"A pure white beginning!" Red rolled his eyes at the grandeur of his mother. The woman had a knack for this type of thing, even when it wasn't particularly appropriate.
Pallet Town, Samuel Oak's little spot of civilization, famed for its influential catchphrase and simply being associated with the renowned professor. Red didn't particularly care for the more niche aspects of the town, though he recognized its prominence.
"Well? What do you think?" She looked at him and gestured to her outfit, hopeful for a positive response. The boy of seventeen didn't quite understand his mother's worry over upcoming events.
"It's subtle." His eyes quickly looked the older woman up and down before glancing elsewhere. Careful to not make eye contact. "I like it."
Their relationship was… strained, to put it lightly. Small interactions that were rather shallow were a common occurrence. Red found it to be dreadfully boring, if not awkward; his mother felt insecure about it. She understood some of his behaviors, having been rather impulsive in her youth; however, his more… out of touch traits were lost upon her.
Red's eyes met her own, albeit inattentively. That absentminded stare was off-putting, but one she had grown used to.
The woman smiled and nodded her head lightly, a small bob up and down. "I'm glad!"
The boy's mouth clenched shut. Ah, so it was back to silence then. She never understood that about her son. It was seldom that she was able to pry much conversation from him; that was a skill held by the professor, as far as she was aware, the professor alone. There was a time that he was quite the blabbermouth, though that was put to rest once his father left. She had hoped that his recent graduation would make him more vocal yet it seems that would not be the case.
The brunette woman sighed as she watched Red call out for his rodent companion. The boy found it odd how something so small, relative to himself that is, could completely outclass him in terms of pure power. His own pikachu, Ocho, was perfectly capable of causing several deaths by electrocution despite its very small stature. Pokémon were interesting like that; the average height of a charizard was five foot seven, yet Lance's fiery beast stood at an impressive six foot five. The Champion's behemoth was still not the pinnacle of height either as Oak's stood above it, being large enough to ride; such extreme diversity was baffling.
"Red." His mom was calling for his attention. "Hi! Are you finished being a Poké-researcher for a bit?"
The boy let out a small chuckle. Nobody would be surprised if he went into research as a career. His father was an aide-turned-trainer under Professor Cedric Juniper in Unova; one of the primary reasons Red took a fancy to pokémon biology. His mother studied under Professor Oak herself, allowing the teen to grow up in close proximity to the living legend.
"There we go! A smile fit for a Champion!"
Red continued making small talk with his mother, though not truly paying attention. He wasn't quite sure what to think. Everything he's known for the better part of the year was going to get flipped on its head. No more internship at the Ranch, no more exams, no more constant supervision. He had little to no idea of what he wanted to do, who he wanted to become. Perhaps he should ask Oak for guidance.
The Professor was a neigh constant in Red's life, seeing as the man practically fancied himself the boy's de facto father. While Red didn't quite understand or recognize his close relation to the living legend, he was brimming with respect. Professor Oak: Creator of the modern Pokéball, Ex-League Official, Founder of the Global Pokémon Research Institute. A series of other accomplishments came to mind but Red halted the thought before it got out of hand. It was difficult to believe that such a behemoth of a man existed, much less that he worked under him.
"So will you?"
Red raised an eyebrow, regretting his lack of attention. "Will I…?"
"Ugh. Red, would it kill you to pay attention?" His mother berated him. "Professor Oak invited us to an office party. I thought it would be nice if you attended."
The old man invited them to a party. That was surprising, it wasn't like Oak to hold celebrations. While being a rather cheery fellow, the man was not one for social gatherings. Red released a small sigh.
His mother looked at him expectantly. He knew the answer she wanted, though he wasn't sure he wanted to give it to her. A flock of pidgey landed atop their home, a relatively small two-story, three-bedroom, and one bath. The avian pokémon squawked, gaining Red's attention. His mind briefly flashed to an image of the pidove in Unova, where his grandparents resided. Pidgey was definitely more aggressive looking than the avifauna in the western regions. The small bird flew off, causing Ocho to shift disappointedly atop Red's shoulder.
"Red?" Ah. He got lost in thought again. Perhaps it would be best to moderate that.
The teen shifted his cap a bit before tilting his head slightly. "Yeah. I'll come."
The mother went silent for a bit before putting on a massive smile, teeth showing. "That's wonderful!"
Red was never really one for celebrations, especially ones held by the professor. They typically consisted of various aides and colleagues gathered round, discussing whatever it was that appealed to their fancy; all the while he got to stand in a corner, bored out of his mind. Luckily he had Ocho to keep him company.
The boy was particularly prone to bouts of boredom, it was the primary cause for him acting rather poorly at times. His mother was called in a fair bit by the principal of his elementary school when they still lived in Unova, his father just smiled at him and eased his concerns.
"It's normal for us to be bored from time to time. Sometimes you have to make your own fun." God that seemed cliche.
"Words of the wise, eh?" Red didn't realize that he mumbled the quote aloud.
He turned and saw a spiky-haired teen walk up to him. He was the spitting image of the old man which meant…
"Oak." Red's lips twisted into a small grin. His teenage peer let out a cocky chuckle before lightly slapping him on the back, causing Ocho a small bit of unbalance from his place atop his shoulder. The rodent's cheeks sparked ever so slightly in annoyance.
"That's Blue to you, Red."
Blue Oak, grandson to the Professor. He and Red had been acquaintances for the better part of the last two years, though they seldom got along. The Professor's grandson had a habit of being a bit of an ass and was quite hot and cold when it came to Red. The two had quite a few moments of hostility towards one another.
The capped boy brought his arm up, lightly scratching Ocho's head. The pikachu let out a small coo before nuzzling its head into the crook of Red's neck.
"Ocho evolved?"
Ocho seemed to smirk at that, puffing his tail up in a show of prominence. Red simply nodded and grinned.
"That's amazing, you must be taking great care of him then." Blue stopped and scratched the back of his head, lost in thought.
Red stared at his peer for a short bit before attempting to gain his attention. "Blue?"
The spiky-haired teen quickly snapped back to reality, grinning at Red.
"I got a peek at your record." That wasn't a good sign, Blue had a habit of being rather bipolar between being friendly and arrogant. The boy didn't attempt to hide when he intended to be snarky.
Red's blank stare was quickly replaced by a glare, the younger Oak was one of few things that could truly rile him up.
Blue's grin grew larger. "Easy there, Red. I'm not referring to your questionable disciplinary history… or the poor grades."
The capped boy wasn't unintelligent by any means, he was practically valedictorian in Oak's eyes. He just had a rather nasty habit of never turning in assignments, as well as not attending classes. He wasn't unaware of his poor academic performance, his mother wasn't particularly kind about it.
"Your TCS was 1600."
That got Red's attention. It wasn't like Blue to take much interest in his success, the other teen would much rather tease him about some random shortcoming.
Red rose his eyebrow. "And?"
"And?" Blue's tone quickly became one of annoyance. "Are you dense, Red?"
Dark grey eyes continued to bore into blue. Oak just scoffed.
"Red, you scored higher than anyone else in the class. On the TCE! Your trainer certification exam?"
Red continued to stare absentmindedly, waiting for the younger Oak to get to the point.
"Heh. It really doesn't matter to you, you don't even care." Ocho burrowed his head into the crook of Red's neck, unbothered by Blue's rambling.
"Get to the point, Oak."
Blue scoffed. "I want you, Red." The other teen raised an eyebrow at that.
"Look around, man. Our classmates? They don't have what it takes, they won't reach the same heights we will."
"That's rather condescending, Oak."
The spiky-haired teen snorted. "Oh please, don't act like you disagree. I'm well aware that you're just as high-flown as I am."
Blue's tone started to become aggravating to Ocho even, who began to send the same soulless glare that his trainer was doing.
"We're equals, like it or not," Blue smirked as he went off on his tangent. "All great legends have some type of rival, none of them reached their peak without a little challenge."
"You want me to be your rival?" Red placed his hands into his pockets, thumbs loosely sticking out.
"The one and only."
Red would be the first to admit that the other teen was acting completely and irrevocably dramatic. Hell, he wouldn't be surprised if Blue was purposely adding all of this bravado in an attempt to convince him.
Though that didn't change the fact that he piqued Red's interest, training came naturally to him and he'd be remiss if he didn't consider it an option moving forward.
"Do you even have a pokemon?"
Blue smirked at the question before pulling out a small red and white sphere from his belt, twirling it atop his finger. "Sure do."
Red wasn't surprised, Blue was practically guaranteed a sponsorship due to being an Oak, and being gifted a pokemon was part of that. Though to have one prior to graduation was still quite the feat, the teen had to have pulled the same strings he did to keep Ocho. The Old Man made quite a few shows of nepotism when it came to them, none of which went over the League's head. He shuddered as he remembered the swarm of SIA agents swarming and going over every detail of his life when he caught Ocho, given he caught the electric mouse illegally. The Old Man chewed him out relentlessly for that stunt.
"Which one did you go with?" Red's eyes followed the red and white pokeball as Blue lightly tossed it in the air, releasing the teen's newly obtained starter.
A small flash of white light erupted and now standing in front of him was a small blue turtle, barely a couple of inches larger than Ocho. Red smiled, quickly realizing the implication of Oak's choice. Well implication if he accepted his offer that is, either way, the other teen was remarkably well off for someone who hasn't even begun their journey yet.
"Squirtle? I'm surprised you didn't go for the bulbasaur, especially given how you want me to be your rival." Ocho quickly took notice of Oak's squirtle, leaving his spot on Red's shoulder to investigate.
Blue's eye twitched a bit, "Yada yada. I'm aware you have an advantage; you don't need to patronize me, asshat."
The tiny turtle pokemon behaved the exact opposite of its trainer, barely poking its scaly head outside of its shell. It was ironic how timid it was, compared to the relatively obnoxious exuberance of Blue. Something told Red that it was newly hatched, probably only 5-6 months old, a bit younger than his own pikachu.
Red let out a noise that was somewhere in-between a chuckle and a grunt, the sheer difference in personality was hilarious. Blue had his work cut out for him. Red was well aware of why Blue chose the water type, his bond with the Old Man's blastoise practically required him to. Ocho sniffed the entrance to the squirtle's shell before losing interest and returning to Red's shoulder.
"How exactly do you want to go about our little rivalry?" The capped teen placed his hands in his pockets, thumbs loosely sticking out.
Blue smirked and ran a hand through his spiky hair. "We'll take on next season's League challenge."
Red rose an eye at that, the League challenge was quite lengthy and had a variety of complicated requirements. Requirements that Red wasn't guaranteed to have, even with his close connection to Oak and high trainer score.
"The gym challenge?"
Blue rolled his eyes. "No. We're going to enter using counterfeit badges; of course, I mean the gym challenge."
Blue's sarcasm caused the capped teen to send a glare his way.
"I'll think about it, Blue."
The younger Oak scoffed and returned his squirtle to its pokeball. "I'm expecting an answer before the day is done."
Ocho sent a glare toward Blue, not approving of the cocky trainer's tone. A small shrug of his shoulders caused the pikachu to shift as Red sighed.
"You'll have it." Red's response was curt and didn't leave much room for further conversation causing Blue to walk off.
Of course, Blue wanted to compete in one of the most confusing tournaments known to man, The Indigo League. The challenge itself lasted anywhere between two to three years depending on region and was quite convoluted both politically and entry-wise. Eligibility required the participant to be a minimum age of seventeen years old, have certification to be a trainer via the TCE, and typically required participants to have a League-approved sponsor. This process weeded out most non-eligible would-be trainers, and the politics behind the tournament weeded out the rest. While the Elite Four and Champion were glamorized by the region and media overall, the League's non-governmental status is a subject of political uproar, especially with many high-ranking League Officials serving as de facto politicians. The League's status as a prime contractor for most regional governments didn't help with the confusion or its status as an independent organization.
Red sighed before scratching under Ocho's chin, causing the small electric rodent to lightly tap its leg in delight. The teen wasn't really sure what to make of Blue's request, his original intention was to just work his way up the chain as Oak's intern. Going into the trainer business completely threw that idea on its head; as well as putting him directly into harm's way, something he wasn't sure mother dearest would be particularly fond of.
"Red!"
Still though the idea was appealing; adventure, conquest, pokémon. Every kid dreamed of being champion at some point in their lives. Lance, the youngest champion ever, was many a young boy's hero. He would most likely be fairly successful, he did score perfectly on the TCE after all.
"Red! My boy!" Red was snapped out of it by Professor Oak.
"Professor!" The older man smiled and clapped Red on the back.
"Lost in your head again?"
Red smiled warmly, the old man was one of few who he thought understood and saw him fully. Someone that recognized his potential.
"Something like that."
The older man smirked before reaching out and lightly scratching Ocho behind the ears, causing the pokemon to nuzzle into the Professor's palm.
"Just remember to come back to the real world, can't have you forgetting about the rest of us now."
The teen let out a small chuckle, tapping his fingers lightly against his jeans out of boredom.
The professor returned his hands to his pockets, shifting slightly. "I imagine Blue already tried to convince you?"
Red just nodded in response, an action that the old man chucked to.
"Based on that reaction I'm assuming you still have yet to decide."
The brunette reached up and shifted his cap before answering. "I decided a couple minutes ago."
"Oh? Giving my grandson a run for his money, are you?" The Pokemon Professor continued as Red nodded in confirmation. "He didn't really plan on giving you much of a choice, my boy. He practically begged me to sponsor you."
"He did what?" Ocho's ears twitched, not expecting the slight annoyance in Red's voice.
"Oh don't fret about it, he was only a tad pushy. Of course, I would have sponsored you anyways, especially with how well you performed on the TCE."
Red's brow rose, he knew Oak was fond of him but he never would have guessed that it would've been that easy. A sponsorship was no small thing; it included funding, supplies, and usually a starter. It was also a fair portion of their Trainer Identification and allowance into the League challenge.
"You would have?"
Oak scratched at his chin gently. "Did I say 'would have?' I suppose the more accurate phrasing is that I already have."
The teen didn't know what to make of that. There was a brief moment of anger as he realized that Oak did this without telling him but it was immediately replaced with a feeling of elation. This sponsorship was everything, a one-way ticket to the gym challenge. It was invaluable.
"I don't know what to say. Thank you." Red grabbed the professor's hand and shook it aggressively.
"You don't have to say anything and thanks aren't needed, my boy. Besides, I'll be having you do plenty of fieldwork for me."
"Of course, Professor."
The older man placed his hands into the pockets of his lab coat. It was seldom that the professors of the region sponsored trainers, choosing instead to use their wealth for a variety of research projects and other investments. Being sponsored by Oak in particular meant full allowance to use his massive ranch to house non-active party members, a boon that most trainers would kill for.
"Do remember to be responsible, Red. A trainer's journey is no easy thing, nor is it safe; as I'm sure you know." The elder researcher gestured to Ocho, causing Red to recall his first encounter with the electric rodent. An experience that brought the young boy surprisingly close to a coma.
"I'm aware, Professor. No worries on my end."
Oak gazed at Red, obviously pondering something in his head before continuing. "If you insist, my boy."
The older man sighed, moving his left hand to fiddle with something in the pocket of his lab coat. He gestured for Red to follow him, who obliged.
"I've known that you were going to go down this route ever since I first laid eyes on you, it was glaringly obvious. Your TCE results, how you handled the pokemon on the Ranch, even when you pulled that stunt catching Ocho."
The electric rodent's cheeks sparked slightly at his name, showcasing that he could hear the Pokémon Professor.
"I have no doubt that you are going to do great things, Red. As I've told many of the people here."
"You've mentioned me?" The boy wasn't quite sure what the professor was referring to.
Oak chuckled and looked over to the center of the dining area, a gaze that Red followed. The boy gasped internally as he realized what the professor meant.
"The Elite Four?"
Oak let out a laugh at the shock in Red's tone. "Lance as well."
Red's eyes widened and his hands left his pockets. "You mentioned me to Lance? The Indigo League Champion?"
"He was particularly impressed to learn about your handling of Kairyu."
Lance, being the champion of the Indigo League, of course, has an arsenal of immensely powerful pokemon; whether it be his impressive charizard or immensely rare aerodactyl. However, they all paled in comparison to his dragonite. The orange-scaled beast towered above most and was in a class of its own power-wise. Red remembered watching old tapes from when Lance led the beast into battle and claimed his place as champion, defeating the prior champion Trey. There was only one other pokemon within Kanto that compared and that was Kairyu, Professor Samuel Oak's very own dragonite. The same dragonite that happened to be the mate of Lance's orange-scaled behemoth. If Oak did boast about Red's ability to care for Kairyu to the master of dragons then expectations for him were high.
Oak had a small grin, obviously amused by the emotions written across the teen's face. "Don't get too ahead of yourself now, Red. You still have quite a ways to go before you need to worry about him."
Red took a deep breath and sighed, grounding himself back to reality. It wasn't uncommon for him to have bouts of anxiety, even if it was over something rather benign. He smiled as Ocho lightly nuzzled against his neck in an attempt to calm him.
"Another thing, my boy." Oak pulled a small package, complete with a white envelope neatly taped to the top.
"A package?"
"From a friend." Oak put his hand up as Red made to open it. "Not here, wait until you get home."
The teen shot the man a questioning look before ripping the letter off and pocketing it. The professor gave Red a dazed look as if lost in thought. The brief moment of silence confused the boy, not used to the older man's absentminded behavior.
"Professor?"
Oak snapped out of it and smiled, reassuringly patting Red on the shoulder. "Don't mind me, my boy. Just thinking about work as always."
"Work?
"Nothing you need to concern yourself with." Oak smiled, guiding him towards the center podium within the presentation hall of the lab. "I'm expecting great things from you, my boy."
"Of course, Professor." Red said smoothly, hiding all internal fear of the expectations placed upon him.
Oak chuckled lightly, patting Red's shoulder reassuringly.
"Glad to hear it. Now if you'd excuse me, I have to say a few words to my lovely guests."
It wasn't long after Oak began speaking that Red made his way back home.
It wasn't often that Oak behaved in a way that was particularly confusing or odd. The old man had a habit of wearing his heart on his sleeve so to speak, letting everyone know what he was thinking. An open book.
Which made the package on Red's desk all the more confusing. It was small, roughly the same size as Red's old portable Teachy TV system, and didn't make any noise when rattled. Whatever was inside was obviously packed securely. The letter atop was simply labeled with Red's name, giving no indication as to what the package contained.
The teen sighed and waved his arm gently, shooing away Ocho who was currently trying to investigate the package himself.
Red was aware that he was overthinking the whole ordeal, it was most likely a simple graduation gift. Oak wasn't unknown for generosity so it certainly wasn't out of character for him.
The boy chuckled before unsealing the box, tearing through the packaging tape with his house key. Moving the folds of the container revealed a small styrofoam security cage that was quickly removed from the box and dissected by Red.
His heart rate picked up and he tensed, causing Ocho to stare worryingly from the boy's desk. The pikachu let out a small coo to which his trainer sent a reassuring look, letting the small rodent know he was okay.
Red wasn't unfamiliar with what was in his hands. The smooth metallic texture and familiar dense weight were immediately recognizable, as well as the red and white coloring. A pokéball, obviously inhabited.
The teen quickly placed the inhabited sphere back into the container and rushed to grab the envelope, ripping it open.
"Red,
I hope this letter finds you well and in good health. Samuel was thrilled when he explained how well you've excelled under his tutelage. A near-perfect score on the TCS? Excellent work. I couldn't be prouder."
Red's mind was processing the words a mile a minute, almost struggling to comprehend what exactly was on the paper. He knew who it was from, and it did no favors at calming the racing in his chest.
"Now I know that you are probably still upset with me, and you have every right to be, given my departure. I will not ask for sympathy or forgiveness, but I do hope that one day you can understand my reasons for leaving.
I hope for you to understand and see what I'm doing, but unfortunately, I cannot and will not allow you to visit. My work is much to dangerous and not something an entry level trainer should be in proximity of. I only have a short amount of time to write this letter as is."
His father's words weren't directly a challenge, but Red quickly picked up on their meaning. Complete the gym challenge, and find him.
"I beg you to err on the side of caution. It's a dangerous and deadly practice that you are getting yourself into, and the route of a trainer is not one to be taken lightly. While I do not doubt that you will find success, I plead with you to be careful and stay prudent.
Inside the package, you will find a pokemon, one that is quite notorious in my home region of Unova. I'm sure you will remember meeting one when we visited your grandparents in Nuvema Town. I hope that she will be helpful on your journey.
I'm afraid I will have to cut this letter short. Things are turbulent here and I must return my focus to work.
Remember. I love you.
Best wishes,
Your Father."
Red didn't quite know how to process the letter. He hadn't heard from his father in years and this first bit of contact was not something that was easily digested.
He eyeballed the capsule in front of him. The pokeball was currently enlarged, waiting for the activation button to be pressed. The boy gently picked up the capsule, marveling at it.
Pokemon from Unova were quite rare in Kanto, only being seen in the presence of tourists visiting the region; even though the western region was estimated to have the largest native population on the planet, with Kanto as a close second.
Releasing an excited sigh, he pressed down on the activation button.
The resulting flash of white was much brighter than he was used to, only allowing him to briefly catch a glimpse of green before being knocked back by a pressure to the head.
Ocho's hiss was the first thing that caught his attention, causing him to quickly sit up from his place on the floor and rush over to the electric rodent. The last thing he needed was a battle in his bedroom.
"It's okay, buddy. Everything is alright." He sighed in relief as the pikachu calmed down and cooed, nuzzling his head into Red's palm.
The high-pitched cry and scuffle from under Red's bed quickly drew in the boy's focus. Red held his breath, getting down onto his knees and quietly shifting over to now loose pokemon. Once at the foot of his bed he brought his palms to the floor, ducking slightly to look under.
His eyes widened as they were met with large reddish-brown eyes. The emerald green scaled skin was immediately recognizable along with the bright yellow accents and leaf-like tail, a snivy.
The teen let out a small exhale. Snivy were notoriously calm creatures, meaning that it was unlikely for it to attack. Being one of the preferred starter pokemon of Professor Juniper, who Red was positive his father received it from, also meant that she was well handled. Especially compared to his wild-caught pikachu.
He dug into his pocket before reaching his hand out, offering a small biscuit to the green reptile. The serpent turned to look at him, small legs making no noise on the hardwood floor. He smiled when her tongue darted out, smelling the treat in his hand. A couple of moments later she moved toward him, legs gracefully moving in a motion reminiscent of a slithering. Red wasted no time, quietly moving his free hand towards the snivy, gently scooping her into his arms as she began to swallow the treat whole. It was a far cry from what he was used to, as Ocho nibbled and chewed his food like all other mammalian pokemon. The reptilian method of consuming was fascinating, swallowing the meal whole.
He smiled as the emerald snake coiled up in his lap, enjoying the warmth he emitted. She let out a small coo when he gently petted down her spine. Snivy, and servine for that matter, differed from other snake species due to the presence of an extraordinarily flexible spine, allowing them to stand up straight and remain bipedal. This spine becomes altered to be more like a normal serpent's once it evolves into serperior, however until then their skeleton had more similarities to something like a charmander than that of an ekans.
Red gently positioned her into the crook of his arm, making sure not to drop her as he stood up and made his way to the bed. He smiled as she moved out of his arms and into the warm fuzz of his blankets. He was already growing fond of her and was relieved that she seemed to take to him so easily, albeit a bit timid.
He let out a sigh and reach into his pocket, pulling out a small red and black pokegear, flipping it open. A couple of clicks later and the device began ringing.
"Red? What's up?" Blue's voice blared out of the device, causing the capped teen to slightly shift it against his ear.
"Blue, I have your answer."
There was a moment of silence before the younger Oak responded.
"And what would that be?"
Red responded with little hesitation, using his free hand to wave Ocho over to the bed. A motion that caused the rodent to curl up and doze off soon after.
"I'll do it. I'll be your rival."
Alright. That was chapter one. I've had this idea brewing for a long while now and upon finding an old fanfic I had written from my elementary school years I grew inspired to have at it again. A couple things to note for those who care:
The only gimmicks that will be in this fic will be mega evolutions and a heavily altered version of Z-Moves (not nearly as overblown and flashy.) Gigantamaxing/Dynamaxing and the new terralstization gimmick will not be present in this universe. I know this heavily effects the Galar region and I will try remedy that by making megas a tad more prominent. Pokémon that have a gigantamax form will have a mega, it will look identical/similar to the gigantamax form with the main difference being that it they are much smaller (similar size to the original mon.) Pokémon with preexisting megas are exempt from this, as well as pikachu and eevee and certain evolutions. I will also have some creative liberty stuff here and there for my own fun.