Pokemon: You're the Monster

by robert.williamstn

What if we didn't train Pokemon to fight our battles for us but instead harvested that power to use in hand-to-hand combat between men? Here is the original storyline retold with that notion in mind and some twists as well. With protagonist Red form the video games, we see Kanto through his eyes and a cast of other folks. New chapters should be up every Tuesday!

6. Cerulean City

9

I'd like to say I won the fight and promptly left for Saffron City, but that would be a lie. Misty did laps around me in the match. I was in a recovery bed in a matter of seconds.

When I open my eyes, I'm greeted by her pretty but stern face.

"Ahhhh!"

"Are you awake yet? What was that!?"

"Hello to you, too!"

Misty rolls her eyes and stands up to walk away.

"Hey!" I yell as I get to my feet. She stops in place, and people stop swimming and stare at us. Misty gives a sweeping motion with her hands, and everyone turns around and goes back to whatever they were doing. Nice!

"Look…I'm sorry about yesterday. I didn't mean to ruin your…"

"Not here," she whispers. "Follow me."

So I follow Misty through the gym and enter an office at the end of the room. When she shuts the door behind us, I hear the click of the handle shutting and the noise of the gym fades away.

"Forgive my secrecy, but this Gym is government operated. Everything out there is recorded and subject to being in the media. I know you thought you were doing the right thing last night…I mean you did the right thing last night, but I just don't like people knowing my personal business."

"Oh!"

"Yeah, I've tried to keep the fact that I'm single and dating on the down low. You wouldn't believe the amount of people that come here offering to marry me or ask me about relationships they heard about that are purely fiction. People thinking I have ties to Team Rocket or pick "bad boys" or something is another head ache I don't need. My last boyfriend…let's just say he was a good guy but was always traveling and never settled down. He was always around all sorts of strangers and going on adventures. Fun at first, but eventually you grow up. You mature past the wonderful age of ten, and well…the world knows that we didn't work out. It was hard to deal with the break up, but reliving it every day was even worse."

"I'm so sorry! I didn't know."

"It's OK. By the way, thank you for catching that guy. I can only imagine what that guy was up really up to! Those Team Rocket guys are bad news. All of the Gym Leaders have reported seeing them. I think they have some evil plan in motion."

"What do you think it is?"

"I don't know yet, BUT one thing I do know is that you can't beat me!" she says with a mean smile.

"Ha ha…nope."

"If you can't beat get a second level belt, don't worry about Team Rocket."

"I got it. Any tips?"

"OK first off. Are those regular clothes?" she says poking my shirt with her finger. My clothes are still damp from the pool.

"What so you mean?"

"Yep! You know I looked at this jacket," she says scooping up my Dad's red and white jacket. Did she bring that in here? How did I miss that?

"This thing is not just cotton you know. It's made of a special fiber called Evertone."

"Evertone?"

"Yes, the material will adjust to the environment and last much longer than normal clothes. They are typically heavier than regular clothes, but for example, if you jump in a pool, the material won't soak up with water. This isn't just a normal bathing suit you know," she says motioning to her white one piece.

I suddenly realize that her suit is completely dry even though her hair still looks a little damp. The outfit complements her petite frame well and has reflective gold lines in the curves that give a cool shimmer when she moves. Other than aesthetics though, I can't tell that the material is any different from a normal suit.

"You may have noticed Brock's clothing, the Gym Leader in Pewter City."

"Oh! The rock vest!"

"Yes! That is a custom made vest with Evertone and Onix ES in the very sewing. That vest makes him more resistant to normal strikes even if he's passed out or asleep. My suit allows me to maintain the speed and stamina of an actual Starmie while under water. I don't have fins or gills obviously, but I can do more with this suit on than with normal clothes."

"Cool! Does my jacket have any special things in it?"

"I don't think so, at least not a specific type of Element Skill. The tag on the inside doesn't mention it. Regular Evertone will mimic traits of whatever ES you are using as well as the surfaces you come in contact with. Your friends were here. They had Evertone swimsuits. Did you simply not know?"

In my head, I can vaguely remember Blue making a fuss about getting certain clothes that cost more money. His t-shirt and blue jeans seemed nice to me, but I never thought about clothes that help you fight. And Green? She just wears a skirt and top. When did they get these fancy swimsuits?

"No…" I say shaking my head.

"That's OK. Go out and get some Evertone clothes at Costumes and please, while you're at it, get an Element Skill that isn't weak to Water."

"The Nidorino Skill is Poison," I interject.

"Yes, and Poison is weak to my Starmie Skill which if you didn't know is part Psychic. Psychic beats Poison. If not for that, you would have had a better chance of beating me."

"Ah, no kidding. Was that move you used Confusion?"

"Yep. Psychic! Tell you what. I saw the confidence you had facing that loser last night. If you apply that to making some changes, I know you can get the Cascade Belt."

I thank Misty for her advice and head back out front. I check my electronic map, and see many dots appear over an orange canvas. I air type in the name Costumes and one of the dots suddenly becomes a wardrobe. When I point at it, it opens and clothes spill out. Cool animation!

I text Blue and Green about my setback and ask about the Evertone clothing they have.

"Oh, you didn't have any? Did no one ever talk to you about that?" Blue asks.

"Did you think we just wore normal clothes? Well surprise! My regular outfit is Evertone, but I actually got a swimsuit just for the pool. I found a nice green one!" Green adds.

She sends me picture of her and Blue in swimsuits. Blue has on a navy blue suit with a white star on the front and back that stretches from his shoulder and chest down to his knees. He poses like a bodybuilder showing off his lean physique next to Green who has one arm around him and with her opposite hand is making the peace sign. Her dark green suit has little gold and purple stars shimmering on it. Green's suit hugs her body just the right way and actually opens for both her arms and legs.

"Whoa…you look beautiful!" I type and send before it registers what I've done.

She sends me a smiley face back.

"I mean you both look great. I'm jealous." I quickly add. I don't want to mess with Green and Blue if they actually work out, but it will seem like that exactly what I'm doing if Blue thinks I'm flirting with Green. Ugh, so stupid!

"Ah, thanks Red!" Green responds. No awkward response at all.

"And no, I didn't know," I insist. "I just found out that my Dad's jacket is made of that stuff, but I need to get some new clothes and another Element Skill and probably level up a bit if I want to beat Misty."

"Well I don't know about the training part or what ES you need, but as for the Evertone, you are in luck! My family wants to wire you some money for your trip. You can use it for your Evertone."

"What!? That's nice of them, but they don't have to do that!"

"No buts. Check your Skillfinder. They can wire money to you electronically. Mom says she just sent it!"

I do check and sure enough a couple hundred bucks have appeared in my back account. Sweet!

"Oh…hold on there's something going on."

"Wait what's the matter?"

"I don't know. The police are directing people to leave the streets. They want us to leave town or go inside somewhere."

"Weird!"

"Hey, I'll get back to you, Red. Talk to you later!"

I hope everything is OK. We text each other good bye just as I arrive at Costumes. The store is shaped like a baseball cap with a large bill sticking out of the back of the building in the ground. Sky windows sit where eyelets typically are. The automatic sliding doors are painted to look a strap when closed and a gap when opened. Neat!

I go inside and see several people milling around the racks for different clothes. The store is roughly two-thirds women's clothing and the remaining being men's. They have a little bit of everything out. Despite it being the fall, there are both winter coats on the walls from the floor to the ceiling and aisles in the middle of the store loaded with swim gear.

A lady walks up to me wearing all black clothes and smelling strongly of lavender.

"Welcome to Costumes! Have you been here before?"

"No ma'am. I was hoping to ask you about Evertone clothing."

"Oh yes! Is this your first time purchasing Evertone?"

Yes, ma'am."

"Well please follow me, and I'll be happy to answer any questions you have while showing you some of our fine products," she says waking me to the right side of the store.

"We sell a few brands of Evertone clothing including Kiwi, Master-sword, and Big's. Kiwi has the lowest level of Evertone, and typically it's used for beginning trainers. Master-sword has the Gold Standard line of Evertone products and is recognized by the Monster Training Championship. Lastly Big's is our premium line of Evertone clothing. Developed by inventor Bill Masaki, this clothing has the greatest level of resistance and Element Skill enhancement of the three. Designed for the Elite 4, it's become very popular with experienced trainers."

"Developed by Bill, you mean the guy that lives north of Cerulean City?"

"That would be his grandson, Bill Masaki III actually. The original designer passed away just last year."

It feels weird remembering my encounter with Bill. Seeing his products in this store right now is almost spooky. Maybe it's just a sign that I should get some Big's. They are the best it seems.

"Do you have anything in Big's that will be good for swimming? I want to face Misty at the local gym."

"Oh…well we have some options here," she says walking me over to the swimsuits. "All of the Big's line has a purple dot on the tag. They do run a little more than the other clothes, but you won't regret the purchase. Big's has a no questions asked trade in policy and lifetime guarantee should the clothing every get damaged but to be honest, the material is so strong that you probably won't ever need to replace it!"

"Cool!" I say eyeing the different suits. One in particular is black with red lines covering bends on the fabric kind of like Misty's only opposite. The suit seems defined, distinguished even. I pick it up and show the lady. She walks me to a changing room and after trying it on, it fits! The price is 312$ so I'll have to use all of the money the Hayashi family gave me and most of mine to buy this thing. Please be worth it!

I check out and start walking back to the bridge I crossed last night. Maybe I can train there in the tall grass and find a Grass Pokémon so I can beat Misty.

I shoot Green a text to ask if they're OK. No response. Hopefully they are just busy.

After several minutes, I'm back to the corner of town facing the bridge only this time, it's in the day. Just as I am about to cross it, a man walks up to me.

"Excuse me young man. Are you by chance a trainer?"

"I am. Why?"

"I'm a fisherman. I catch fish and sell them and their Element Skills. I just happen to have one left. Are you interested?"

"Which Skill is it?"

"It's from a Magikarp."

"Magikarp?" I don't know fish Pokémon that well. He shows me picture of fat gold fish with a blank stare. Not exactly a superstar.

"Yes, it's actually quite a weak one so I'm only selling it for 50$. If you do go through the effort of training it; however, the Gyrados Skill is quite formidable."

"Gyrados?"

"The evolved form of Magikarp is Gyrados," he says showing me a picture of something that looks like a sea monster. The two look nothing a like!

"OK, I'm curious. What type is Magikarp? Water?"

"Correct. With some blood and sweat, you could train with this thing and give Misty a run for her money. I bet that's why you're in town right?"

"Right!"

"Well it can be done, but it will probably take a couple of weeks before you could do that for your average trainer."

"A couple of weeks!?" I groan. That is a long time. I check my ticket to S.S. Anne and read the back. I have about four days before the cruise. That's less time than I remembered when I got the thing in the first place!
But I feel like I remember someone talking to me about Gyrados. Isn't he really tough? Maybe it's worth it.

"Tell you what, I'll give you a hint," the fisherman add. "Any time you have a weaker Skill and want to get it caught up, you can go into battle with it then transition and use a stronger one for the rest of the fight. The ES from the beginning of the match and end will both get stronger."

"Won't I be vulnerable during the transition?"

"Yes, but if you're tough, and you have the right items, you can do anything!"

I need to do something now instead of wandering around aimlessly. I could spend all day just trying to find another Pokémon or I could just use this one.

"I'll do it!"

I eagerly run to the nearest store and change into my suit in the bathroom. I take the Magikarp crystal and crack it over my head. The suit feels wonderful, like a thick glove over my skin, but the ES does something weird to my body. I feel weak and slow, and I can't remember any of the moves I knew from either ES I already had. Both of them had Tackle in common, but I can't visualize even this basic move in my head.

I step outside of the store and try to think of a single attack. Anything would be good. I concentrate and after several minutes all I end up doing is hopping in place.

Hop! Hop! Hop!

What? This is all I know? Like a fish out of water! It's no wonder no one bought this stupid thing. I feel like an idiot. Whatever! I'm going to find some tall grass and try the strategy the fisherman mentioned. At least that part made sense.

I return to Route 24, on the way to Bill's house, and see an Ekans, a purple snake Pokémon. It lunges forward and wraps me in a Bind. All I can do is Hop! The snake seems more annoyed than hurt by this stupid move. I transition and quickly use Embers to burn the Ekans off of me. It slinks away in the grass, and everything is still once more.

Checking my Skillfinder, I see that my Magikarp Skill went from level 5 to…It is still 5! What?! This could be longest, most boring task of my life!

I transition back and begin pursuing wild Pokémon for training. Sometimes I see an Abra, a cat like creature that can vanish before your eyes, one that interested Blue for some reason. It's cool to watch but pointless for training. The next several Pokémon I see are either more Ekans or Bellsprout, a moving flower like creature that swings sharp vines at you when threatened. The Vine Whip can hurt me a lot more when I'm using the Magikarp ES, but it doesn't bother my new swimsuit or my other Element Skills at all.

I train for hours and stop for a lunch break and check my phone. A few messages have come in from Green.

"We're stuck in this weird warehouse."

"They're saying it's Team Rocket!"

"You there?"

I push my plate aside and call her right away.

"Hey!" she says with panic in her voice.

"Hey! Sorry I missed your messages. Are you OK?"

"Yeah, we've just been stuck in this building in Saffron City for the last few hours. Apparently Team Rocket made a threat that they would blow up the roads, and the bomb squad got called in. They are literally searching every inch of street in town."

"Whoa!"

"But it's totally a prank. No bomb here, there, or anywhere. It's going to slow down business and cause all sorts of problems if people are scared to go outside. That's almost worse than if something did happen."

"No kidding! Well I'm glad you woo are safe. I wish I was there."

"Ha! Believe me you DO not! I wish I was there with you," she says. Not Blue and her, just her with me I think.

"Well I'm no fun right now anyway. I have to train super hard if I want to beat Misty and get to Vermillion City for the cruise. Let's just say it's not going as easy I hoped."

"Yeah? Well don't give up. I can't wait to see this cruise myself. I've never been on a boat before let alone the S.S. Anne. How exciting! Thanks for inviting me."

"Sure…" I say. What does she mean? Did Blue not want her to come with for some reason? Maybe those two are not an item after all.

"What does Blue think about…"

"Hey Red, hold on…OK, they're trying to make an announcement or something. Gotta go! Bye! Talk to you soon!"

"Bye!" I say as the call ends. What is going on over there? It's time to get back to work. I pack up my bag and get back in the tall grass once more.

I walk around and battle anything that in front of me for what seems like an eternity. After a while some other trainers walk by. I run up to them and offer to fight. They agree and off we go!

Most of the trainers use skills from Pokémon I've seen before like Pidgey or Rattata. I don't recognize all of them however including a few thing use Fighting moves like Low Kick where a trainer tries to sweep my legs out from under me. Unlike my battles with the wild Pokémon, the trainers are a little tougher, and I have use Potions after so many rounds in a row. The good thing with these matches though is that some people make small talk after the fight and offer me rewards for winning. While fighting them, I actually gain more experience, too.

10

When the sun starts to settle, I feel totally beat. Checking my Skillfinder, I see that LVL of Magikarp went all the way up to 12 and the other two are at 19. Not too bad, but still no Gyrados. I'll have to try again tomorrow. I need a change of pace.

Pulling out my phone, I notice no calls or texts from Blue or Green. I'm worried about them. I want to at least see if I can tell what's going on over there so I cross Cerulean City as everything starts to get dark. At the south end of town are a long road and a few buildings outside of Saffron City. The neighboring city is modern on the inside but has an ancient wall surrounding its perimeter. From each side is a gatehouse where people can enter or leave the town towards neighboring cities.

When I get to the gatehouse, I see several people crowded outside with concerned looks.

"Please folks, step back! Step back, please!" says a guard.

I make my way through the crowd trying to get a closer look, and hear a commotion coming from inside the walls. People are shouting and running. I hear whistles and dogs barking, too.

I stop and text Blue and Green in a group text. Waiting outside for several minutes, I hear nothing but dogs barking. No response from my friends. I suddenly realize that the crowd outside the wall has been quiet since I got here. I look around, and everyone is staring at me including a young boy with a hand raised. When he realizes I'm looking at him, he points behind me. I look over my shoulder to see a big balloon like Pokémon. I say balloon because it's round and hovering in the air but the little thing has an angry face and a foul smoke is coming out if it's pores. I turn to face it, and the animal's body glows like a spot light in the dark.

BOOOOOOM!

I get thrown back several feet by the explosion and land on my side. At first I can't hear anything, and my chest feels like someone is standing on it. I take a few deep breaths, slow in and slower out, like my Dad taught me, and my notice my heart has been beating very fast. Suddenly my hearing comes back with a bonus ringing sound. There is smoke and fire everywhere. Some people look severely injured while those that aren't on the ground are running away.

I look at my hands and see dirt and some bloody scrapes. A man runs up to me, and when he sees that I'm OK, he runs on to the next person. An older lady to my right is lying face down, and some people are standing around her crying. Is she dead? A couple to my left hold their hands down on a man's head. Blood is all over him.

My clothes are completely intact, but the people closest to me have parts of clothing seated away revealing bruises and blackened skin.

Standing to my feet, I call out to my friends, "BLUE! GREEN!" hoping they can hear me over the wall somehow.

But as I listen in I hear nothing but more explosions and screaming. Looking towards the gatehouse which has lost most of its windows by now, several guards have appeared and are pointing people away from Saffron City. I try to get close, but a man literally pushes me back so that I fall on my rear end. Ow!

"It's too dangerous! Please seek shelter. Let the police handle this! Anyone trying to enter town now will just get hurt. Back! Back please!"

As he says this, medical staff arrives on the scene in white and blue outfits and start directing us all back to Cerulean City. Anyone that isn't receiving medical care or giving it is simply in the way.

I think about the guard's words. Just get hurt? Seek shelter, you'll just get hurt. Is that all I can do? I drop to my knees and visualize my father. In my mind, he is the strongest man I know, tough and tender.

"Dad," I say in my mind, "what should I do? My friends, Saffron City is in danger! What would you do right now?"

I close my eyes and listen for his voice of reason amidst my current chaos. A still voice like a whisper comes to me saying these simple words, "Satoshi, do not be afraid."

Jumping to my feet, I look around. It's as if he were there with me in person! I clench my fists and reflect on those words. When you are afraid, you seek shelter. When you face fear, you leave it. What does he want me to do? If the authorities think I'll only get hurt now, they're not entirely right. I felt a drive to get this Evertone and because of that, a Pokémon Self Destructed in front of me, and I walked away. I don't need to hide or sleep right now, I need to train. I need to get stronger!

"I'll be back when I can actually help," I say to the guard. He nods his head as I turn back towards town. There is tall grass on the way, and I stop to train here for several hours. I fight anything that moves using my transition technique to strengthen my weak Magikarp skill as well as the other two. I get used to running into Mankey here, a monkey Pokémon with a big nose that is very fond of kicking and Scratching.

When I feel like I can't move anymore, I realize I know how to do Tackle with Magikarp Skill in use. I read the Skillfinder which lights up "LVL 15." I decide that now is the time to really train my ES, but I can't go on. I'm so tired I lie down on the ground near the tall grass and rest my head on my backpack.

I blink and open my eyes to sunlight! I meant to close my eyes for a second and fell asleep outside. I've been here all night!

"Hey! Are you all right young man?" says a female police officer. I sit up and dust off my pants.

"Yes, ma'am…I didn't mean to sleep here. I was training last night and just over did it."

"Well that's OK dear! I wanted to make sure you weren't injured or sick after what happened last night. Do you need something to eat?" she asks whipping out a bag of something that smells really good. "Winger's donated several Spearow Biscuits to the force, and I can't eat all of these. You look like a growing boy. Will you take them for me?"

"Oh yes, thank you!" I say. I try not to swallow them whole and force myself to eat slower. "Fast food is tasty but makes you kind of stupid if you let it," my Mom always said. The cop takes my trash and walks with me back to town. I want to ask about the event from last night, but she keeps talking about random things.

"A time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance…We can't help what time it is when it is that time. It seems now we are in a time of mourning. We can either face it or deny it...hold on!" she says as a voice comes in on her portable radio.

"Parker, you there? Parker, pick up."

"Officer Parker here!"

"Parker, report is a burglar has attacked some homes in Cerulean City. Witnesses say perp is short, 5'6" and maybe buck 50. Possible aid to Team a Rocket though we're not for sure."

"I'll look into it, Parker out!" she says to the radio.

Do they not say "over" like on TV? She looks to me and says, "Have a good day young man! I'm sorry, but I have to run!" And with that, she takes off into town. I have work to do as well.

I arrive at the gym just as Misty is opening the front door. She turns and looks at me surprised. Unlike yesterday, she isn't in her swimsuit, but has on blue sweats instead. She wasn't expecting anyone to be here.

"Red!? Back already?"

"Yes! Misty, I have to get to Saffron City. My friends are there. I have to know they're OK!"

"Saffron City isn't safe now…wait. Why are you so dirty?"

"I was training…and the explosion…and I went back to training…"

"Oh my gosh! Are you telling me you spent the whole night outside?"

I nod.

"You were at the wall? Are you OK?"

"I'm fine," I insist as she looks me over. "Misty, this Pokémon blew itself up right in front of me! If I hadn't got Evertone yesterday…those people were hurt so bad!" I spit out everything like an auctioneer. I'm struggling to catch my breath. Misty puts an arm around me and hugs me.

"Hey champ, slow down! It's awful what happened last night! I was in Pewter City last night and got stuck helping with a rock slide by Mount Moon. People trying to leave my city were attacked, and there was nothing I could about it. Neither you nor me…The gym is actually supposed to be closed today, you know, I'm just here to get some taxes done, but why don't you come in?"

"Oh…" No wonder she's wearing sweats, the gym is closed. "Are you sure? I didn't mean to…"

"Come on in before I change my mind," she says and gives me a wink. I listen and follow her in.

She flips a switch, and overhead lights come on. She points to the pool and commands me to "Get in!" I listen and lay my things down before jumping in.

"OK, I know you have experience doing Monster Training, and most people that travel at least can walk fairly well. Some can even run or hike well, but you know what a lot of beginners don't know how to do?"

"Swim?"

"Exactly! I want you to get experience swimming here in this still water pool. With the right training and equipment, you'll be able to fight me, but you can also catch skills from fish Pokémon or swim for long distances to get to places you can't normally reach. Don't try to swim out in moving water or you'll be swept away. Swimming in big bodies of water can be hard if you go out too far or get hit by an undercurrent because you can't make it back to dry ground. You can do those things in time, but for now you're going to swim here in this pool."

"What about…"

"Yesterday you barely lasted a minute in the pool with me so you won't be any good to your friends if you want to beat me today! And the first things to do is build up your body through swimming," she says. Ouch! That stung.

We talk about different strokes, and she gives me tips as I try each one. Though I've never really swam before, the Magikarp Skill makes this swimming routine feel almost like something I did before but can't remember the details. Misty leaves me to the pool and grabs some coffee and a stack of papers then sits down at a table where she can watch me.

I swim back and forth experimenting with different components of movements every so many laps. If I swim too hard or try to force the movement, I feel so sore on the next lap, but a slower and longer reach makes the movement much smoother and easier. When I try to pull my head up, my neck gets sore, and I want to stop, but changing the cadence of my breathing to be in synch with every fourth stroke of an arm keeps me from holding my head up and my lungs full of air. The hardest part for me is just making myself not quit out of boredom or fatigue. This exercise really tests your patience.

After what seems like the longest few hours of my life, Misty waves a hand and asks me to take a break. I climb out of the pool and feel the cold air on my skin as the water drips to the ground. She hands me at small towel and a Potion which I quickly apply to my skin. I notice that with the exception of my hair, most of my body feels dry almost instantly. It's this Big's swimsuit. Cool! The Potion goes to work and relieves tension that was forming in my calves and back instantly.

Misty motions for me to follow her back to her office where some sushi has been laid out on a platter. There are so many kinds and colors, I feel my mouth watering!

"Please have lunch on me. You've been working hard," she says as I sit down, trying my best to eat slowly.

"Thank you!"

"So you're the son of a soldier right?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Oh please, just say Misty. I think we're the same age if not close," she says looking embarrassed.

I nod as I stuff down another piece of sushi.

"I…anyway you want to be a soldier like your father?"

"Well not exactly. Actually my father was a carpenter before he went into the military. He died in the war and now it's just me and my Mom."

"Oh I'm sorry for your loss!"

"Thank you."

"What was your name before taking the mantle of Red?"

"My birth name was Satoshi Himura, Jr."

"So you even had his name then!"

"Yes and like my father, I want to do a service to Kanto. He worked all his days providing quality furniture to people and then died for us. I want to honor him with the way I use my life, too."

"Do you know how you'll do that?"

"To be honest, at first I didn't. I just hoped to travel Kanto, get belts, and have some fun along the way as if a mission might fall from the sky and hit me or something. Ha ha."

"Ha ha. A wild heart, huh! What do mean at first? Does that mean something did fall from the sky after all?"

"Yes! I have heard nothing but bad news about Team Rocket since I left home. They are a menace, and I want to help protect the people from evil like them."

"You're quite the gutsy guy, you know that right!? I mean I want to stop them, too, but we simply don't have enough people in power to keep them in check. The public is afraid of them, and Team Rocket uses that fear against us."

"I will not be afraid. Misty, you have to train me. Teach me all you know so I can fight them!"

"Whoa calm down fella! Let's take a walk, you and me, to let our stomachs settle then when we come back my team will be here to watch us fight. OK?"

"Ok." I say and take a deep breath.

Misty leads me outside, and we walk across town. We go over the bridge and down to the beach where she went on her date with Ken only we're much farther away from Bill's house this time. She climbs onto a flat rock and motions for me to sit on it next to her. I climb up and sit down beside her.

"This is my quiet place. I come here to stop, to think, and to remember."

"To remember what?" I ask.

"To remember my place in life, my purpose. To remember why I became a gym leader in the first place."

She gives me a somber look and hands me a photograph. The picture shows a younger Misty in a blue swim suit standing between a man in a blue suit and a woman in a white dress, her parents.

"Many people lost their parents back then. In the war. There are multiple 'Red's' out there you know. I would have taken that name, too, but I'll never forget something my father said to me. He said to me, 'Misty, don't you ever change my girl. You are the greatest treasure I have from your mother. If you have to give up every earthly pleasure, you won't lack a thing. Love you darling!"

Misty looks away and takes in a long breath. I hear a faint snivel before she wipes her eyes and tells me to listen to waves. She tells me to close my eyes, and I do.

We sit in silence and listen to the waves. I think of my father. I remember his quiet smile, his strong hands, and his warm hugs. I hear his words again in my head: "Do not be afraid." Peace comes over me and though I'm worried about my friends, I feel my mind and body feel relaxed.

"Red," Misty says turning to me at last. I open my eyes and look at her.

"You remember this place! Find somewhere different if you want, but find a way to take a quiet place with you wherever you go. Never let your emotions or earthly desires cloud your judgment. Return here daily and remember just who you are and why you're here. If you remember nothing else from me, remember that."

I have no words, but I nod and smile. She smiles as well and leads me back to town. When we get near the gym, a group of guys and girls are standing outside waiting. We all go in at the same time, and I notice that the TVs are on now.

Oh man! I forgot that when I lost yesterday that also went on TV. And no one texted me or anything? Maybe that's for the best actually. I hope this time to redeem myself.

Misty leaves the room and comes back shortly later in her white swimsuit.

We are told to start and Misty jumps in the pool. It's time! I jump in the water and try my best to Tackle her from the get go. I hit Misty, but she Rapid Spins her body, striking me multiple times and leaving me dizzy. I transition skills to Charmeleon and take a few more hits like this. She pauses for just a moment and I Scratch at her. Misty claps her hands and bubbles fly at my face. Unlike soapy bubbles, this Bubblebeam is heavy and packs a wallop. I go back to Scratching her and notice I'm doing more damage this time compared to yesterday, but once she uses Bubblebeam again, it's over.

Crack!

I transition back to Magikarp Skill and Tackle Misty. This time her Skill cracks, and I see her look disoriented for a moment. I transition to my Nidorino Skill and throw Poisonstings at her. I remember that she told me earlier that Poison is weak against Psychic so I switch to my Doublekick. She regains composure and quickly grabs my foot under water. Doublekick is a Fighting move and also weak against Psychic. Stupid!

I have no choice! I'll have to hope that Tackling again and again without stopping will wear down her Starmie Skill enough for me to win this fight. So that's what I do again and again. I can tell that my increased levels from training allow me to do more damage as Misty is taking some heavy breaths between blows.

But just as I start to feel comfortable, she closes her eyes, and I hear a disorienting ringing in my brain and pain surge through my body. Confusion!

Crack!

At long last, my Nidorino Skill fails. My Magikarp Skill will have to do. She tries to use Confusion on me again but misses somehow. I swim towards her for a Tackle.

BAM!

I can tell this threw her off and continue my attack. She finally uses Bubblebeam on me again and knocks me back. I happen to see the screen outside of the pool and the green bar above my name. When Misty uses water attacks on me using me now, it hardly does any damage. She's getting sloppy. I'm close to winning this fight.

BAM! BAM! BAM!

I Tackle her again and again and at last hear a final crack. I won!

A lady swims over to Misty and escorts her out of the pool and walks her to a recovery bed. As I get out of the pool myself, a man gives me his hand and pulls me up. A crowd has formed around me like last time to cheer for me. I check the monitor and notice that the Magikarp Skill reads LVL 19. Wow!

After several minutes, Misty comes to me holding the Cascade Belt. We take a picture as she presents it to me, and I stuff it in my bag.

"I won't keep you Red. I know you have to run. The press wants to question you to death, and I've opted to answer for you if that's OK."

"Uh…"

"Don't worry. This is totally normal for winners to get lots of questions. Just be prepared if you keep this up. Most trainers take several weeks or longer to get belts, but you and your friends got two in less than a week! That doesn't go without notice. Kanto could use some heroes!"

"Then I'll try to not let them down," I say with a smile.

"Hey Red, take this, too, but don't open it here!" Misty says sticking a bent piece of paper in my hand. I stick it in my pocket.

We say our good byes and wave then I dart out of the gym. I jog south at a good pace. About the time I reach Route 5 which is where I slept last night, I get a phone call.

"Red?"

"Green! Where are you? Are you OK?"

"I'm OK. We're both OK. We're…we're in Vermillion City. They evacuated a lot of us to neighboring towns. That works out though right?"

"Because that's where the cruise starts! Right. OK, well I am leaving Cerulean City now. I'll get there as soon as I can."

"Oh I want to see you, but don't rush. Saffron City isn't safe, and Vermillion City is kind of far. How are you going to get here?"

"That's OK. I'll get there somehow. You let me worry about that."

"Red…hold on! My Mom has been trying to call me, and I just got signal again. Let me take this…"

"OK!" I say as the phone clicks.

I make my way back to the gate only to see construction signs and yellow tape everywhere. A guard stands in the middle of it all dusting off his cap.

"Excuse me!"

"Oh? Hey kid, the gate is…well you see."

"I do! I do, but my friends were in town. I just got off the phone with them, and they're in Vermillion City. Please let me through. I'll be careful."

"Can't do that. Sorry. The rock on this side of the gate is unstable not to mention there are enemy Koffing still patrolling the city. As of right now, Saffron City is militarized zone. You simply can't go in there. If you're friends made it to Vermillion City, count your blessings and go home. They're much luckier than a lot of others."

"I believe you, sir, and I know you only want to do the right thing. Look I have two belts and Evertone and so do my friends. We're not pushovers. I can't back down sir. I'll stay here all day if I have to."

"Oh my word! What is your name kid?"

"Red!"

"Patrol we have a…" he starts to say something over his portable radio and stops." What did you say?"

"My name is Satoshi Himura, Jr., but now I go by Red, sir."

"Officer Keith? You there?" goes the radio.

"Sorry, Benjamin, false alarm. Never mind!" he responds and holsters the radio.

"You know kid…I was in the Yellow unit, but I heard about your Dad. Satoshi Himura was a hero."

I nod.

"Tell you what, I didn't say this, but there is a system of bomb shelters that connect underneath Saffron City built from a war centuries ago. An entrance is just behind you to the right. Go through there, and you'll pop up right in Vermillion City."

"Thank you!"

I turn to where he mentioned and see a small cave with an "X" painted on it. This is it. I walk in slowly and step over several rocks before I find a ladder. Taking it down to a lower level, I find myself in almost total darkness even though it's daylight. I'll have to use my cell phone as a flash light to make it through here.

I see hardly anything at all for several minutes and start to feel quite bored. It's a straight path with no sound or anything to look at it. I remember that Misty gave me something at the gym and pull it out to look at.

The letter opens to reveal a simple message: "Red, you are truly inspiring. I hope to hear all about your journeys. If you ever need a reminder, don't be a stranger! Misty."

Under her name is her cell phone number. I feel very flattered, but also confused. Misty is a pretty girl, but also a Gym Leader. Does this message mean she wants to be a support to me or that she wants to ask me out? Maybe it's both. Was she flirting with me earlier?

In my head, I have always found Daisy to be the most attractive girl I know, but she isn't exactly close friends with me. Misty seemed really interested in getting to know me, but I just met her. Then there is Green. I know her more than Misty though not much more. Green is also very pretty. I didn't know the real Green until this journey started, but well I still don't, and I won't!

She is into Blue. She told me herself and ran off with the guy. I should be happy for them getting to be together. I know that Blue at least thinks she is attractive though why hasn't he said anything about it to me? Blue probably wouldn't mind me dating Daisy, but would it be weird? But we're not dating anyway, so it doesn't matter. Oh! I forgot to tell him I invited her on the cruise.

I try to call Blue but have no signal. I try texting too but no luck. Lame sauce! I hope he doesn't mind me inviting her. I don't want this to be awkward. I didn't really have a chance to tell them though because of what happened in Saffron City.

I stuff the letter from Misty in my pocket and decide to try and run for town.

Wham!

"Ow!" I cry as I hit my head on a root overhead. Forget that idea! It's too dark. I'll just try to speed walk my way there.

I go on and on, stopping every now and then to check my service but never getting a signal. When I finally see light at the end of the tunnel, I feel my stomach rumble. I have been in here for hours, and it's time to eat food.

Once I clear the gap, I emerge on Route 6 and see a sign for Vermillion City in front of me. A big crowd is stranding by the gate to town, but I notice people are still getting through this time. I maneuver through the crowd and wave at the guards.

Suddenly my phone beeps several times. Service is back!

I have messages from multiple people including Mom, Daisy, and Green.

Mom somehow just got word about Saffron City and has left many frantic messages and voicemail which I quickly delete. I call her back and after several minutes reassure her I'm OK. I hang up and look at the messages from Daisy.

She reminds me that the cruise leaves tomorrow. What? I check the ticket again and realize not only was I cutting it close, I had what day it starts on wrong in my head. Glad I made it tonight! I thank for reminding me in a text to which she promises to be here just in time tomorrow. Yellow is bringing her. That guy from the forest! Who is that guy anyway? Why him?

I then look at Green's messages and realize that she is upset. They made it to town, but the police believed that Team Rocket snuck in disguised as victims. Blue and Green have been standing and waiting to be searched and interrogated all day and just now got released. I give her a call right away.

"Hey, that's awful! Have you had anything to eat? Dinner for three on me!"

"Oh you're amazing! No, we're starving! We'll be right…hold on."

I wait a few minutes and see Blue rounding a corner. He looks nonchalant but his clothes are dirty. We shake hands and give each other a big hug. As I step back, I look around for Green but don't see her.

"She's coming!" Blue says.

Then as if on cue, Green comes around the corner with her phone to her ear.

"I know. I know…" she says looking very concerned. She sees me and waves, and I see smile come over her face.

"Mom, I will. OK, tell Dad I will. I gotta go! Love you!"

She hangs up the phone and runs to me. I pull her in for a hug and can't help but hold her tight. Like the time when I carried her through the forest, I can smell Green's perfume and feel her warmth against my body only this time she feels shaky and the perfume is hard to smell over smoke. I step back and look into her eyes. She has dirt and a cut on her face. I put my hand to her cheek, and she holds it there with a bruised hand.

"I'm glad you're safe. I was at the gate last night. There were explosions…I was worried," I say before noticing Blue rolling his eyes out of the corner of my eyes. What am I doing! I let Green go and step back. I feel embarrassed and look away.

"We're OK!" Green says not sounding the least bit bothered. "We are, really! Glad you are, too."

"So I heard you're buying tonight?" Blue asks. I turn to him and see him grin.

"Yeah! Let's eat!" I yell.

And just like that, we're off to look for food. The trio from Pallet Town will eat and laugh together, and tonight we will recover and rest. Tomorrow will have to worry about itself.