The Gyarados loomed over Misty, and gave a powerful Iron Tail attack to her Staryu. The Pokémon fainted, and Misty glared at the maddened sea dragon.
"Taking on a pretty big one, aren't you? Let me help!" Misty saw a boy with his Bulbasaur, grinning at her.
"Stay back, you! This is more dangerous than a Rorian bar brawl!" Red was not deterred. "First, the name's not 'you.' It's Red, Red of Pallet Town! Bulbasaur, Leech Seed!"
A black grain was implanted on the Gyarados, and then vines sprouted from it, chaining the enemy Pokémon. Misty saw her chance, and had Staryu use Recover. Red saw that the Gyarados was breaking free, and yelled at Misty. "Hey, let's attack together! Vine Whip! Bubble Beam!"
Seeing that the Gyarados was dazed, Red threw a Poke Ball at its crest. "And now, the capture!"
Red picked up the Poke Ball, transferring the data into his Pokedex. Misty sat down, relieved that the wild creature had been defeated. "The name's Misty, from Cerulean City. And, well...thanks! Gyarados don't live in habitats like this...and actually, this was my Gyarados."
"What? Your...Gyarados?" Misty nodded. "I was raising it...although it was stolen last week! When it came back...it wasn't the Gyarados I knew. I had been tracking it, as it was destroying everything in its path! Anyway, thanks for the help. Everything's okay now-"
"It is not!" Red yelled. "It isn't ever okay when a tame Pokémon just goes berserk! Whoever stole it must have been responsible for this! Where are they?! I'm going to beat them myself!"
"And...where are you going?" Red paused. "Um...where did you say they were again?" Misty laughed. "I don't know exactly...but I know where to start, if you actually want to help me check around that place. I was looking for a very rare artifact known as a Moon Stone at Mt. Moon, an item capable of inducing evolution under certain circumstances, when my Gyarados went missing. I already checked the place, but maybe I missed something?"
Red gave her a concerned look. "Mt. Moon? The caverns are very dangerous! How did you-" Misty pulled out a pile of Poke Balls. "I'm a Water-type trainer. I think I can hold my own just fine!"
Red blushed, and then took the lead. "In that case, full speed to Mt. Moon! Let's go!"
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Mt. Moon...
Red and Misty saw some people in black uniforms mulling about by the mouth of the cavern entrance.
"Misty...I've seen these people before, in a forest days ago. They were after a certain Pokémon, so they could also be here for something, like that Moon Stone you mentioned?" Misty glared at the trainers. "I think I know these people, they call themselves Team...something. They could have been responsible for multiple Pokémon thefts across Kanto, actually. We should be on our guard."
The group of trainers moved away from the cave entrance just for a second, and Misty and Red were able to slip by into the underground network.
"Rather dark, isn't it?" Misty said. Red sent out Pikachu, who reluctantly started to generate some light, scaring off the wild Pokémon.
"That Pikachu doesn't seem very thrilled to be here, does it?" Red sighed. "It's had a rough life. But he is a talented little guy-OW! Stupid rock!"
Red had walked into a mound of hard rock, and was now about to start kicking it when Misty told him to look up.
The pile of rock was actually a Rhyhorn, and it was accompanied by several trainers in black uniforms.
The trainer that looked like he was in charge spotted the two. "Well lads, we have come across a nice little pair of spelunkers!" Red demanded answers. "Who are you people? What are you doing here?"
The head trainer tipped his cap. "Us? You can call us Team Rocket, I suppose. I am Ninja Koga, but I am afraid it is not my business to tell you anything else. And who are you?"
Red had Pikachu get ready for a fight. "Me? I'll answer that...like this! I challenge you, Koga! If I win, you leave these caverns! If not..."
Koga didn't hesitate. "Rhyhorn! Rock Throw!" Pikachu was buried instantly, much to the delight of the Team Rocket head. The rock pile moved, and then Pikachu burst out, dodging a second attack from Rhyhorn, and electrocuted the Rhyhorn almost to a faint.
Red cheered. "See? It may look cute, but it can sure be vicious!" Koga chuckled. "Ah...you take me back to when I was a boy. But..." Koga pulled out a syringe. "...let me give you a good dose of...reality!"
Koga injected the Rhyhorn with the serum, and it was enveloped by a flash of light. It was now a Rhydon, far larger than normal as a roadcut of its unnatural evolution.
Misty came to a realization. "Forcibly evolving Pokémon...are you the one who stole my Gyarados?!" Koga waved her off. "I wouldn't know. You think I would remember every little Pokémon we experiment on?"
Misty lost it, and had Staryu attack. Rhydon began to lose energy from the torrent of water, and Red was convinced that it was working. Koga did not share their optimism, however. "Quite powerful...but in any case...Rhydon, Horn Drill!"
The Rhydon began to churn the water with its horn, creating a powerful vortex. Misty was tossed aside, and hit her head on the cave wall.
Koga smiled. "One down...killing youngsters like yourself is not really my purview, but I am perfectly capable of disposing of any threats to our organization." Red screamed in fury. "You'll pay! Pikachu, Thunder Shock-" Rhydon batted the shock away, and stepped on Pikachu.
"Pay? Perhaps in the next life! It's over! Rhydon, Rock Throw!" Red ducked under the hail of missiles, grabbing his other Poke Balls. "Nobody wins every fight...but I won't lose to people like you! Pikachu, now!"
Rhydon was instantly shocked, and Pikachu flew out from under Rhydon, flying around the cavern. Koga believed this to be aimless, and let his guard down.
Instead of crashing, Pikachu destabilized the rock wall, collapsing a stone on the entrance to the cave. Koga clenched his cap, lamenting his loss, seeing that Red and Misty were gone.
Outside the cave, Misty woke up, confused. Red noticed, and told her what happened.
"But...we didn't get a Moon Stone, and-" Red cut her off. "Let me finish my story here! After the cave collapsed, I saw...this!" Red brandished a small, gray rock with a carven crescent on it. "This sure looks like a 'Moon Stone.' Are we going to use it or not? Let's go!"
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Cerulean City-The City of Water...
"This is a joke, right?"
Red was gazing at a massive, opulent mansion that Misty had led him to. "There is no way that this is your...house? More like a Gym!" Misty smiled, and she gave the impression that she had heard this response before. "Afraid so. I should introduce you to the staff, and get your Pokémon healed!"
Later, after a thorough refresh, Red ate dinner at the banquet table, telling the maids the events in the caverns.
"Hey, Red, there is something I need to tell you, seriously." Red laughed, tasting the fried Sitrus berries. "What is it, Misty? Can't stand listening to how I saved the day while you were snoozing?"
"Shut up. Listen, our Pokémon will be fully healed soon. When they are, I think we need to put them on a training regimen." Red was puzzled. "Training? I've been doing that for quite a while!"
"Well, you need more! Those idiots we fought at Mt. Moon can't possible be the best that Team Rocket's got. We are going to have more opponents to face. Stronger ones. You know about the...Cerulean Gym Leader, right?"
Red yawned. "Of course, you wanna go challenge him with me? We can train later, I'm busy! Goons like that may scare you, but I know how to deal with them!" Misty got up in a huff, and went to her room. "Hey, I didn't mean to take it personally!" Red yelled.
After going to bed, and a abnormally heavy wind knocking him about, Red woke up, hoping that Misty had cooled down. Actually, she seemed happy to see him. "So, your Pokémon have been healed. Lets go take on that Gym Leader, hmm?" Misty dragged him out into the city before he could protest.
At the city edge, the building labeled Cerulean City Gym came into view. Misty beckoned him in, and brought him to the empty central stadium.
"Hey, where is this moron Gym Leader? This is the Gym, after all." Misty gave him a sly grin. "Gym Leader...well, that moron...is right here!"
Red blinked, and started nervously laughing. "Okay. Yeah. Funny. Where is he really?" Misty replied with a burst of water from her Staryu, soaking Red. "Hey, what gives?! Hold on now, w-wait a second, let's-" Misty had Staryu summon another, more powerful water blast.
"Not in a fighting mood? What if I told you...the one who summoned that wind at night and knocked you around...was me?" Red got up, angrier then ever. "No way! You'll regret that! Bulbasaur! Vine Whip!"
Staryu easily dodged. "Another Vine Whip? Seriously? Bubble Beam!" Red and Bulbasaur were washed to the end of the arena, gasping for air.
"Misty, what has gotten into you anyway?!" Instead of attacking again, Misty started trembling.
"I thought you knew how I felt...about making us a team! I just knocked you down...but Staryu wasn't enough on Mt. Moon! Don't you get it?! We have to get real or those Rocket thugs will destroy us! Being at our best and working together are synonymous!"
Red was surprised. She did all this...just to prove her point? If she is that determined, then I should...
"Your right, Misty. I don't have time to impress girls. And you don't have time for moping! Lets go train!"
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
A few days later...
Red said a final goodbye to Misty, and sped of into the wild, the Cascade Badge pinned to his shirt with the Boulder Badge.
"Lady Misty, are you sure it is wise to let him go?" A maid asked. "Yes," Misty replied. "We've learned each others skills and attacks. Now its time for me and him to hone those skills on our own. But I do look forward...to meeting him again.
Routes 24-25...
"Arghhhh...I got so many Poke Balls that I can't carry them all," Red said. "But I worked so hard to catch 'em, I can't just leave 'em behind because they're so heavy..."
Red noticed a stick being dragged by a Pokémon, with a string instead of its paws. "That's a Rattata, I think. But something isn't right about its head...it must be some kind of rare variant! All right!" Red was about to throw a Poke Ball, but then the creature started...talking?
"Hoo-wee! Who'd a thunk it'd be so hard jus' to light a fire? Heck, if I was a human ah'd pick this ol' stick up jus' lak it was a...a stick!" Red pinched himself. "HEY! Why are you-" The Rattata turned to see him, and spoke again. "Hot dang! A human bean! Ah was starti' t'think nobody'd ever come moseyin' out hyar! But praise be! C'mon, young fella, lend me a hand!" What is it, boy? Sump'n scare ya?" Red was frozen in shock.
"Wull, ah may look like jus' a mutated Rattata, but ah'll have yew know I'm a Pokémon expert! Name's Bill, an' this buildn' is called Sea Cottage-" Bill was grabbed by a flying Fearow, and was carried of yelling. "Wull, don' jus' stand there, boy! Helpppp!"
Red sent out Pikachu. "Thunder Wave! Paralyze it!" The Fearow was hit, and it started to fall to the ground. Poliwhirl ran after it, and managed to catch Bill before he hit the dirt.
The Fearow got up, having beat its Paralysis. "HEY BOY!" Bill yelled. "Watch out fer th' Drill Peck move!"
Fearow launched itself at Poliwhirl, impaling it. Bill groaned in horror, but Poliwhirl faded, and then disappeared. The Fearows beak was now covered in ice, and it soon froze over completely, fainting.
"Hey, didja use Substitute fer that trick?" Bill asked. Red nodded. "Poliwhirl can summon a clone of itself, at less health. Glad to have helped you!"
Sea Cottage...
Red activated the transfer machine, and Bill emerged, a normal human. "Hot dang! No chance ah couda got back to normal myself! Much obliged, boy!" Red eyed the tall, pod-like device. "What is that thing?"
"A Pokémon Transporter! Its a Prototype that I'm workin' on! It'll allow ya to transport Pokémon, or whutever y'want, anywhere y'want! Still got a few bugs t'work out though...like if ya got a Rattata in one cylinder an' it stops workin' an' ya fall into the other cylinder an'...well, ya get the pitcher. Like ah said, th' names Bill."
Red shook Bill's hand. "I'm Red! And I'm on a mission to become the strongest trainer in the whole world!" Bill spread his arms in approval. "A boy with a mission! That's wut ah like to see! Tell ya whut, boy! Ah'm gonna help you! Ah ain't a Pokémon expert fer nothin' y'know! We gotta lighten yer load!" Bill snatched one of Red's Poke Balls. "With my transporter, ah can shoot these to ya instantly, wherever ya happen ta be!"
Later...
After putting his Pokémon in the storage system, Red left toward the coast.
Red saw a docking yard, and a massive cruiser with the name S.S Annie on the side. Red decided to go over and check it out what was on the giant ship.
After sneaking on, Red looked through the halls, wondering how far he could go inside. After seeing some strange, rattling crates, Red looked inside a single, isolated room.
Inside was a dark mass, and the fact that it was moving made Red yell so loud that some crew members grabbed him and threw him off the ship.
That thing had to be a Pokémon...but why would it be locked in a room? Interesting...
"Young man..." Red heard the tap of a cane, and saw a little old man in a black suit and bowler hat. "You are wearing...Poke Balls?" Red did not know this strangers intentions. "Yeah, who are-" The stranger interrupted him. "Good for you, young master! So young but already a trainer! How amazing! And besides, I can see that you're not just any lad! Lets have a look at what's in those Poke Balls, eh?!" The stranger grabbed the Poke Balls and sent out Red's Pokémon, much to his disdain.
The stranger applauded Red's team. "Wonderful! Spectacular! Inconceivably extraordinary! You, young master, are now a official member of the Pokémon Fan Club! Come with me, if you want to know more!" Red took back his Poke Balls, and chased after the older man.
Vermilion City...
Red entered a building labeled; POKEMON FAN CLUB with the stranger. Inside, a group of people were chatting about Pokémon, Pokémon, and more Pokémon.
"Take a look around! I am the Director of this club, and you will never find a larger group of Pokémon lovers then in this room!" The Director gave Red a newspaper. "Just take a look! This is our official newsletter, and it says it all!"
Red was still trying to figure out why someone would take a bath with a Tentacool, when the Director told everyone to introduce themselves, and see Red's Pokémon. Pikachu detested the endless petting, although it never shocked anyone.
A teenaged boy shook Red's hand. "You can call me Eric! Me and my brother Henry run this place along with the Director! Say, how long have you known this Poliwhirl?"
"Since I was a kid, and Poliwhirl was just a Poliwag! We have been traveling together for a long time! And he's bailed me out of plenty of battles!"
Eric gave Red a sour look at the mention of battles. "Why bother hurting them in fights? You make them...battle?" Red was confused. "Why-why not? They like it!" Eric was becoming angrier. "What lovers of Pokémon would we be if we made them fight?"
"They have to fight to evolve!" Red protested. The Director laughed. "Ours just stay little and cute forever!"
Red was about to try to pull himself out of this bizarre situation, when a person ran into the room, panting. "HELP! Someone stole my Exeggutor!"
Everyone gasped, and the Chairman almost collapsed. "Whats wrong?" Red asked. "The Director's Abra was stolen last month!" Eric replied. "It's happening to all of us, including my Ekans!"
Red had a nagging suspicion that he knew what was going on. "A Poke-napper, huh? Tell me everything you know about this case!"
"The abductions happen around the same time every month," Eric said. "It'd be too hard for anybody but the owners to get the Pokémon into their Poke Balls, so we suspect that the thieves would have to be able to transport full-sized Pokémon somehow, but what could be big enough?"
Red pointed to the S.S Annie. "Do you know where that ship is headed?" Eric gave his best guess. "I've heard the Lt. Surge, the Vermillion City Gym Leader, uses it to transport supplies to Cinnabar Island." Red was even more suspicious. A ship of supplies? For a Gym Leader? Could those supplies be...got it! Okay then...
"Time for me to take a cruise!" Red was about to leave, when the Director stopped him. "I have a request...could you leave Pikachu behind? For me to cuddle?"
Red groaned and left Pikachu, and headed over to the ship.
On the waterfront...
Red had Bulbasaur throw a rope to the stern of the ship, which he climbed up. Red snuck into the halls again, and then saw the room where he had seen the Pokémon before.
There was nothing in the room, besides many crates, and a single Poke Ball lying on the ground. Red reached to pick it up, but he was shocked, literally and figuratively, and saw that the Poke Ball had eyes. "Poliwhirl! Mega Punch!" The creature was knocked out, and the Pokedex recognized it as a Voltorb.
"What kinda Pokémon was that?" Red said. "Poliwhirl, how are you doing?" The Pokémon staggered, and then nearly fainted, collapsing on the ground.
"Poliwhirl! What's wrong?!" Red heard footsteps behind him, and a metallic grinding noise. "Heheheh...I'd say its been electrocuted. Water conducts electricity well." Red looked up to see a group of sailors, Electric-type Pokémon, and a giant blond man leading them.
"I'm famous for running a tight ship here." The big man threatened. "We deal with trespassers very harshly...not your usual child's play, is it boy? Now tell me...what are you doing on my ship?"
Red replied, angered at his friends injury. "Someone is stealing Pokémon from town! and I'm going to catch the thieves!" The big man laughed. "Did you hear that, boys? He thinks we're the 'bad guys'! Don't you see that we're freeing those coddled, pampered, under-evolved, over-domesticated Pokémon? And if we, Team Rocket, make a little profit on the side, that just helps us do our good work, doesn't it? Hahahahaha!"
"So it was you!" Red yelled. "You admit it? Your going to use these Pokémon for your experiments!" The blond man leered at Red. "Get as mad as you want, son...but do you really think you can take all of us on with just a few Pokémon? Lets finish this!"
A giant Pokémon came into view at the head's command, buzzing with electricity. "This is a mean one," The blond man boasted. "I can't even get it into a Poke Ball. But...it makes a perfect guard dog! Electabuzz, Thunder Punch!"
Red and Poliwhirl felt the electrical current of the attack as they jumped away, and the hole it made in the deck floor was massive. "That's just a taste! This time, it won't miss! Thunder Punch!"
Instead of attacking, the Electabuzz and the leader were frozen to their knees. While the head had been talking, Poliwhirl had created a trail of moisture along the floor, eventually trapping the two.
Red ran away in a plume of steam from Poliwhirl, and he made his way to the upper decks, avoided the patrolling Magnemite. After finding a ladder, Red made his way up to the top deck, hoping to jump off from there and figure out his next move.
A larger Magneton snuck up behind Red, and electrocuted Poliwhirl, sending it flying. The blond man came into view, and grabbed Poliwhirl by the arm.
"I have cameras all over the ship, boy! Don't even think you could have escaped!" The blond man held Poliwhirl over the edge of the boat, prepared to throw it into the sea. Red yelled and tried to run at Poliwhirl, but he was blocked by a force field generated by a few Magneton. "A electric barrier stronger than steel! You will never get through! Now, say goodbye."
The blond man tossed Poliwhirl over the edge, and it sunk into the waves below.
"I suppose that it can breath...but I'll show you what Lt. Surge does to little boys who go where they shouldn't...Electabuzz-Thunderbolt!"
Red had a incredible amount of volts enter his body, and immediately fainted, smoking. Surge had the energy field levitate over the sea, and Red dropped into the watery depths. Surge cleaned his hands, and walked away whistling.
Under the sea, Red was vaguely aware, in his delirious state, of a past experience. I remember that something like this happened before...a long time ago, I feel into a lake when I couldn't swim. Poliwag was there, but he couldn't help me...but then, Poliwag evolved to save me...
The head sailor had almost left the deck, when a black shape came flying out of the water onto the ship. The thing put Red down, and Surge was in complete disbelief. "No! A Poliwrath?! Electabuzz, attack!"
Poliwrath batted away the electricity, and grabbed the Electabuzz by the hands, and threw it into Surge. Both Gym Leader and Pokémon flew into the sea.
And so...
The police had arrested every Team Rocket sailor, and the Pokémon had been rescued.
Eric stroked his rare black Ekans, giving Red his thanks. "Red, I may disagree with your take on battles, but...the way you used Pokémon to help others...I think I may train my Pokémon myself, because I dream of a better world...there could be a organization out there that seeks to help me achieve this goal, someday..."
The Director grabbed Red's arm, frantically shaking. "Young master! Where is my little Abra? Where? Where? Where?"
Red shook the Director off. "W-well...you see...while it was on that ship, your litte Abra...evolved into a giant Alakazam!"
The Director promptly fainted, and Red made his escape.