Guess who's back.

Chapter Four

Red was beginning to wonder if this was all a mistake.

He stared down at the backpack he had been given– an old one that had been pulled from the back of a closet, with only a change of clothes and basic food supplies to help him get by– but still it had just been handed to him without question. The professor had told him that he would be able to get more appropriate traveling supplies in the next town over, promising to cover the expenses with his own money. And while anyone else probably would have been grateful, Red was only suspicious.

He failed to see how the professor could gain anything from this, meaning that he would be wanting something in return, which was only setting Red on edge. He didn't want to be tied down to anyone through any means, he had just claimed his freedom, and to lose it again would be nothing but pitiful. But at the same time what he was being offered was too good to just walk away from. He knew first hand what it was like to be in the wilderness with nothing, and he was not eager to experience that again. And then a Pokemon... that alone could turn so many odds in his favor, so how could he refuse?

He had worked with Pokemon often– nearly every experiment and test he had been apart of was somehow tied back to the creatures. He could not only sense their emotions, but bend them to his will, and it was an ability his father never ceased with attempting to master. Whether it be Red guiding a variety of Pokemon through a battle, or directly trying to tap into the power that he could manipulate, every day was spent trying to step forward. Trying to find another means to use or enhance the strange ability.

The ultimate prize had always been to control Mewtwo.

But against Project M2... Red had been helpless. He could sense what the clone had been feeling with ease– the raw hatred and painful bitterness as they were seared into his mind, and it was nearly impossible to block out. But when it came to trying to manipulate those feelings it was like trying to move a wall. Unyielding, unbendable, and most definitely unmovable.

But even with his helplessness against the clone, Red had been far from weak, having a level of control that far exceeded a common trainer. And for this reason he had never been given a Pokemon of his own, as that was a level of power his father would never allow him to have. His interactions with Pokemon were planned, executed in controlled environments, and never in a situation that could give him an advantage.

While he could turn just about any wild Pokemon to his favor, having a Pokemon bound to his side was something he wasn't willing to pass up.

He looked out at the Pokemon now– the three of them scurrying about the lab. Excitement was rolling off of them in waves, the eagerness having been about them ever since the professor had brought them here. They seemed unable to hold still, Charmander and the Squirtle having begun a game of tag, while Bulbasaur restlessly paced the table he stood on. They took no heed of the professor as they darted about, who looked exhausted. He was hurrying about the lab, pulling out various objects and papers as he hurried, trying to do his best not to trip over the clutter or the Pokemon.

"Would you please settle down?" Professor Oak asked in an exasperated voice as he nearly stepped on Charmander's tail. "I promise they'll be here soon, and then you can run around to your heart's content."

Charmander and Shelly paused from their game of chase, looking up at the older man.

"They've been just as excited about this as the kids," the professor said, a slight smile on his face as he carefully stepped around the two Pokemon. "Though it was a spur of the moment idea, I think this was a good choice, you joining them. Charmander would have been heartbroken being left behind."

He didn't reply, simply turning his focus to the Pokemon. The plan was for him to accompany Forrest and Aoi from Pallet to a place called Pewter, which was several towns over. With the Pokemon there to keep wild ones back it was supposed to be a smooth journey, even with distance to cover.

Red had no plans on staying with the others though, the moment they were out of this town he would be taking his own path. He had supplies from the professor, and his broken wrist didn't ache quite as much in the brace. With Charmander he would have a way to fight any potential threats he could come across– this was his real chance to set out on his own. He had no idea where he would go, but away from humans sounded like his best shot, anywhere out of the grasp of Team Rocket.

"Char!" Charmander bounded over towards him, winding between his legs before looking up at him with a toothy grin. He leaned down, scooping up the lizard– who began trembling. Despite this the only emotion he could sense from the Pokemon was excitement as he cradled it in his arm.

His underbelly was cream in color, almost yellow in hue. His tail was resting on his stomach, the flames glowing brightly. Charmander seemed to have no problem with being in direct contact with his fire, letting out a small chirping noise. If he was hoping for a response from his future trainer he got none, the teen's expression remaining the same. Instead he pressed a finger against the Pokemon's forehead, his crimson eyes seeming to brighten before he closed them.

Charmander went still, instantly relaxing at once. Blue eyes seemed to grow hazy, gaze unfocused and his pupils narrowed. He just sat there in Red's arms, the only movements being the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. Bulbasaur's eyes widened in confusion, staring from the table he stood on. Meanwhile Shelly had gone still, the Squirtle at the professor's side, watching the two nervously.

Red jumped as the door to the lab was thrown open, his grasp on Charmander loosening as they were thrown back into reality. Charmander blinked a few times, claws digging into Red's shirt to keep himself from falling. No longer supported by the human's arm he scurried up onto his shoulder, pressing close to his neck as he looked about in confusion. Squirtle called up to him with worried cries, while the fire type merely tilted his head to the side.

"I hope I'm not late, Professor!" Aoi cried as she burst into the lab, panting. Like Red she was dressed for travel, a stuffed backpack slung over her shoulder. Unlike him though, all of her apparel seemed to be brand new. Her hair was no longer a tangled mess as it had been yesterday, now actually having been combed back.

Her shrill voice still made Red take a step back, however.

"You're actually here before Forrest," Professor Oak replied, smiling. "I take it your mother was okay with you leaving early?"

Aoi grinned. "You betcha!" Her blue eyes slid away from the professor though, landing on the Bulbasaur sitting quietly. "Haru!" She cried, throwing herself at the table. "We're starting our journey today– can you believe it?"

"Bulba," Haru rumbled as he was scooped up into her arms, passive even as she brought his face close to hers. She pressed a kiss to the Bulbasaur's forehead, before spinning about with an excited squeal.

"What about you, Red? Do you have a name for Charmander?" She asked, turning to face him, still holding Haru tightly in her arms.

He frowned slightly, regarding them warily. Charmander pressed closer to him, warm scales rubbing against his cheek. He shuddered, before shaking his head. A name wasn't something he had considered, nor was it his main concern at the moment.

"Well, that's okay, there's plenty to choose from, there's Moeru, or Kasai, or–" whatever names she had in mind she didn't get to finish listing off with the arrival of Forrest. He entered the lab much more calmly than Aoi had, yet there was no denying the gleam of excitement in his green eyes.

Shelly happily ran towards him as he entered, the water type jumping up into his arms. He swung the Pokemon up onto his shoulder, her tail curling around his arm. "I hope you have everything ready, Gramps, because I'm ready to get out of here."

"I made sure to have everything set up last night," the older man replied, looking over his grandson. A smile was tugging at his lips, yet his gaze seemed almost dimmed. "First things first would be your Pokeballs, since all of your Pokemon seem raring to go."

All three Pokemon let out an enthusiastic cry, Charmander even raising a clawed hand up in excitement. Professor Oak picked up three Pokeballs that had been resting on a tray, two in one hand, with the third in his other. They were the classic red and white spheres Red had often seen, though had never been allowed to hold.

Forrest snatched one from the professor's hand without hesitation, only sparing it one glance before clutching it to his chest. There was a gleam in his eyes as he hooked it onto his belt. Professor Oak offered the last two to Red and Aoi, who seemed to be much closer to him than Red had remembered.

The Pokeballs looked identical save for a sticker that rested above the release button. One was a green leaf, while the other was an orange flame. He assumed that Forrest's had one as well, probably shaped like a blue droplet of water going off of the Pokemon they had been given. Aoi was quick to claim the one with the leaf, which left the final Pokeball to Red. It's metallic surface was cool to the touch as he picked it up, running a thumb across it.

A Pokeball. He officially had a Pokemon.

"These Pokeballs have been each linked to a trainer ID, which is installed into the Pokedexes I have created," Professor Oak said. "It's a bit of a newer system, but your Pokedex should be accepted at any Pokemart or Pokemon Center. There's still a few bugs in the system, but all of you should be fine out in the field."

Forrest's eyes narrowed. "How on earth did you get Red into the system, we don't even know him, let alone–"

Oak cleared his throat, and Forrest went quiet– not without giving his grandfather a glare. "As both of you already know, the Pokedex project is going to be critical for my research. At the moment it can recognize species and pull up basic information about them with just a simple scan. In the future I hope to expand that to fully show a Pokemon's moveset, evolutions, abilities, gender–" he paused, realizing he was rambling, and the professor cleared his throat once more. "As for you kids, you can insert information straight into the Pokedex yourself– moves the Pokemon has learned, if they display their ability, and basic behaviors. Even information on wild Pokemon you find will be helpful to my research."

"We get it, Gramps. We give you fieldnotes, and we get to go on a journey," he crossed his arms. "Can we have the Pokedexes now?"

"One day it won't be just for gathering data– it will be an encyclopedia for Pokemon and a tool for Pokemon trainers," Professor Oak replied. "Imagine being able to see what moves a wild Pokemon knows before you catch it– and knowing which ones it can learn in the future! Its coding could be used alongside other technologies– GPS to show you where Pokemon can be caught, phone service to stay in contact... right now you can use yours as your IDs and for payment–"

"You're rambling again, Professor," Aoi giggled, rocking on the heels of her feet. "The sooner we have them the sooner we can use them."

He smiled, reaching into his lab coat and pulling out three red devices. They were slightly bulky in shape, a cover folded across a dark screen. The professor opened and checked each one before handing it to them, like the Pokeballs they probably each had a specific one assigned to them. Red immediately put his into his pocket, having no interest in it, while the others took a moment to study the device.

"Bulbasaur," a robotic voice called from Aoi's Pokedex. "The seed Pokemon– grass and poison type. This Pokemon often rests in sunlight, photosynthesizing with its bulb to create energy."

"Awesome," Aoi whispered.

"Yeah, yeah, it's cool and all– but we have Pokemon now," Forrest turned to face both of them, grinning. "So which one of you losers is going to face me and Shelly in a battle?"

"I just barely got Haru– I don't even know his moves yet!" Aoi protested.

Charmander had perked up on Red's shoulder, sweeping his tail across his back as he rose onto his hind legs. He watched Shelly for a moment, the Squirtle on her trainer's shoulder, before looking at Red. Blue eyes stared into crimson, but he got no response of any kind. The fire type hesitated for a moment, before leaping to the ground and standing in front of Red.

"Charmander char!" He declared, going down onto all fours as he took up a battle stance.

"Perfect– we got the type advantage!" Forrest said, shoving Aoi out of the way. "You're up Shelly, let's pulverize them!"

"S-squirt?" She said, looking slightly hesitant at this declaration– but hopped down in front of her trainer.

"You shouldn't have a battle in the lab–!" Aoi began, but Professor Oak held up a hand.

"Barney will knock down everything eventually anyways, no harm in letting them," he leaned back against the counter, crossing his arms.

"Water Gun!" Forrest barked, and Shelly sprang into action. The Squritle leapt up into the air, releasing a small burst of water from her mouth. Charmander let out a yelp, jumping out of the way– looking back at Red for instructions.

Forrest had already ordered the Squirtle into a Tackle, who withdrew into her shell as she crashed into Charmander. He let out a small cry as he was sent flying back, landing on his back. The tile floor was slick, the fire type struggling to gain traction as he rose back to his feet. Red regarded the sudden battle in front of him. Shelly swung her tail side to side, waiting for Charmander to make his move.

Red's eyes locked onto Charmander, almost instinctively mentally reaching for the Pokemon. This was far from the first time he had found himself placed within a Pokemon battle, and he knew what was expected from him. Scarlet eyes brightened as he forged a connection with the Charmander, who went still as Red's mind connected with his.

It felt too easy, the way he instantly had a hold over the fire type. Its pupils narrowed, gaze unfocused as his emotions washed over Red. The excitement of a journey, cheerfulness of being around Shelly, the nervousness of the battle, but a determination to win. The last emotion was the only one Red saw worth keeping, hand twitching as he forced the Pokemon to suppress the others. Charmander tensed, gaze hardening as his own resolve washed over him with an increased vigor.

A low growl rattled Charmander's throat, the eager and playful gleam in his eyes now gone. Shelly blinked in confusion, the Squirtle pulling out of her battle stance as she let out a concerned call. Charmander's expression didn't shift, the growl building up into a snarl as Red urged him to attack. A blur of orange bolted across the lab, the fire type leaping up as he brought a Scratch down right across Shelly's face.

Shelly staggered back with a whimper, eyes widening as Charmander swung his other arm at her. Without waiting for orders she withdrew into her shell. The Scratch bounced off of her shell, but this didn't seem to deter Charmander in the slightest, claws slashing at her shell in an attempt to reach her. Charmander's eyes were still narrowed and unfocused– nothing but a drive to win filling his mind.

"Charmander–" Professor Oak said, taking a step forward, clearly startled at this sudden shift.

"Aqua Jet!" Forrest ordered, and with a slight glow a veil of water surrounded the Squirtle's shell. Charmander hissed, yet was still unrelenting with with Scratches. Shelly's back legs slipped out of the shell, pressing off from the ground to get the momentum to launch the Aqua Jet.

She crashed into his chest, knocking Charmander onto his back once more. You could still clearly see the slashes across her cheek from the Scratch, the water type panting. A Water Gun was launched as he rose to his feet, an attempt to keep him back as Charmander charged forward with yet another Scratch.

Red knew that the reckless attacks wouldn't work as she withdrew into her shell once more, the normal type move bouncing off without even leaving a mark. He felt himself heistating, and he allowed that same hesitance to spill over into Charmander. The fire type paused from his attacking, taking a few steps back, claws still gleaming. As soon as Shelly peered out from her shell Red withdrew his hestence– and Charmander snapped right back into attacking. With bared fangs he sank his teeth right into her head. The Squirtle let out a cry of pain, attempting to hide away once more, but with his jaws clamped around her she could no longer retreat. Claws raised Charmander slashed down, mercilessly striking the Squirtle below him.

"Stop!" Professor Oak cried. "Charmander, stop!"

The cry snapped Red's focus out of the battle, the single word putting him on alert. Though the order had been meant for Charmander, Red took it as his own, instantly breaking off the connection he had formed with the fire type. At once Charmander stopped, jaw loosening and claws going still. He blinked several times, before his eyes widened, as if he had just realized what he was doing.

He released Shelly instantly, stumbling back from her with apologetic whimpers. A small droplet of blood rolled down the Squirtle's head, where one of his teeth had managed to break through her scales. Shelly stared at the fire type, a webbed hand pressed against her head, a small whimper filling the air.

Professor Oak hurried forward, grabbing Charmander, as if afraid he would spring back into battle. The lizard shivered in his grasp, and Red could feel the confusion filling him. It wasn't an uncommon reaction for a Pokemon that had been under his control– with them being able to remember their actions, but not why they had done so.

Silence filled the lab, and Red lowered his head, not sure why the battle had been stopped. They had clearly wanted him to guide Charmander into battle, and that was what he had done. Yet a winner hadn't been declared for the match, though he knew that it would have gone to Charmander had the battle continued.

"What's gotten into you?" The professor muttered softly, a hand running down the lizard's back. "Is Shelly okay?"

"She's not bleeding anymore," Forrest reported, kneeling down next to the Squirtle. He let out a slight chuckle. "Wouldn't think that Charmander would have that in him."

Professor Oak frowned, holding out Charmander to get a better look at him. He tilted his head, tail curling as everyone watched him. He was frowning, not quite sure what to do. "I know you're eager to get a trainer, but that's not how you handle a battle, Charmander."

Red frowned, a battle was a fight, wasn't it? Charmander had fought quite well, and would have been the winner. Charmander twisted in the professor's grasp, looking back at him. The lizard didn't know what had happened, but clearly he had sensed Red's presence within his mind. Blue eyes stared into crimson, but whatever answer he was seeking Red didn't show.

"Mander..."

"Your job is to protect Red," the professor continued. "I only want you to attack in such a manner if he or yourself is in actual danger. Friendly battles are supposed to be just that– a friendly match."

That was a concept that made Red pause– a friendly match? What purpose that would serve, he did not know. What would there be to gain from such a battle? Pokemon were beings of power, and a situation where there was nothing to gain from that power was nothing but confusing. He regarded the small lizard, who seemed to be taking the blame for Red's influence. It was helpful information to know though, that not everyone would be expecting a savage rage in every match they might face.

Of course, the goal was to avoid humans, and hopefully avoid another battle such as this.

He reached out to Charmander once more, though he did not exert himself in the same manner as he had during the battle. He just barely tapped Charmander's mind, enough to clearly feel the lizard's emotions wash over him– confusion, shame– much different than the hyper feelings he had encountered before. He pushed those away, breath hitching slightly as he simply asked the lizard to 'come'.

Emotions were simple, whether it be amplifying their own feelings or impressing his own onto the Pokemon. Commands, however, were much different. There was a force behind them, an energy that wasn't already within the Pokemon itself, something he had to physically force for it to become apart of them. Even when he wasn't forcing the request, just simply asking, he could still feel the energy behind it.

Charmander quivered in the professor's grasp, before twisting out from his hands and dropping to the ground. He scurried on all fours towards him, pressing up against his legs as he reached him. Red relaxed in the slightest, even after what happened there seemed to be no sign of resistance from the fire type– which meant things would be easier for him.

"Perhaps it would be best if you kept him in a Pokeball for now," the professor said after a moment.

Red glanced down at the Pokeball in his hand, then at the lizard. His thumb traced the sphere, before pressing down on the release button. The sphere snapped open, a burst of red light snaking out from it. The energy engulfed Charmander, converting the Pokemon into the same energy before drawing him back into the Pokeball. The sphere became warm within his hands, silently humming with life. He slipped it into his pocket, metal clinging against the Pokedex already resting inside.

Route 1 wasn't that much different from Pallet Town– sprawling grassy fields visible as far as the eye can see. The sun climbed overhead, Pidgeys singing in the trees, Rattata scurrying in the underbrush, grass types swaying in the wind. The Pokemon were quick to scatter as the newest visitors made their way across it– three young trainers making their first steps out into the world.

"Pokemon League, here I come!" Forrest declared loudly as they left Pallet Town behind them.

"I thought this was about helping the professor with his research," Aoi said, running ahead of their small group. Her Bulbasaur was in her arms, clearly enjoying being out in nature.

"I can do the gym challenge too!" Forrest snapped, and Aoi let out a laugh.

"I know," she said, playfully sticking her tongue out at her neighbor, who tensed at this action– which only made Aoi laugh harder. Red found it a strange sound– as it wasn't annoying like how he found her voice. There was something different about her laugh, a lightness to it that he didn't often hear with such a sound. It sparked his curiosity, which he shoved aside just as quickly. "We're going to need more than one Pokemon to take them on though– the last one to catch a Pokemon gets to pay for dinner! Come on Haru– Tackle that Oddish!"

The Bulbasaur leapt down from her arms, hurdling himself forward at the Oddish she had pointed out. The wild grass type panicked at the approach, releasing a cloud of purple spores around it. Haru paused as he ran into the Poison Powder, unaffected by the toxic cloud, but it allowed the Oddish to flee into some bushes before it could be attacked.

Forrest rolled his eyes. "That was stupid– your Bulbasaur is already a grass and poison type, that would have been a waste of a catch. If you want a Pokemon you should make sure it's going to benefit your team," he carefully placed Shelly on the ground. "For example I'm not going to send Shelly out against a grass type when we still have a long ways to go, as we've just barely started training and she's weak to them. While a grass type would be useful it doesn't as heavily benefit Shelly's typing as another would that we can catch out here– a flying type."

"...A Pidgey?" Aoi asked, glancing skyward at the Pokemon flying about.

"Exactly," Forrest said. "It will leave my team open to electric types, but that can be remedied with a ground type as my next addition. Flying will counter Shelly's weakness to grass though, and flying types can avoid ground type moves– and guess what the nearest gym is? Ground," he smirked. "Sure Pidgeys aren't the strongest, but you've seen how big Gramps Pidgeot is, with training they are so worth the dedication."

Aoi nodded in agreement. "Alright, I'm going to catch a flying type too!"

"You should be going after a rock type or something," Forrest muttered. "That would counter a lot of your Bulbasaur's weakness, but of course you wouldn't know that," his eyes locked on a small group of Pidgeys forging in the grass. "Shelly, scatter them now!"

The Squirtle bolted forward, throwing herself right into the center of the flock, sending most of them scattering at the action. However two stayed behind, feathers puffed out in frustration, glaring at the intruder unhappily. Forrest grinned, sizing up both of the birds, before pointing to the largest one, small red feathers starting to grow in its crest.

"We want that one," Forrest said. "Water Gun now!"

And so the battle began, the Squirtle throwing herself at the desired Pidgey, who disrupted the Water Gun with a Gust. It was clear that Forrest had chosen well, this Pidgey having the will to fight unlike many others, and it seemed fairly close to evolving as well. Despite this Squirtle simply had the advantage with size, slowly wearing down the flying type while shrugging off much of its damage with her shell. Soon the Pidgey was huffing in the center of the field, clearly exhausted– and Forrest raised an arm to throw a Pokeball.

As soon as the sphere was flying through the air a purple blur sped through the grass, bolting in front of the Pidgey right in time for the Pokeball to hit it on the side. Eyes widened as the new Pokemon was sucked into the sphere, which shook several times. The tired Pidgey stared at the ball, glanced at Forrest– then spread its wings as it took to the air.

"Wait– no–!" Forrest bolted forward right as the Pokeball went still, clicking as it caught the Pokemon. "Come back– gah!"

Shelly picked up the sphere, bringing it back to Forrest, holding it out uncertainly. He snatched it from her, opening it up to see what he had accidentally caught. His frustrated expression only grew as he saw the small Rattata staring up at them in confusion, several berries stuffed in its mouth that it had been running with– perhaps from other Pokemon it had stolen it from. He looked up at his new trainer uncertainly, who let out a loud groan.

Aoi let out a burst of laughter. "Oh my Mew!" She cried, earning a glare from Forrest. "It just– appeared out of nowhere– a Rattata–!"

"Oh, shut up," Forrest grumbled. "I can catch another Pidgey."

"The first catch of the great trainer– the Rattata!"

"I said shut up!" Forrest snarled, but even his Squirtle was trying to hold back a few snickers. He turned towards the Rattata, sneering. "Your name is now... Ron. Because you were the wrong catch. Whatever though, you can just be more info for Gramps research or something."

He slammed the Pokeball onto his belt, muttering under his breath as he pressed forward. Ron inched back uncertainly, and Shelly gave her new teammate a friendly pat on the head in reply, smiling reassuringly.

"It just jumped in front of the Pokeball!" Aoi was still laughing. "Just like 'take me!' Heheh, did you see that Red, wasn't that hilarious... Red?"

Aoi looked about, but the boy with the Charmander was nowhere in sight.

For the first time in so long, Red felt like he could actually breathe.

He huddled in the shade of a lone tree, leaning against the rough bark of the trunk, but yet it felt like the softest chair. He wasn't sure how much distance was between him and the others, but the fact was that there was distance, which made him happy. He was alone, and a weight that had been bearing down on him was now gone.

It had been easy to slip away from Aoi and Forrest, they had paid little attention to him as they had exited the small town, their Pokemon in tow. Aoi had been chattering to both of them at first, but soon her focus had shifted to Forrest as they had continued on. He just had to linger back, and then the moment he was sure neither of them were paying him any heed he altered his course to head off the trail.

The terrain was simple to navigate, as the alleged 'route 1' was mostly grassy plains. He had headed straight for the bushes and sparse trees, using them to hide away while still carefully continuing in the direction they had been told the next town was in. Viridian City, if he recalled correctly. The name felt familiar to him, something he knew he had heard before in his time at the labs, but beyond that it meant nothing to him

He watched a group of Pidgeys take flight in the distance, and with a slight frown Red reached into his pocket, pulling out the metal Pokeball he had received. The red sphere was warm in his hands, the Charmander still tucked away since its battle from earlier. He passed the Pokeball from hand to hand for a moment, before his thumb slid over the release button.

Charmander appeared in a burst of red light, the lizard blinking several times as he found himself in the grass. He pushed himself up onto his hind legs, glancing about at the empty field around them, before turning towards Red. He tilted his head to the side in confusion, and instantly Red could feel the Pokemon's uncertainty. He focused on it, and felt the turmoil churning through the fire type's mind. He didn't understand what had happened in the battle, and he didn't know why they were alone now. There was a strong desire to see one of them... Squirtle– Charmander wanted to see Squirtle.

He opened his eyes as he mentally withdrew from the Pokemon's mind, who was now letting out low whines, pawing at the ground in front of Red. The human gave him no reaction, watching him silently. With humans he only exercised caution, but now with none around him there was a curious look crossing his face. Again he reached out to the Charmander, this time taking hold of the emotions he sensed. He didn't seize control like he had in the battle, flooding its mind with forgien feelings, but rather gently suggested the idea of 'calm'. He felt shivers run up his back as he was once again met with no resistance– the Charmander taking to his promptings immediately. He relaxed in the grass, flopping down onto his belly as he stretched out.

This was perfect, exactly what he needed, a Pokemon that didn't fight against him, that he didn't have to fight for control. This would be the perfect thing to have by his side as he went forward from here, something easy to work with as he tried to figure out where to go from here. A Pokemon meant power, and it was now something in his hands. A power to protect himself, a way to defend himself that he didn't have before.

A means to finally be safe.

He reached out with a single finger, gently running it across the Pokemon's head, and immediately it let out a low rumble of contentment. His scales were warm to the touch, like the lizard had been laying in the sun, and he shifted closer towards Red to encourage the patting. He liked the way the scales felt against his finger tip, and he ran his whole hand down the Pokemon's back. Charmander instantly fell deeper into relaxation, and this time it wasn't from Red's prompting. He frowned slightly as he felt his own tension leaving him, his hand still tracing the small bumps of his scales.

A name, the others' had a name for the Pokemon beyond just what they were, something he had never seen within Team Rocket. The idea was not forgien to him though, for he very clearly remembered Hestia, his mother's Houndoom who had often watched him as he and his brother had played. His brow furrowed as his thoughts turned towards Mother and home, something that so rarely crossed his mind, yet it never failed to bring comfort.

Names were important, that was something Mother had often said. She had carefully considered each of their names, just as her parents had chosen hers. She had spoken of her family often, even if Red had never met them, and her stories gave Red plenty of names to consider. Names that brought a sense of warmth and home, and not fear and danger as the ones within Team Rocket would bring.

He withdrew his hand as he decided, which caused Charmander to flick open his eyes. He raised his head slightly, looking up at his new trainer expectantly, as if he knew something were about to happen. Perhaps he did, as Red had made no effort to close the connection between them. Charmander let out a toothy yawn as he pushed himself onto his back legs, tail curling about him.

"...Aiden."

It was startling just how unfamiliar the sounds were to Red, his voice quiet, yet much deeper than he was expecting. The sounds felt forgien on his tongue. Charmander pulled back slightly in surprise as he spoke, blue eyes widening momentarily. He tilted his head as he listened though, Red staring at him intently as the Charmander considered the name, and after a moment he could feel as the realization washed over the Pokemon. Immediately his expression brighted, happiness flooding his expression, and the fire on his tail flared up.

"Char!" The newly named Aiden exclaimed in excitement. "Mander! Char-char!"

Aiden bounded around the tree, calling out once more, as if testing his name for himself. His cries sent nearby Pidgeys flying into the sky, but the Charmander didn't care. He jumped in front of Red once more, every inch of him trembling, claws twitching. The lizard didn't need words to describe his happiness– a name. He had a name.

He bolted out into the grass as Red pushed himself to his feet, wanting to press onwards once more. Aiden would race ahead, before looping back to dance about Red's feet. He wasn't able to get Red to say anything else to him, but that didn't dampen his spirits, and Red watched him as he bounded forward once more.

A small smile appeared on Red's face, and the duo continued on.