Hey everyone, apologies for being late with this chapter. It took longer than expected to finalise. I'm head away later this week for a while, so I won't know when I'll be able to update next until I'm back. Hopefully it will only be a couple of weeks.
This chapter takes place entirely in the past. Enjoy!
Chapter 12 – The Legend of Fire
A long Time Ago…
Red leaned over the railing of the ferry, watching the wake as the ship ploughed through the sea. Four months had passed since the incident in Saffron City. Green-to his relief-had made a steady, but slow, recovery.
"What'cha thinking?" Green questioned, leaning against the railing next to him. The aftermath of her injury evident with her long brown hair gone, replaced by a short length that'd barely grown out from when it had been completely shaved off. But-if you didn't already know-you wouldn't be able to tell as her white hat that cleverly disguised it.
She'd been in a coma for three weeks and had required surgery to relieve pressure on her brain. To everyone's surprise, though, was how quickly she recovered. Well, almost everyone, as Red was sure the badge he'd left with her had something to do with it.
The badge had been a thorn in his side since the moment he'd found it, but somehow, he couldn't will himself to get rid of it. Be it guilt, he wasn't sure, but what he did know was that he needed to find out why everything had happened the way it did. He'd tried recreating the same feeling, the same pulse from it, but somehow it wouldn't activate like it had in that hallway. If only he could figure out how to trigger it; how to control it so he could bring some closure.
Part of it was for himself, for his conscience, but the other part-he told himself-was for his friends. He owed them more than they knew. Blue had blamed him for killing his Pokémon; a rage that was yet to subside.
Sure, he knew the cause, but how could he explain it to Blue? How could Blue even believe him? A stone, shaped like a badge, had somehow souped-up his Pokémon to the point where its attack killed his friend's Pokémon in a single hit. Yeah, right, even he wouldn't have believed it if he hadn't experienced it.
Suddenly, a gust of wind blew through the ship, blowing Green's hat off her head. The white hat with a red ring didn't fly far though; landing in Red's hands. He clutched it for a second, making sure it didn't blow away, before turning towards his friend.
With the hat gone, a large scar across her head was clearly visible, highlighting the area where they'd operated on her brain. "Sorry," Red muttered. He wasn't sure what he was sorry for. Everything? Perhaps.
"Thanks," Green replied, taking the hat. She quickly placed it back on her head, making sure to cover the scar. "I was never one for hats, but this one has grown on me. I think I might keep wearing it, even after my hair grows back."
"It suits you," Red admitted.
"Thanks." Green smiled happily. "It's the fedora equivalent to your cap."
"Yeah," Red agreed, noting the differences in their hats. "Mine's red with white lines, yours is white with red lines."
"Anyway." Green sighed, turning back towards the ocean. "Why're we heading for Cinnabar Island?"
"The fire-type Gym is there," Red explained. "It's is the second last Gym Badge I need to enter the Pokémon League and challenge the Elite Four."
"What about that odd-looking badge in your pocket?"
Red groaned; he'd hoped no one would ever notice it. But clearly, he hadn't been as careful as he should have been. "It's just a replica. I-I've actually already gotten the proper badge. I found this one…" He paused, not knowing whether to bring up the incident again or not. It wasn't that it hurt him, he just didn't know how to approach the subject with Green. Really, they hadn't talked about it at all.
"That's cool," Green waved off, sensing how uncomfortable Red was. "So, you get this badge, then what will you do?"
"Me?" Red questioned. "Not We? You know I have to look after you."
"I'm not a baby!" Green angrily shot. "Sorry." She looked down, her eyes darting from the floor, back out to sea, before finally landing on Red. "It's just… Well… Spending time with you has been fun and all, but I've spent most of my life on my own. I just want to regain my independence again. I'll be staying on Cinnabar Island after you leave, okay?"
"Okay." Red nodded, agreeing. Truth be told, he didn't know how long he was supposed to look after her; only that it was until she was back on her feet. And, by the way she was acting recently, she was certainly there.
The ferry's horn blared, signalling their arrival at Cinnabar Island. Red collected their bags and scurried towards the ramp, dragging Green in toe, trying to beat the rush of passengers before they arrived.
It wasn't long before they found themselves on the dock, the rush of passengers passing them on the concrete pier as they walked slowly. She was told to take everything slow and avoid sudden movements; she was still feeling the minor effects of the concussion she suffered. Green sighed; she hated being waited on, but she was grateful for what Red had done for her after everything that had happened.
"We'll check in at the Pokémon Centre, then we'll go get lunch, how does that sound?" Red questioned.
"Sounds great," Green replied, smiling. "I'm famished."
"Good," Red continued. "And if there's time, hopefully the Gym will still be open. There are quite a few places I'd like to see, a few Pokémon I'd like to catch. You know, legend has it that a legendary bird, a Moltres, lives at the peak of Cinnabar Island's volcano."
"Really?" Green piqued at the mention of legendary Pokémon. "I'd heard rumours about the Legendary Birds, but never anything like that."
Red could sense her grievances, but she didn't give anything away as to why. "I mean, sure, you hear about some trainer's claiming to have captured them," Red agreed. "But I've never actually seen one before."
"Well, now maybe your chance," Green suggested, pointing towards the path that led to the volcano as they entered the small town.
"Would love to," Red replied. "But the path is closed. It's been like that for years."
"Oh well, maybe someday you'll get your wish." Red couldn't help but notice the sarcasm in her voice. Did she not want to meet legendary Pokémon? Or was there something else to it?
"Yeah, maybe someday I'll even be friends with some of the legendary Pokémon!" he joked, hoping to break the ice, but it had the opposite effect.
High up, near the peak of Cinnabar Islands' volcano, Moltres slumbered, its heat emanating as fiercely as the heat from the active volcano itself.
Slowly, several men approached with Poké Balls in hand, wearing specially designed clothing. But the one thing that never changed for any uniform they wore was the red 'R' over their chests.
Advancing slowly, they planned to catch the Pokémon off guard, but suddenly, the ground beneath them shook violently. Smoke billowed from the top of the active volcano, but yet, Moltres remained motionless; slumbering peacefully as if nothing had ever happened. The legendary bird had grown used to the ever-increasing activity of the volcano in the last few weeks, learning to ignore the shaking, knowing it wouldn't be harmed.
But as one of the men lost their footing, the sudden clanging of metal, combined with man's unintentional loud groan as he fell, awakened the slumbering Pokémon.
Fluttering its eyes open, Moltres scanned its surroundings, discovering it wasn't alone. It rose onto its brown anisodactyl feet, flaring its wings in intimidation. Flames billowed from its wings, covering its surroundings in fire, the temperature rising insurmountably.
The men, protected from the heat by their suits, continued to advance. Some released strong looking water and rock-type Pokémon, while others brought forward tools and weapons. Surrounding Moltres, they ordered their Pokémon to attack.
Moltres had expected such an attack but hadn't expected a coordinated move. The water-type Pokémon encircled it, attacking all at once. They held Moltres in place with such ferocious bursts of water, disorientating the legendary bird who had no idea how to defend itself.
The surprising move may have caught the Pokémon off guard however, but quickly, Moltres fought back. The flames from its talons flared, sending waves of heat that turned the water to steam on contact.
Moltres cawed in triumph, quickly releasing a flurry of flames from its brown beak at the water Pokémon. But this had played into Team Rocket's hand; Moltres was angry and distracted by the water-type Pokémon, unable to see what was coming.
In a moment, the flames were cut off as a massive boulder crashed into Moltres' head, knocking the Pokémon to the ground. Other rocks followed it, each one crashing into its body. Slowly, the rocks began to crush Moltres. The bird was unable to move, trapped, entombed under the weight of the rocks from the volcano it called its home.
The grunts smiled and laughed, believing they'd defeated the Pokémon, when a lone man appeared behind them. "What do you think you're doing?" The man declared, furious. He wore a white lab coat over his black shirt and purple pants. His glasses glistened in the sunlight, covering part of his frown.
"Get out of here!" one of the grunts warned, pointing their weapon at him. "This is none of your business."
"It is when you toy with something you don't understand!"
"I'll only say this once!" another grunt warned. "This Moltres is ours. If you wanted to capture it, too late! Leave now or you won't leave at all."
"This Moltres is not yours, and it is certainly not mine!" the man countered. "This Moltres maintains the island's ecosystem! It belongs to the island! Take it away and you'll destroy this place!"
"Not my problem," the grunt waved off callously. "We need this Pokémon, and we'll take it by any means necessary!"
"I, Blaine, as Gym Leader of Cinnabar Gym, it is my solemn duty to protect that sanctity of this island." The man looked past the grunts, his glasses glinting in the light Moltres emitted. "I don't think your 'means' is going to be good enough," he muttered.
Abruptly, a thundering boom echoed around the area as the rocks crushing Moltres were vaporised. Rising to its feet, Moltres squawked fiercely, the sound cracking the man's glasses. The Rocket Grunts flinched, some grasping their heads in pain as Moltres continued its noisy onslaught.
Far below, near the base of the Volcano, Red and Blue sat down to eat. They'd chosen a lovely diner with a nice outdoor seating area. The day was lovely, and the breeze was cooling, encouraging people to walk to-and-fro along the island's coastline. Business were at peak, people had flooded the streets, and any festivities were in full swing.
Green ate a small amount of food slowly-as had been the norm in recent weeks-while Red ordered the largest meal he could find. "Do you want to head back to the Pokémon Centre, or Come with me to the Gym?" Red asked, planning out their schedule.
"The Gym can wait, can't it?" Green replied, taking another small bite of her meal. "I'm tired from the trip on the ferry. I'm sure the Gym will be there tomorrow."
"I guess." Red sighed, agreeing; he was tired also, but for an entirely different reason. "The Centre's not far from he-"
Red was cut off as a resounding boom echoed down from the top of the volcano. People stopped, all turning to face the volcano. Some looked concerned, while the locals on the island continued as if nothing had happened.
What quickly followed was a series of events that would forever be known as 'The Great Cinnabar Collapse.'
Moltres reacted angrily, billowing flames around the Rocket grunts. Their protective suits-for the most part-absorbed the unimaginable heat. The man, who Moltres knew, remained unharmed, but even he quickly retreated to a safe distance.
From there, he watched as Moltres changed its tactic, deciding the best course of action was to eliminate the threat of the Pokémon around it. No match for the legendary bird, the rock and water-type Pokémon eventually succumbed to the relentless onslaught, but not before they got a few well-placed shots of their own.
Angry, confused, and injured, Moltres decided to retreat. Flapping its wings, it flew quickly into the air, flying well above the volcano, before turning and diving straight into the active caldera. It disappeared beneath the lava's depths, absorbing the volcano's energy to heal itself.
The man looked increasing concerned, quickly retreating, himself, as it became clear that the area was no longer safe. As he attempted to climb down the volcano, the violent quakes that had rocked the area in recent weeks dramatically increased.
Moltres had set off a chain reaction. Its own energy, combined with the increasing pressure inside the magma chamber, ignited a fuse that could not be extinguished. Magma started to billow towards the surface at an alarming pace.
The violent shaking increased, causing a cascading effect as the top of the volcano collapsed into the caldera, plugging the free-flowing lava. Pressure built, rapidly.
Down below, the rest of the island were feeling the effects. The minor tremors they'd previously felt was nothing compared to violent shaking that now rocked the island. The island fell into a panic. Tourists flooded the streets, abandoning their plans. Confusion set in as thousands of people raced to the island's port.
But the earthquakes had also affected the seas. Water drained from the beaches, before quickly rushing back in. No tsunami had occurred, yet, the it made it difficult for the ships in port to remain afloat.
Several hit piers, damaging their hulls. No ship could safely dock, so those that were able to, fled for the safety of the sea; abandoning the fleeing civilians.
Red and Green had gotten lost in the chaos. Their nice lunch had been cut short. The lovely diner they were eating in had collapsed. They didn't know where to go, quickly finding themselves at the start of the trail that led up the volcano.
There, Blaine quickly appeared, exhausted from his mad dash down the volcano. He looked at the two kids, concerned. "Where're your parents?" he questioned, believing they were tourists.
"They're not here," Red explained. "We're Pokémon trainers. I'm here to face the Cinnabar Gym."
"Well, you're in luck." Blaine laughed. "I'm the Gym Leader, but we're currently in a dire situation."
"I understand that!" Red annoyingly shot, losing his footing as another large tremor shook the island; he wasn't stupid, he knew how bad the situation was.
But as quickly as the tremors began, they stopped. Slowly, the island began to calm. Several ships quickly returned to port, picking up civilians to ferry them away.
For a moment, everyone thought it was over, well, almost everyone. Blaine's brow furrowed in concern. He quickly raced towards the centre of town, Red and Green in hot pursuit. The devastation from the earthquake was evident.
Several buildings had collapsed, while others were beyond repair. People were injured, their bodies smashed by falling debris. Red didn't know if anyone was trapped inside the buildings, and a part of him didn't want to know.
Remarkably, the Pokémon Lab, one of the largest buildings on the island, was unscathed. Blaine helped several people before heading for his gym.
Similar to the Pokémon Lab, the gym seemed relatively untouched. Blaine, who was about to enter the gym, stopped. Silently, he turned towards the volcano, peering worriedly. He sensed it before it even occurred.
A great flash, closely followed by a thundering boom that shattered any remaining windows, shocked the inhabitants. The explosion threw tonnes of debris into the air. Rocks and ash rained down on the island in an instant. The explosion, so powerful, was seen from Kanto's coast. Lava began billowing out from the volcano's destroyed peak.
Visibility quickly became difficult as smog and ash blanketed the area. The falling rocks and boulders smashed into buildings. Breathing became nearly impossible. Red covered his face with his shirt. Looking around, he noticed Green was completely disorientated.
Blaine, who seemed less effected, grabbed both of them by their collars and pulled them away from the gym. He led them towards the ocean, where he knew it would be safer. "Do either of you have a Pokémon that can swim in the ocean?"
"Yeah," Red answered. "I have a Gyarados."
"Great!" Blaine exclaimed, stopping at the edge of the sand. "Summon it and get out of here!"
"What about you?"
"There's still people on the island." Blaine turned towards the volcano. "I somewhat caused this. It's my responsibility to save as many people as possible."
Red pulled out his Poké Ball, summoning Gyarados. As the light faded from Gyarados' form as mighty roar was heard. But it hadn't come from Gyarados.
They all quickly glanced back towards the peak of the volcano, where Moltres rocketed forth from the depths of the flowing lava. Moltres quickly flared out its wings, vaporising all the flying debris around it.
The legendary bird cawed defiantly-triumphantly-before circling the volcano's peak. Green flinched at the shrill noise the Pokémon released, visibly retracting in fear.
"What's it doing?" Red asked.
Blaine studied the bird. He knew Moltres quite well, having befriended the Pokémon at a young age. "Protecting the island."
Moltres swooped down, flapping its wings rapidly; blowing the smoke and raining ash away.
With the air now breathable, Blaine raced back towards the small resort town, ordering Red and Green to board the Pokémon.
Unsurprisingly, Red noticed a large crowd charging towards them. Realising what they wanted, he reluctantly helped Green climb onto Gyarados' scaly back. Quickly following, he ordered Gyarados to leave the shore as several people tried to climb onto the Pokémon.
Gyarados thrashed, knocking several people off. Looking back, sadly, at the crowd that'd formed on the beach he knew he couldn't help them; there were far too many people for Gyarados to support, and there was no way that any of them would remain behind while others boarded.
"There's nothing we can do for them." Green sighed sadly, glancing back at the island. They were now over a hundred metres from shore. Despite their distance, another shrilled caw caused her to flinch. "It's all because of that Pokémon. I hate birds."
"You ha-hate flying-type Pokémon?" Red stuttered.
"No, only birds," Green muttered.
"Why?"
"I feel dizzy," Greed groggily explained, ignoring Red's question. She laid her head on Red's back; her eyes were heavy, and she just wanted to sleep.
"Hey, now." Red nudged Green. "Don't sleep; that's the worst thing you could do."
"I know, but I don't care," she dreamily replied, her eyes now closed. A smile appeared on her lips as her consciousness fell into its own world. "Sleep seems like a peaceful escape from this nightmare."
Red looked around worriedly; the last time she'd been like this, she'd been placed in a coma. But while he knew she wasn't injured from the eruption on the island, she was clearly still feeling the effects of her injuries she'd received at Silph Co.
Realising he would have to do something to keep her awake, an idea quickly popped into his head, whether it was a good idea or not was an entirely different story. Grabbing one of his Poké Balls, he summoned his Pikachu. "I need you to give Green a minor electric shock. Just enough to keep her awake; I don't want to hurt her any more than she already is."
"Pika!" Pikachu nodded. He slowly crept past Red, before squeezing in between the two kids. Placing his paw on Green's shoulder, he channelled a small amount of electricity through it.
"Ow!" Green recoiled, frantically looking around to see where the shock came from. When her eyes locked onto Pikachu, they narrowed; suspiciously. Glancing up, her eyes bored into the back of Red's head. "You told him to, didn't you?"
"Sorry, but I need to keep you awake."
"Keeping me awake is one thing, but hur- Ow! Hey! Stop That!" She glared at the Pokémon. "You didn't need to do that."
"I'm sorry, but shaking you wasn't working," Red retorted.
"I wasn't tired because of my injuries, if you must know!" Green shot, now completely aware of her surroundings. "It was the smoke more than anything!"
"How was I supposed to know?" Red threw his arms up dramatically. "We're in the middle of a crisis and you suddenly decide it's the best time to fall asleep!" He pointed towards the island, where Moltres was still trying to protect it while the volcano continued to erupt.
Coming from nowhere, a large burst of water collided with the legendary bird, knocking it from view. Even from a distance, Red could tell something was off. His suspicions increased when a large torrent of flames was launched into the sky for no visible reason.
"I have to figure out what's going on," he said. "Something's not right. I think someone is attacking Moltres."
"What?" Green dumbfoundedly exclaimed. "Are you insane? Look at the devastation! And how exactly do you plan on getting back there?"
"Well, you're certainly not going back there," Red explained. "We have two water-types. I'm sure if you lend me your Wartortle, it'll be able to swim me back to shore."
"You're out of your mind!" Green's hand instinctively went to her Poké Ball. "Are you sure you weren't hit on the head?"
"I'm sure," Red replied, studying the situation. Green was protecting her Pokémon, and he knew there would be no way to take the Poké Ball without distracting her. "Pikachu… Shock her."
"Don't you dare!" But Pikachu obeyed his trainer. Green recoiled, trying to dodge the attack. In that moment she left herself open and Red reached for the Poké Ball.
Clutching it, he quickly yanked the ball with a water symbol from her. He quickly released the Pokémon, asking it to swim him to shore.
Green, who was now more pissed off than earlier, glared angrily at Red. "Don't you do it, Wartortle!" she ordered. "I haven't given him permission to use you!"
Wartortle was stock between a rock and a hard place. In one hand, it should be obeying its trainer, in the other it was only a small trip; a mere one hundred metres and then he'd be back.
"Please, Wartortle," Red begged. "It's only to shore. Then you can swim back here and stay with Green."
Wartortle glanced between Red's pleading face and Green's stern one. Finally, it looked at Red and nodded. "Wartortle."
"Thanks." Red sighed. Green groaned, angrily eyeing her Pokémon.
Wartortle jumped into the ocean, closely followed by Red, who tightly clutched onto its shell. He quickly glanced back at Green on Gyarados' back before addressing Pikachu. "Look after her while I'm gone. Shock her if she tries to fall asleep."
Wartortle took off and Red only just heard Green's reply. "You do that and I'm throwing you in the water!"
Red arrived on the beach, his clothes soaking from the trip. Massive crowds had already flooded the beach, but they paid him no heed as he trotted past them. The volcano-for the moment-had ceased all violent activity, save for the plumes of smoke it continued to billow out into the atmosphere.
It seemed strange; the calmness of the situation, but it allowed Red to easily make his way back into town. What he found there was complete and utter devastation. Only a few buildings still stood, but even they were severely damaged.
He wandered past buildings, past the injured, the dead, and headed towards the volcano's trail. He knew that was where Moltres was. He couldn't see the legendary bird, but he could certainly hear it. But before he could continue, he was stopped by the body near him grabbing his leg. Looking down, Red recognised the man; Blaine.
Blaine rose to a seated position, coughing and struggling to move. His left hand was pressed against his leg, applying pressure to a deep wound he'd sustained in the fighting. "Don't go up there," he warned.
"What's happening?" Red questioned. "Who was attacking Moltres?"
"The same people who did this to me," Blaine spluttered. "They're a criminal gang known as Team Rocket." Red paled at the mention of Team Rocket. Blaine, even in his current state, did not miss the sudden change in Red's complexion. "I take it you've run into them before?"
Red nodded, his mind going blank. Fear began to grip his being. Everything bad that'd ever happened to him had been at the hands of the criminal organisation and he had no idea what to do. He hadn't run into them in four months, but here they were now; affecting his life once again. Was there no escape from their retched evil?
He glanced back down at Blaine, studying his wound. He realised he may not have been able to stop Team Rocket, but he could at least be able to help this man. "We should get some help."
"Help isn't coming, kid," Blaine replied. "But if you can help me back to my Gym, we may be able to find a way to resolve this situation."
Helping Green was a completely different story to helping Blaine. While Green as a girl his own age; similar in height and weight, Blaine was fully grown man. Luckily, he didn't have to carry him-which he was sure he couldn't in the first place-but he still needed to support him.
Even with Blaine on one leg, they quickly made their way back into town. Unsurprisingly, the place was now deserted, save for the few emergency services and injured who couldn't yet move. "Looks like everyone who could has made their way to the beach."
Red looked around, saddened by the complete destruction of the town. "Can Cinnabar recover from this?"
"It has before," Blaine replied. "This isn't the first time the volcano has erupted. Then there's the bombings during the war. No, no matter what, this island will recover, but the culture may never be the same."
They arrived at the entrance to the gym, the same place they'd been an hour ago, when suddenly Moltres descended into the centre of town. Battered, bruised, and running out of energy, the Pokémon had retreated into the city for safety.
But Team Rocket had followed, ignoring the collateral damage in their endeavour to capture the Pokémon. Dozens of Pokémon descended on the weakened Pokémon, laying into it with every attack they could.
Blaine grew visible angry, shoving Red away as he went for one of his Poké Balls. These men were responsible for the destruction of his town, his island, and he was damned if he was going to let them take his friend.
"What're you doing?" Red questioned.
"Protecting Moltres," Blaine explained, summoning his Rhydon and Magmar.
"But what about inside? You said there may be something in here that can help."
"There is," Blaine confirmed. "But you'll be the one to retrieve it! Inside, on my desk, is a fossil; an Old Amber. It contains to fossil of a powerful Pokémon that once ruled this island. Retrieve it and take it to my station in the Pokémon Laboratory."
"There may be an issue there, the entrance to the Pokémon Lab is destroyed," Red pointed out, gesturing to collapsed arch at the front of the building.
"Don't worry about that," Blaine reassured. "My office has a secret connection directly to the building." He reached into his pocket, pulling out a card. "Take this; it's a key card. It'll give you entrance to my lab."
Red looked at Blaine suspiciously; who needed a secret entrance to a public lab? But he quickly decided to ignore it, taking the card from the older man's hand. He turned and ran into the building.
Red searched up and down, but everywhere he turned he found a dead end, the way blocked by a sealed door. He couldn't locate anything; not Blaine's office, not even the battlefield. The place was built like a maze and he couldn't believe how many times he'd turned back.
Finally, he found himself back at the entrance to the gym. He could clearly hear the battle outside, but knew he had a job to do. He turned back towards the maze when he saw a small sign on the wall. "Welcome to the Cinnabar Gym! Home to the Hot-Headed Quiz Master!" he read aloud. "To challenge the Gym Leader, you must first traverse the Maze! There, you will find a series of questions designed to test your knowledge of Pokémon. Get the answer right and the door will open. But get it wrong and the door will remain sealed. Be careful, one wrong answer and you'll have to begin again… You've got to be kidding me! I don't have time for this!"
But begrudgingly, he knew there was no other way; Blaine probably had a way around the maze, but he was too busy. Realising his only course of action was forward, he entered the maze. Remembering which way was the quickest to the nearest door, he found a small computer screen next to the door that he'd missed in his brash haste earlier.
He read the question on the computer screen quickly, noting the options below it. It was a simple yes or no question about a Pokémon's evolution. Pressing 'No,' he expected the door to quickly open, but after he pressed the answer, the screen flashed red with the word 'Wrong' in bold writing, immediately followed by a small message; 'This Route is Sealed. Please Choose Another Route.'
"What?" Red groaned. "Caterpie evolves into Metapod! Not Butterfree!" But he had no choice, quickly turning around to take a different path through the maze. "This is Bullshit!"
Outside, Blaine was fighting a losing battle. Moltres was weak and was struggling to halt the continuous barrage. Blaine's Pokémon were having their own fair share of problems, with their attacks being deflected or blocked by a number of psychic-type Pokémon that Team Rocket had unleashed.
While the volcano had been quiet for a while, Blaine knew that it could erupt again at any time. He needed to end this fast or there wouldn't be an island left. But Red hadn't reappeared and he was beginning to wonder what was taking the kid so long. He'd sent Red into his gym over ten minutes ago; he should have already made it back from the Pokémon Lab by now.
Pulling out another Poké Ball, he hoped that Red would hurry; he was running out of Pokémon and he didn't know how long they had left.
Eventually, Red made it through the maze; his body flooding with relief when he finally caught sight of the Gym's battlefield. He now understood why many trainers mentioned that this was the gym they hated the most. While most of the questions were simple, a little mistake and you had to start over. Add to that, that the first question registered the wrong answer as the correct one, frustrated him deeply.
Crossing the eerily quiet battlefield, Red opened the door to the Gym's personal living quarters. Inside, he found several rooms; a kitchen, a bedroom, even an entertainment suit, but no office. His frustration grew, but he knew he had to remain calm; the last thing he could do was let himself lose control and possibly miss some small detail because he was distracted. But even now he was beginning to question Blaine's idea of sending him into the Gym instead of the man who knew the place's layout the best.
Maybe Blaine thought that he wasn't strong enough to hold Team Rocket back? It was plausible; the first thing Blaine did upon meeting him was usher him to safety. Afterall, he couldn't blame the man. If Red was in his shoes, he probably would have done the same thing.
"Now, if I had an office that contained a secret entrance into the Pokémon Lab, where would I hide it?" Red wondered aloud, concluding that he was missing something. He wandered around the quarters; his shoes scuffing loudly against the wooden floor. "It would have to be underground so it wouldn't draw attention."
Suddenly, the wooden floor creaked, drawing his attention. He took another step, listening to the creaking that seemed to be echoing beneath him. Finally, he came to a stop in front of a large rug that seemed to be completely out of place compared to the rest of the room.
Peeling the rug back, he found a small latch attached to a hidden trap door. Lifting the latch, he managed to open the door, discovering a staircase to a large basement hidden underneath the gym.
The old steps creaked as he walked down, echoing inside the basement. At the bottom he found a small pull string connected to a light. With a flicker the entire basement was illuminated. What confronted him was not what he expected, however.
Instead of it being an empty basement with only a single desk, he found a room littered with files, books, and even a large map in the centre of the room. Compared to most basements, this one was huge, with Red surmising that it could easily fit two whole battlefields.
Wading past desk after desk he searched for the secret door Blaine had mentioned. But the more he looked, the more questions arose. Why would Blaine have a hidden basement this large? Why were there strange documents littered all lover the place? And did the same symbol keep appearing? P.S.R.D., what the hell was that?
Finally, he found a desk that had a photo of the familiar Pokémon Gym Leader. Combing through everything on the desk, he struggled to find the Old Amber Blaine had mentioned. Instead he found a large book; a journal. He opened it, hoping it contained the information he was after. Reading the first page, he couldn't believe what it contained. 'Day one. We arrived in the early ours of the morning, before the sun had come up as to allay suspicion,'he read. 'The building may have been old but using it as cover made perfect sense. People come and go all day long to test their Pokémon's strength in the building's battlefield. Also, it was situated right next to the well-known Pokémon Lab, if there were to be a sudden increase in the number of people entering and exiting the museum it would draw attention of Hoenn's Spies.'
Red paused, skipping through several pages before continuing. 'Day fifty-two. The experiment had been a failure, as I had expected; as I had warned. Some had questioned why I was even here, but now they see what I meant. The Poké Ball Project had been a resounding success, allowing our soldiers to carry Pokémon into the battlefield instead of fighting side by side with them constantly. Now our soldiers could use Pokémon strategically, and sparingly. But the big wigs wanted to go one better. They wanted to put a human mind inside a Pokémon. I told them it wasn't possible; I was ignored, and here we are now. Dr. Fuji, the only one who listened to me, has taken over the project. He's followed my recommendations. We're now going to try and blend Pokémon and Human DNA together and create a new species. The question was; what Pokémon do we use? The conclusion? After searching far and wide, the answer was found in one of the fossilised remains locked away in the Pokémon Lab's vault. A Mew! The Lab contained the remains of a fricking Mew! Research now turns to find a way to combine the Pokémon's DNA with our own. The war's getting worse, I only hope it doesn't take too long.'
Red skimmed page after page, trying to find anything that would help him. In truth, the journal intrigued him; almost drawing his attention away from the task at hand. But another violent shake nocked him off his feet and onto the ground. He clutched the journal, looking around. The when he saw it; there, hidden underneath Blaine's desk, lied the Old Amber. It's brown and gold shell flicked in the dim light. He realised it must have fallen off the desk during one of the large earthquakes. Clutching it, he rose to his feet with the Old Amber and journal in hand. Now where do I go? he questioned.
Gazing though the room, he noticed the stairs he'd entered from. He wondered for a moment if he should return the way he came. But he quickly put that thought aside; remembering that the entrance to the Pokémon Lab had been destroyed. "Blaine said that there was a secret entrance from his Office to the Pokémon Lab. If this is his office, then there must be a door in here somewhere," Red mused aloud. "It would have to be against the wall, or on the floor."
Red scaled every surface of the basement that he could, coming to a stop when his hands grazed a small indent in the wall. He studied the indent; measuring that it was large enough to place his finger in. The indent itself wasn't deep, but when he applied just the slightest pressure it seemed to give way under his own force.
As the indent moved backwards, forming a deeper hole, the wall opposite him began to shift loudly. Turning to watch, the wall slid further along, revealing a hidden passage. He crept cautiously towards the passage, realising it must have been the way forward.
The trip through the tunnel was short. When he reached the end, he found a similar door to the one's up above in the gym, only this one didn't contain a keypad. Instead, the doors simply opened, acknowledging his presence.
He walked through the door, discovering a large laboratory. The place was metallic, slick, and felt cleansed of all sceptic. It was strange; it reminded him of a hospital. He knew the device he need was here, and now all he needed to do was find it.
He paused, studying the lab he was in. He knew what the sequencer looked like, noticing it on the other side of the room. He walked past glass tube after glass tube, quickly making his way towards the device he knew he needed.
Surprisingly, the room was quite empty, with none of the tubes holding anything but liquid. What had gone on in this place, he did not know, but he knew he didn't have time to dwell on it. Perhaps the journal would provide him with the information? He was sure this lab had something to do with what he'd read.
Placing the Old Amber inside the sequencer, he activated the device. He stayed still as the machine whizzed into action.
Outside, Blaine was barely holding it together. The eruptions had stopped for the moment, but he knew there would be another one soon. Thanks to Moltres, most of the ash and smoke had been blown away, but that didn't mean it wasn't still hard to breath.
Returning another of his fallen Pokémon, he reached for his next Poké Ball, realising he had no Pokémon left. Blaine sighed; this was an inevitability he knew was coming. He didn't have an infinite amount of Pokémon, and while his Pokémon were stronger; his opponents out numbered him and Moltres ten to one.
Civilians that had been stranded in town had long since fled during the battle. Even the local Officers had all disappeared; presumably to save themselves from the onslaught. Blaine did not blame them. He'd seen what fear could do. He'd lived through the great war, fought in it in his own way. The reports; my god, he remembered the reports.
There was a reason there was a generational gap between his generation and the children of today. There was a reason that the population had diminished so much. He was in his fifties, and yet you would struggle to find many between his age and thirty. The war had wiped out an entire generation, even today the number of kids were few and far between, caused by the generational gap. If-in his opinion-the generation after his hadn't been wiped out, it wouldn't have had the cascading effect it did. Because most of the people aged between thirty and fifty had been wiped out, they didn't go on to make a generation of their own. Consequently, there was barely anyone in their teens. The numbers were rising, sure, but the population was still nowhere near what it was before the war.
Deciding that he need to change his tactics, he turned towards Moltres. Instead of fighting alongside the legendary bird, he would need to fight with the Pokémon. He only had Magmar left, but he hoped it would be enough. But as he raced towards the Pokémon the unthinkable happened; the volcano erupted.
This eruption was larger than the last one, launching debris over the entire island. Blaine jumped out of the way of one falling boulder, narrowly avoiding it. Looking up, he watched as one of the largest rocks hit the Pokémon Lab. The force was far too great for the building; collapsing in on itself.
"No!" Blaine screamed. He rose to his knees but didn't go any further. He stared at the building despairingly; regretting that he'd sent a kid into the building when he should have gone himself. To Blaine everything became quiet, with only the sound of his beating heart reaching his ears.
He looked around in disbelief as Moltres was struck by a flying boulder, knocking the Pokémon to the ground. Confusion, everything around him was covered with confusion. The Team Rocket grunts tried to gather some composure, but even they didn't know what to do.
Then he felt it. He felt everything. A shockwave emanated from the collapsed Pokémon Lab. The building's debris was thrown in every direction as a strange flying type took flight. Blaine managed to capture a glimpse of the Pokémon. It looked like an Aerodactyl, but its formation was completely different.
Instead of its normal grey, scaly, skin, black rocks protruded from its wings and body. Blaine also studied the figure atop it, realising the young boy was riding the Pokémon. It flew high into the sky, knocking back all of Team Rocket's Pokémon. Aerodactyl's body began to glow; the falling debris matching the same purplish hue. It was as if time froze. The rocks stopped falling; frozen in mid-air.
Red sighed as the Fossil Pokémon came to a stop at the top of the mountain. He could feel it; the badge's energy had surround Aerodactyl, causing it to mega evolve. He didn't understand how, but as the Pokémon Lab collapsed around him, he'd managed to activate the badge's powers again. But this time it'd gone beyond what it had done to Ivysaur.
Aerodactyl, a newly revived Pokémon, was acting like a seasoned battler. It was amazing to watch; as seemingly in a matter of seconds, Aerodactyl had stopped the eruption in its tracks. Any rocks that were still falling from the sky had been caught in the Pokémon's invisible web.
The calm ended when Aerodactyl launched most of the rocks into the side of the mountain, blocking the rivers of lava that were racing down the mountain since the first eruption. The rocks that remained were simultaneously launched at the remaining Team Rocket's Pokémon at Red's command.
An event that lasted well over an hour was finished in a matter of seconds. Moltres, who was now unhindered, flew back up to the mountain's peak and began absorbing the volcano's remaining energy.
The grunts fled in disarray, and Blaine didn't have the Pokémon or strength to follow them. He rose to his feet as Aerodactyl landed with a resounding thud. "I thought the Pokémon could help, but… Wow! I didn't know it had that much strength in it."
"Me neither," Red admitted as he dismounted the Pokémon. He felt the energy from the badge dissipate; Aerodactyl returning to its normal form a moment later. "What now?"
"Team Rocker has fled," Blaine explained. "Moltres has been allowed to return to its roll as guardian of the island. The crisis is over… For now."
"What will you do?"
"Me? I'll remain here. I'll rebuild this island like I did after I moved here years ago," Blaine elaborated. "But hey, you said you were a Pokémon trainer, right?"
"Yeah." Red nodded, confused.
Blaine reached into his pocket, pulling out a red badge shaped like a flame. "Then here. Take this badge, I think you've earned it." He placed the badge in Red's hand.
The boy looked sceptically at it before looking up at Blaine. "But don't I have to beat you in a battle for it?"
Blaine chuckled. "I don't think that's going to be possible!" He thumbed the building behind him. Red looked past the Gym Leader, realising that the Pokémon Gym had been destroyed during the last eruption. "Besides, you've shown what your capable of. I have no doubt you would beat me in a battle."
"Well, thanks." Red paused, not knowing what to do. He was about to turn and go find Green when Aerodactyl nudged him on the shoulder.
"I think Aerodactyl wants to go with you," Blaine explained.
"Are you sure?" Red questioned. "It was your fossil."
"But you revived it," Blaine countered. Aerodactyl nodded in agreement.
Smiling, Red pulled out an empty Poké Ball. He taped it against Aerodactyl's large jaw, absorbing the Pokémon in a second. "Aerodactyl's such a long name. I think I'll name you Aero."
Red turned and began to leave when one last thought entered his mind. "Oh, Blaine! If you rebuild the Gym, maybe get rid of the riddles! Especially the one about Caterpie! The answer's wrong!"
"I'll keep that in mind!" Blaine laughed.
Green sighed as she walked up to the local Pokémon Centre in Viridian City. A few days had passed since she'd parted ways with Red in Pallet Town. He'd talked about spending time with his mother and sister after the whole incident on Cinnabar Island.
It had been all over the news; she was sure her friend had seen it. Why else would she deicide to do what she was about to do? She calmly strode into the centre, completely ignoring the front desk as she turned towards the Centre's phones.
They weren't video phones that she'd heard were being rolled out in every Pokémon Centre nationwide, but they would do the trick. She sat down in front of the vacant phones, pulling out the piece of paper she'd held onto since she was a little kid.
She unfolded it, finding the detail within. Transcribed was a number; a number she'd told herself she'd never use unless in circumstances like this.
She grabbed the phone and dialled. She waited with bated breath as it rang, and rang, until finally someone answered. "Hey, it's me, Green… Yes, I saw; I was there… No, no. Team Rocket was involved… I don't know." She quickly glanced around her; making sure no one was listening. "It involved a Legendary Bird, like the one that kidnapped us. Something isn't right. Do you think it could be him?" There was a long pause before she received her answer. "I think it's time. I think it's time me meet up… I'll be staying at the Viridian City Pokémon Centre; you know how to reach me… Just, please be careful, I don't know who to trust at the moment."
She hung up the phone.
What is Green Up To? Will Red Learn the truth about the War? Who will Win Between Lance and Silver? Find Out Next Time.
Kudos to those who figure out who Green was talking to. This chapter contained a lot of world building, hope you enjoyed it.
I got the idea for this chapter from the Cinnabar Island collapse in the Pokemon Games when the volcano erupted. It also explains why Cinnabar Island doesn't have a Gym anymore in the Kanto Arc, it was destroyed and Blaine never rebuilt it. Eventually he made the ruse that he let it fall into disrepair so only those that really wanted to battle him would find him.
If you couldn't figure out the generational gap, I'll explain it if you ask. I realise that part is ambiguous, but it's setting up how the original Pokémon League was formed.
I just wanted to say thanks to those who have reviewed! A lot of the time you keep me going!
Review Reply:
Review (Guest): I love this story; you have no idea how happy I am that I found it. I can't wait to read more.
Reply: Thank You! I always appreciate reviews, especially even if they're just comments like this. I'm glad you enjoy it!
Review (Tmriddle): Hey I know you might not answer this question but are you planning to have misty stay with ash through all of the regions or just up to where she did in the anime. I'd really love to see her stay there for the whole thing and not just phase out and leave like she did in the anime.
Reply: You're right, unfortunately I can't answer that, it would spoil too much! I will say this though; you will be both happy and sad with what I'll do with the character's at the end of the Johto Arc.
Review (Miss geek): Lol the rant was true I see it happens to pokeshippers a lot like amourshippers can't stand the fact there's evidence for pokeshipping and not for their shipping I dunno. Anyway wait is mark mistys dad her dads name was Ethan or Daniel right ? Oh god I'm prob have to read this again lol. Your doing a good job though to write in present and past tense keep it up and step on those trolls along ur way.
Reply: I wouldn't go as far as what your saying. In fact, I don't think the troll reviewers even have a ship, they're only pretending to, to start a shipping war. As for your second point: There are two Misty's, one from the past and one from the present. The Past one is Misty Williams, daughter of Mark Williams and the younger sister of Hannah Williams. The one in the present is Misty Waterflower, Daughter of Ethan and Hannah Waterflower (Formally Williams). Misty Williams is Misty Waterflower's aunt. I hope that clears things up. Misty Waterflower is named after her aunt because they were both very similar in appearance, which her parents noted when she was born. I won't go too far into details as that would be spoilers.
Review Reply End.
Any questions, Pokémon suggestions, ideas for the story, or OC's you have that you would like to see in the story, just PM me or send it in a review! All are welcome!
Ash's Pokémon:
On Hand:
Pikachu (Electric) (Male)
Lapras (Water/Ice) (Female)
Ivysaur (Grass/Poison) (Male)
Charizard (Fire/Flying) (Male)
Wartortle (Water) (Male)
Rhydon (Ground/Rock) (Female)
Riolu (Fighting) (Male)
Dragonair (Dragon) (Female)
Ralts (Psychic/Fairy) (Male) (Shiny)
Grubbin (Bug) (Female) (Shiny)
Egg
At Oak's Ranch:
Pidgeot (Normal/Flying) (Male)
Arcanine (Fire) (Male)
Nidorino (Poison) (Male) (Shiny)
Umbreon (Dark) (Male) (Shiny)
Raticate (Normal) (Female)
Butterfree (Bug/Flying) (Male)
Kingler (Water) (Female)
Absol (Dark) (Male)
Gengar (Ghost/Poison) (Male)
Primeape (Fighting) (Female)
Muk (Poison) (Male)
Tauros (Normal) (Male) (x23)
Sandslash (Ground) (Male)
Gyarados (Water/Flying) (Male)
Departed:
Mew
Misty's Pokémon:
On Hand:
Starmie (Water/Psychic)
Seel (Water) (Male)
Feebas (Water) (Female)
Vaporeon (Water) (Female)
Psyduck (Water) (Male)
Togepi (Fairy) (Male)
Egg
At Oak's Ranch:
Kabutops (Rock/Water) (Male) (Shiny)
Seaking (Water) (Female)
Staryu (Water/Psychic)
Tentacruel (Water/Poison) (Male)
Pelipper (Water/Flying) (Female)
Seadra (Water) (Female)
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Until Next Time, AshleyH30 Out!
