on junk food and drinking lemonade in the backyard, Link, Ike, and Roy left and went back to their homes.

While Elena drove, Ike gazed at the wide, endless countryside and began to daydream. Roy fell asleep. So, Red's dad was currently working hard at Goldenrod City. Sometimes, he could not make it back in time for dinner. If it weren't for the Pokemon, then Red and his family would move to Goldenrod City, so it would be more convenient for his dad.

But, it meant that Red needed to give his Pokemon away! Moving would only benefit his dad. The thought of Red's father pulled the trigger on the gun and made a dashing bullet of anger thoughts strike Ike's thoughts. Suddenly feeling fury boil through his head at the thought of his own father, Ike tightly clutched his fists and looked down at his sneakers.

So, the only reason he and his family moved to Smashville was only for Gawain's benefit?! Ike remembered when he protested against moving to Smashville. As a punishment, he had his phone taken away, followed by his mother's harshly saying, "Ike, don't be selfish."

"I'm not selfish." Ike thought to himself crossly. "Dad is!"

Roy, who suddenly awakened, noticed Ike's furious expression. With a worried look, he gave him a small nudge on the shoulder.

Ike quickly snapped out of his thoughts! "Er, sorry Roy! I was just thinking about something!"

With an understanding nod, Roy gently laid his head on Ike's shoulder and drifted to sleep. Ike's lips slightly curved into a smile before it fell into a frown that matched with his glower.

Upon returning home, Ike noticed a certain dark blue vehicle parked in the driveway. He softly growled to himself; it looked like the old man managed to come early from work. Ike quickly covered his angry glare with his mask of calmness as he gently shook Roy awake. Roy softly rubbed his eyes and yawned as Elena got out of the car.

"Well, your father came home earlier than usual." she said as both of her sons exited the car.

Ike forced a smile. "Y-Yeah, that's good." he said, actually feeling nonchalant of his father. He did not want to express his grudge towards his father.

As Ike entered the house, into the kitchen, he spotted Gawain sitting at a table, reading the newspaper. He stood there for a few moments, before taking a can of lemon-lime soda from the refrigerator. Gawain was deeply interested in the news; he did not notice his own son entering the kitchen. However, Ike did not care whether his father noticed him or not. Ever since they moved to Smashville, he despised Gawain with every inch of his heart.

Author's Notes: Dashing through the NO...

Here's a quick update. Surprised? Well, I'm officially on Winter Break! Expect some quick updates!

Like the last chapter, nothing exciting really happened. It just gave an insight to Red and Ike's relationship with his dad. I promise that the future chapters will be more exciting than this!

Story Questions:

Out of all of Red's Pokemon, which one is your favorite?

(You don't need to answer this) Which character would you like to see in future chapters?