The First of Many
June 7th
For a moment, Samuel Oak thought the town was on fire. Panic clutched at his chest as he stared out the window. He could see only an orange glow from the trees, a dusty smear pulsating between the branches with such intensity he knew it could only mean trouble.
It was only as he lunged for his phone, preparing to call for help, that he noticed the time. It was six in the morning. The professor realised with a heavy sense of shame that it was a sunrise he was witnessing, that he had worked right through the night.
God, I'm getting old. Feeling foolish, Oak sank back into his chair and groaned deeply. Pulling all-nighters had never been a problem in his youth, but he was on the wrong side of sixty now, and if this was any indication, he was well past the days where he could go without sleep and still operate cognitively.
Yet what had staying up achieved asides from pushing him towards fatigue? Running a hand through his thinning white hair, Oak swivelled around to face his lab. It was usually brimming with his assistants and interns, but at this time of day, the professor was the only one here. He hadn't realised how eerie the building was no one was around.
He cast his eyes over counter tops and tables loaded with computers and machines more expensive than most people's cars, joined by test tubes, trays of equipment, files and rows of Poké Balls. Things were usually tidy and organised, but in his night long quest for answers, Oak had left a trail of rubbish in his wake: cups of tea and coffee, crumb covered plates of food, the odd experiment he had taken out to distract himself, numerous philosophy books, as though ancient minds would have the answers he needed. And, atop it all, the folder at the heart of it; whatever he decided to do with it, Oak knew he would likely regret the choice for the rest of his life.
He stood up, groaning as he stretched his back, and grabbed the file before stepping into the corridor leading to his office. Lights flickered on at his movement, his eyes squinting at the artificial glare. Walking past closets and the staff room, his brain slowly returning to normality, he had to ask himself if he was really doing the right thing. It was the question he had been avoiding all night ever since he had come across the article, though really, Oak knew at his heart it was a question he had been avoiding for years.
You always knew this day would come – it makes sense it would happen now. He considered all the reports that had emerged in recent weeks, trainers going missing, Pokémon being stolen, banks being broken in to. It had been building up for weeks, this sense of dread that darkened his every thought: after a decade of preparing and waiting and hoping he'd be wrong, of course his worse fears would come true now.
Oak reached his office and sighed as he paused in the doorway. Or you are just a stupid old man who thinks the sun is a forest fire. He stepped into the bland room and crept past the overflowing bookcase and overstuffed filing cabinet that dominated the overstuffed room.
He flopped into his creaking chair and turned his attention to his computer. The black screen on the considerably ancient device burst into shaky colour at his touch, revealing his inbox, completely unchanged since he'd sent an email who knows how many hours ago.
"Bastard – one thing, Rowan, I ask you for one thing!" Oak pointlessly whacked the monitor. He had been hoping all night to get a second opinion, to be told whether he was fool or genius, to abandon plans or keep calm and carry on. Now he would simply have to rely on his mind, the one thing he couldn't truly trust right now.
He closed his inbox and did a double take as a large family photo appeared in its place. It took him a moment to remember this was the web page that had sparked his search, and Oak relaxed as he examined it once again. The quartet, mother, father and sons, all wore static smiles, a picture of family perfection that wouldn't be captured again. You wouldn't think anything of the image if it wasn't for the thick black headline overhead, the words naming the mother, there smiling in a flowery dress, as the victim of a hideous murder.
It was a crime that would send chills down anyone's back, but for Oak, he had felt physically sick when he had first read it. He had known Diana Abano, he had met her children, been in that home that was now tainted by blood. The fact someone would do something so random and horrible to her and Celio was impossible to comprehend - except it couldn't possibly be random, could it?
Sparing one final glance at Diana and Celio, Oak closed the web page. He placed the folder on his desk and withdrew the three registration forms from inside. For the umpteenth time that evening, he read their names again: Edward Lowley, Blue Oak, Leaf Oak. He sighed and turned to his clock, well aware the time to make a decision was fast approaching.
"I understand your old, but my lord, do you have to take so long?"
With a yelp, Oak jumped and dropped the folder, clutching his chair for support. A young girl was sitting on top of his filing cabinet, a small glass of scotch in her hands. It was an unreal sight, but unfortunately, Oak knew this wasn't his brain acting up.
"What the hell are you doing here, Charlotte?" He bent down to grab the folder, but the girl waved her free hand and it flew towards her.
"Can't a girl just pop by for a chat and a drink?" Charlotte asked, grinning devilishly. When Oak did nothing but glower back in response, she rolled her eyes and pushed herself into the air so that she floated. "I've come to check to make sure you send these forms off."
"Why do you care?" Oak asked, but Charlotte waved the question away with the folder and moved into the hallway.
"You are going to send those children on their journeys, you know you want to," she said, walking airily across the plain corridor into the open office. "Deep down you know this is the right thing to do, you know it's what you want to do, so stop messing around and just get on with it!" With the scotch glass, she slammed a button on a clunky fax machine, causing it to roar into life.
"But… Giovanni and Team Rocket… they're back, aren't they?" It was the first time Oak had said that out loud: it was the only answer that made sense, yet the thought still made him sick with fear.
Charlotte shrugged. "We'll just have to wait and see, won't we?" She passed him the folder and the glass and pulled him towards the machine. "But who else has a chance of stopping them? Bill? Fuji? You? Don't make me laugh. If any of you tried to go after them now, we'd end up with a few broken hips and Giovanni getting his way. The youth are the only hope you have; you've known this for years, so give them the chance."
As much as it pained him, Oak knew Charlotte was right. She always was, after all. He gripped the glass tightly and raised it to his lips. The copper liquid burnt his throat, and he gagged as he threw the glass to the floor. He pulled out the first form and, ignoring the smiling picture of his granddaughter, placed it inside the machine.
"Good man. Until next time, my lovely professorness."
Oak turned but Charlotte had already gone, leaving only a fading laugh echoing inside the room. The sound left him with a cold grip inside his chest, but he suppressed it as he replaced Leaf's form with Red's. It sickened him that he was doing this, but the last twelve hours had been him delaying this moment for as long as possible. Even when the question hadn't needed an answer, deep down Oak knew he would have to do this. It was what he had seen; it was what they all knew had to happen. The age of the warrior was upon them, and as painful as it was, he had to send the children into battle.
It was their only chance at survival.
A few streets away, someone else was staring at the sunset after hours spent awake, but they couldn't be feeling more different from the professor they would soon be meeting.
Today's the day.
Edward Lowley felt nothing but exhilaration for the day ahead. Already dressed – blue jeans, red and white jacket, black shirt, an outfit he'd chosen weeks ago – he was ready to grab his backpack and sprint out the door already. He was not due at the lab for a few hours though, leaving him alone with his eager nerves, but the aspiring trainer couldn't possibly think of sleep at a time like this. This was all he had been waiting for his entire life – the day he set out on his journey – and he couldn't wait to get going.
The sun rose further over the trees, the early light striking his window, forcing Red to turn back to his room. Staring at his walls, it was easy to see where his nickname had come from. Posters covered every surface they could, some just of Poké Balls, others advertising the league, but one figure dominated all others: Charizard.
One day soon, you'll be mine, Red thought, gazing at the flaming dragon that adorned every wall. Ever since he was a kid, he had known that he would pick a Charmander as his starter, even dressing up as one on his first day of school. It was his destiny, and Red wasn't going to let anything stop the two of them from taking on the world.
His thoughts were interrupted by an angry growl from his stomach, and Red realised that if he wasn't going to have a proper rest, he should energise himself with food.
"I can't believe this is actually happening." He swung his bag onto his back and stared around his room one last time. These four walls and the tiny town outside had been all he'd known for the thirteen years of his life. He had been dreaming about this trip since childhood, been planning it for months, but he had never realised it would feel so real.
"Well, goodbye room," Red said, cringing at his own corniness. He closed the door and breathed out, wondering when, or if, he would ever step inside again.
His nerves alleviated slightly as he headed downstairs, stepping into the open room that made up the dining, living and kitchen. If there was one thing he wasn't going to miss, it was this bare, outdated house: weathered dining table and chairs, dust ridden couch, a television that he was certain was older than he was. He may be exchanging home comforts for a tent, but anything would be more luxurious than this.
Red was rarely awake before his mother, and for a few minutes gazed cluelessly around the kitchen for a hearty meal. "Mum?" He paused, waiting for a response. "Mum, is there anything for breakfast?" Another pause, no reply.
"Alright then," he sighed, and put two slices of bread in the toaster: not exactly the meal of champions, but it would do for now. As he waited for the machine to ping, Red spotted his official league cap – red with a Poké Ball emblazoned on the front – resting on the counter and excitedly put it on. While he doubted the champion wore while he wandered around Indigo League, the hat always made Red feel like he was able to take on anything.
As Red slathered his toast with jam, he didn't notice a creak on the staircase as his mother entered the room, only looking up as weary, cracked voice cut through the silence. "Leaving me already, are ya?"
Red turned to face her, trying to wear an innocent smile, but it was hard to look happy when she was around. Maria had been a beautiful woman once, his grandmother had always told him: full face, long brunette hair, a smart fashion sense with a killer personality to match. Yet Red had never seen that side of her. To him, her hair had always been grey, her face tired and sunken, her appearance ageing her well beyond her years. When she wasn't at home in a thin dressing gown, she was making ends meet at the local law firm, smoking for lunch and drinking for dinner.
"Once I've eaten yes," Red replied.
His mother tutted as she stepped forwards, red eyes flaring up. "Just like your father, aren't ya? Always got to rush about, no thought of the consequences." Mother and son turned in unison towards Jonathon Lowley's Medal of Honour, glowing as the sun hit it where it hung beside the staircase. "Can't you at least wait until lunch time?"
Red struggled back a sigh, his eyes not moving from his father's plaque. He felt bad for leaving her on her own, widowed and depressed as she was, but he couldn't stay here any longer. His father had died in the war over twelve years ago, but Maria still acted as though there were threats waiting for them the second they stepped out of town. The pair had been fighting for weeks about his decision to leave, and Red knew if he relented in any way, she would use it to try and keep him here forever.
"I can't wait, Blue might choose Charmander to piss me off, and I can't let that happen." Red stuffed his last piece of toast in his mouth and quickly double checked everything in his bag: a map of Kanto, an old compass that had belonged to his father, spare changes of clothes, underwear, swimming gear, a pillow, pop up tent, sleeping bag. "Alright then, I'm off. I'll swing by before we leave so you can meet Charmander." Red moved towards the door and slipped into his trainers, convinced he would get away without another argument, but froze as Maria slammed a plate against the countertop.
"There are more important things to life than training Pokémon," she said, her voice guttural and angry. "You can have a life here in Pallet, you don't have to go out there – you'll still be alive, you won't die if you don't go on this bloody journey!"
Red struggled to keep his voice level. "If you didn't want to me to go, why did you sign the forms?"
"I told you, I don't remember signing them – I still think you forged my signature."
Red stifled a sigh, not wanting to have another argument. "Goodbye Mother," he said, cold as ice, and walked out the front door. He heard her call after but he slammed the door, not wanting his perfect day to be ruined anymore. Nearly running, Red stepped onto the street and focussed his energy on making it to his friend's house.
I am going to go on this journey and I am going to defeat all the gyms and I am going to show her that there is a life outside of this town. Just because my father died doesn't mean I'm going to as well. With a determined spring in his steps, Red marched into the heart of the town. He walked so quickly he didn't notice the stranger sitting at the end of the street, phone clutched in hand, watching the young boy's every move.
"WAKEY WAKEY!"
Leaf Oak opened her eyes in time to find a pink pillow coming down onto her face. She screamed and tried to push it off, but her cousin held it firmly in place, laughing sadistically as he did so. His joy was cut short as a knee rose up to greet his stomach; with a deathly groan, his grip weakened and Leaf shoved him off her bed.
"Blue, you dick!" Leaf grabbed the pillow and whacked her cousin squarely across the head. "This is the last time I'm going to be in my own bed for months; do you have to ruin everything?"
Blue sat up and grinned, the pain already a thing of the past. "If I didn't ruin your beauty sleep, we'd be running late," he sneered and leapt to his feet. "If you aren't downstairs in five minutes, I'll be back, so chop chop!"
Leaf groaned and fell back to her pillows, quickly regretting agreeing to go on this journey with him. Despite the fact they were cousins the two couldn't be more dissimilar. For one, they looked nothing alike. Leaf kept her brunette hair long, smooth and straight, while Blue's ginger-brown locks were always gelled up in the atypical, scruffy-cool look dull straight boys loved.
The pair were stereotypes of their gender: Leaf wore skirts and high heels, loved anything pink, and her room was decorated with flowers and pictures of Clefairy and clothes. Blue meanwhile enjoyed dirt, pranks and the type of rock music that made the windows judder. They were less cousins and more cellmates stuck together against their will, occasionally finding joy together but mostly looking forward to being apart.
Why Leaf was going on a journey with him she really wasn't sure. It had only been a few weeks ago that she had accepted Blue's offer to challenge the Indigo League alongside him and his best friend, Red. The two had been planning their trip for months, years really, and there'd always been a place for her, but Leaf had never been keen. The thought of sharing a tent with Blue was awful enough, but that was nothing compared to her intense dislike for Red. She had never gotten along with him, not even when they were children. Put them in a room together and they'd inevitably argue and fight no matter the situation, and that wasn't what Leaf wanted to put up with on the open road.
However, Leaf knew she was nearly beyond the ideal age to do this. She had seen the people around town that had waited to go on a journey; knew all about the struggles they'd had trying to keep up with younger, more eager trainers, eventually trudging back to Pallet without the drive they'd left with. If she didn't go now, Leaf probably never would, and she could endure some poor company if it meant a life outside her hometown. Forcing herself out of bed, Leaf glanced in her mirror and caught sight of her ragged, messy hair and tutted. She rushed into the bathroom and quickly set to work. Showering, washing and drying her hair took her nearly twenty minutes, and she was still wet as she changed into a turquoise shirt and red mini skirt. As she applied her make-up, she checked her pristine white bag for all that she needed.
Sitting on top of her changes of clothes, books and pillows was a black leather clutch that had belonged to her mother. Leaf paused, her lip gloss hanging in her fingers as a flood of memories came rushing back to her. She turned to her bedside table and grabbed the framed photo that had sat there her whole life. It showed her as a baby in the arms of her mother, who looked identical to Leaf, shaggy brunette hair framing a thin face, while her father, a polar opposite of salt and pepper hair and thick glasses, perched on the side. It was the only photo Leaf had of the three of them, taken the day after she was born, and she struggled to hold back tears as she stared into their frozen eyes.
"I promise to think of you." She kissed the glass and slipped the frame into her purse, for the first time wondering how they would feel about all this. Leaf knew from her grandmother that her parents were not fans of Pokémon battling. She probably would never be going on this journey if they were alive, and she had to push aside those thoughts to stop herself feeling guilty. Wiping her tears away, she threw on a floppy hat and took one last look at her room: it was pink and childish, the way she had directed it as a kid. As she closed the door, it felt like she was leaving her childhood behind and all that she had known, and Leaf struggled not to cry.
I'm doing the right thing, this is the right time to go, she told herself and walked determinedly towards the stairs. The house had felt empty after Blue's sister Daisy had left for university, leaving just the two of them and their grandfather in the huge house, and now he would be all alone.
Maybe he'll find the time to apologise to grandma, Leaf thought, smirking, and then froze in shock. "Grandma! Blue, we haven't called Grandma! Does she know we're leaving?" She ran down the stairs and into the living room. She found Blue sitting on the floor repacking his bag, but her eyes glossed over him and fell on their unexpected guest.
"Hello Leaf." Red flashed his familiar cocky grin as he eyed her from the middle of her favourite seat. Leaf's guilt vanished under the glare of that irritating smile. Her annoyance must have shown as Red's smile only widened, and he sank further into the couch.
This is going to be a long day, isn't it? "I thought we were meeting you at the lab," Leaf said stiffly.
"I just thought I'd come and see how you lot are doing," Red replied before pulling a sad face. "Why, don't you want me here Leaf?"
Leaf scowled at him back before turning to Blue, noticing he wasn't wearing the outfit she had picked out for him, instead going for brown cargo pants and purple shirt. "So, do you think we should call Agatha?" Leaf asked.
"I dunno," he replied absently, too focused on adjusting the straps on his satchel. "If you want to fuss about being all emotional then fine, I don't care."
"I am not being emotional, thank you; I just think she would appreciate it!" Leaf snapped. "Speaking of Agatha, that shirt looks like something she might wear."
Red snorted with laughter. "I said the same thing!"
"I don't see anything wrong with it," Blue huffed, "but I guess I could change it. He sighed and opened his again, but paused as Red suddenly leapt to his feet.
"While you're doing that, I'll just go and get first choice, shall I?" He laughed as he sprung towards the front door.
"CHEATER!" Blue yelled, ripping off his shirt and briefly displaying his bare, pale chest before pulling on an open-collared black one. As he ran out the front door, Leaf stood by and simply rolled her eyes. She and Red might have a rivalry, but he and Blue were the ones constantly in competition with each other, always racing the other no matter what they were doing. Whoever lost always ended up in a mood, just another thing she would have to contend with in the coming weeks.
"You left your shirt behind!" She yelled at his retreating figure. Picking it up and giving it a distasteful sniff, she threw it over the stair rail. She went to close the front door so she could eat in peace, but paused: a woman she had never seen before was standing in the street. There were usually tourists about heading to Cinnabar, and Leaf normally wouldn't have noticed a stranger, but the woman was wearing all black and was talking into some device, staring in the same direction Red and Blue had gone.
"Strange," she mumbled, but closed the door without another thought: she had far too much to worry about than strangers roaming the streets.
The sun was high in the sky when Leaf set off half an hour later, and as it rose, so did Pallet. The little town was waking up and making itself known: small children were playing in backyards, voices rose out of open windows, cars and bicycles moved down the main road. It may not be exciting, but Leaf had always loved Pallet and its pleasantness. She felt nostalgic walking down the street, seeing familiar people and places: the trees she'd played in as a kid, signs pointing to the beach nestled at the bottom of the town, houses of old friends.
This could be the last time I am here for months, years even. Leaf had grown up here her whole life, and it was huge to be saying goodbye to all. She realised with a shock that she hadn't seen her best friend Susie yet, and guiltily wondered when she would get time to see her.
Her journey didn't last long: her grandfather had wanted to live close to his lab so he didn't have to travel, so the two buildings were practically neighbours. Leaf paused at the glass doors as they slid open to let her in and glanced back at the town; the second she stepped inside, her life would change forever, and she wasn't sure if she was ready for it.
A voice called out from inside. "There you are, dear! Come along now, we're all waiting!"
Feeling like she was saying goodbye to an old friend, Leaf stepped boldly inside. She was instantly hit by how busy the lab was; dozens of assistants and interns were rushing about, examining things under microscopes and typing information up on computers, while a threesome was gathered together near the doors, examining a variety of serious looking items that looked way too complicated for Leaf to even begin to comprehend.
Professor Oak stood at a table in the middle of the room, smiling widely at his granddaughter. A quick nap, a short shower and a fresh blue shirt were enough to mask his fatigue, and no one knew how long he'd been here, nor that this was the most worried he had been in years.
Red and Blue stood stoically before him, staring directly forwards. Neither one was willing to let the other know just how excited they were to finally be standing here.
Leaf noticed none of them as she approached the table, too engrossed by what was waiting for her. Three Pokédexes, their red plastic fronts glowing with newness, were lined up neatly in a row, while a metal box sat behind them, its prominence on the table far outweighing its relative dullness. This is it, this is really happening.
"Sorry I'm late! I was just calling Grandma to tell her we were leaving. She told me to wish you good luck on her behalf as you didn't bother to call yourself," Leaf added, smiling sarcastically at Blue.
"Lovely," Oak said sourly. Leaf realised she probably shouldn't have brought up his ex-wife and vowed to remain silent for the rest of his talk.
"Alright, we all know why you three are here. I am honoured to say that your registrations to the league have gone through, meaning you are officially entered into the Indigo Pokémon League and are eligible to compete for gym badges throughout Kanto and Johto.
"You all know the rules," Oak continued. "As you signed up through a Pokémon Professor and I am giving you your first Pokémon, in return you will carry a Pokédex and record information on all Pokémon you find, and I am allowed to use any Pokémon you have captured in research, with your –"
"We know Grandpa, we signed the forms, can we just get our Pokémon?" Blue interrupted. Leaf knew he had made a mistake as their grandfather leant across the table and gave them all a serious look.
"I want you three to realise that this is not just a game where you get to travel the world and battle people," he said, his voice grave and serious. "You are heading out into the world without any adult supervision. You will have to face things you have never faced before; there will not be anyone on hand to help you if it proves too much. It'll just be you three and your Pokémon, together and alone, and I want you all to promise right now that you will treat your Pokémon with respect, that you will stick together, and that you will behave maturely and sensibly."
His tone was more severe than it had been at any other point during this process, and Leaf was taken aback by the sudden change in tact, and glancing at Red and Blue, she saw she wasn't alone.
"Of course we'll stick together and respect our Pokémon, Professor" Red said. "What's brought this on?"
Oak looked down at the table and sighed. "I am just a bit worried, that's all. I've never had this personal of a connection with those who have started their journey through me. Sending Daisy away was bad enough, but now I'm sending two grandchildren and a young man who is basically family. I guess I am just getting a bit emotional in my old age," he added with a nervous laugh.
"Old, you? Don't be ridiculous!" Red scoffed, and the four laughed.
"I don't know if that was a compliment or a joke, but I'm taking it," Oak said, smiling wearily. "Enough of my jabbering; let's get down to choosing!" He opened the lid of the box, revealing the three red and white Poké Balls nestled in a foam mould. "As I don't want to seem to favour one grandchild above the other, Red may have the first choice."
Leaf and Blue tutted, but Red smiled and reached out without hesitation. His hands went for the ball in the middle with a tiny flame etched on top. Holding it admiringly for a moment, Red pressed the button, not wanting to wait a moment longer.
With a burst of light, a Pokémon formed in the middle of the table. "Charmander Char!" It cried, staring wide-eyed up at Red, who looked back in equal shock. It was exactly how he had dreamed: orange skin, yellow belly, long tail topped with that flickering flame. Red was speechless, his body overcome with emotion; he had wanted this for so long, and now it was here and he had no idea what to do.
"I'm Edward, but everyone calls me Red," he said and extended his left hand. Charmander continued to smile as he grabbed his trainer's fingers with his own; Red laughed, both out of amusement and to stop himself from crying with joy.
"MY TURN!" Blue shouted before Oak could say anything, and he grabbed a Poké Ball with a green leaf on it and tossed it into the air. Oak watched disapprovingly as more red energy came down onto the table, revealing the grass type held inside.
"Bulba Bulbasaur," the new Pokémon said, blood red eyes staring up at its trainer. Blue smiled, satisfied: the Bulbasaur, with its dark green bulb, squat body and flat face, may be small, but it had the steely look of a future champion.
"He's perfect, looks like a fighter in the making," Blue said and nodded at Bulbasaur. Bulbasaur's eyes narrowed quizzically at this, but it nodded all the same.
"You should have waited to see if Leaf wanted Bulbasaur," Oak said sternly. Blue raised his hands in defence but a cocky smile crept onto his face. Leaf rolled her eyes, more annoyed at Blue's arrogance than going last.
"It's fine Grandpa, I wanted Squirtle anyway," she said, turning away from her cousin before his smugness made her sick. She grabbed the final Poké Ball, which had a blue drop on it, and pressed the button.
"Squirt Squirt Squirtle!" The Squirtle said the second it arrived in the world, wriggling excitedly as it stared around the room. Leaf squealed with excitement and pulled Squirtle into her arms before he got a chance to properly look at her. She was instantly in love with everything about him: his short blue limbs, his blue tail curling up at the end, tough shell that was brown-red on the top and yellow on the bottom, and his cute little face that currently seemed stunned by everything.
"Squirtle, I'm Leaf, and this is Blue and Red," Leaf explained, pointing at the others, "and you're going to travel with us, and I am so excited, as you are just so adorable!" Squirtle remained shocked but allowed Leaf to hug him and even patted her on the back.
Oak clapped his hands together, looking satisfied. "Well, now that you all have a Pokémon, I can register your Pokédexes to each of you and make the Poké Balls your own."
The three had been more interested in their Pokémon and only now paid proper attention to the devices. They were rectangular in shape and thin like a hardback book, with a black camera in the middle. Oak lifted one up and pressed a button, causing it to flip open like an old cell phone. Inside it was all glass, with a touch screen on the bottom and an upper panel that, as Oak explained, would show all the information that got recorded when they captured a new Pokémon, from weight and height to the Pokémon's natural habitat and what they liked to eat.
"I have some covers you can use to make them your own," Oak explained, grabbing a tray from beneath their table. Leaf clapped with excitement and lunged for a pink cover.
"What's that?" Red asked, pointing to a brown paper package sitting on the tray.
"This is some medicine I need to be delivered Viridian City," Oak explained, passing the parcel to Red. "Normally I would send an assistant, but I figured that I could test you three." The three perked up. "Just take the medicine to the Pokémon Centre and bring back some supplies they have for me, and then you can go on your journeys."
"That's it?" Blue asked, scoffing in a way that earned him a glare from his grandfather.
"I want to see how you go along Route 1," the professor explained. "This is the first time you will be in the wild with your Pokémon and I want to make sure it goes well. I will give you a Poké Ball in case you see a Pokémon you like, and I will give you some more when you return, along with some basic medicines and a special parcel." The mention of something special attracted their curiosity, but Oak offered no further information.
"I thought that make grab your attentions," he laughed. "I'll just register your Pokédexes, and then you can venture out into the big wide world!"
"Can you believe it, Squirtle, we are about to go on our journey!" Leaf squealed, and she clutched the turtle's arms, just about ready to dance with glee. Her guilt lingered at the back of her mind, but nothing was going to ruin this day for her.
"This is so amazing!"
"Can you stop commenting on everything?"
"Can you stop raining on my parade?"
Great, five minutes in and they are already bickering. Blue kept back, having no desire to get involved with Red and Leaf's argument. It didn't help that he could side with both of them: like Red, he was eager to get on their way, but part of him wanted to join Leaf in admiring all the sights their journey had to offer.
After weeks of build-up and worrying, leaving Pallet had proved pretty uneventful. His grandfather had registered their Pokédexes and Poké Balls to each of them, and then they simply walked out of the town. Blue had imagined it would be harder to leave the town, but as soon as he had stepped onto Route 1, he had felt like a proper trainer straight away.
While Route 1 was not unfamiliar to any of them, it felt strangely magical and new walking down it now. The green fields divided by a brown dirt path may not look like anything special, but Blue savoured the wide, open spaces and the freedom he felt walking past Pidgey and Rattata, knowing he could capture them if he wanted to. Their school may reside just beyond the trees, but he felt like far from home, already in a new world.
Blue's daydreaming was interrupted by a very unsubtle cough. He turned and saw Red glaring between him and Leaf, clearly indicating he should say something. Blue groaned internally at being dragged into this but had to admit he was starting to feel impatient.
"Can we get a move on?" He yelled and started walking again, Bulbasaur plodding alongside. "I want to get rid of this package before the sunsets!"
"I'll be there in a minute," Leaf yelled back. She had her Pokédex out and was pointing it into the grass, trying to spot any Pokémon stirring in the green. Squirtle stood alongside, appearing bored when Leaf wasn't looking but smiling when she did.
Red groaned as loudly as possible and made to follow after Blue. He had barely moved when suddenly three Pidgey erupted out of the grass; Leaf was so startled she nearly dropped her Pokédex. Red began laughing so hard he almost forgot Charmander was sitting on his shoulders, struggling to hold on.
"I doubt your grandfather wants more information on Pidgey," he cackled, watching as Leaf frantically tried to scan them. "They're brown, they fly, they're pretty useless, I'm sure he knows all that already."
"We are meant to scan the Pokémon we come across!" Leaf huffed angrily. "I am just doing what we are supposed to do."
Blue paused at a bend and rolled his eyes at Bulbasaur. "They always bicker like this," he explained. "You have to break them up before they get worse." Bulbasaur nodded knowingly and followed Blue back towards their comrades. Blue had no desire to delay things further, but as he looked at Red, he remembered their race earlier and how his friend had beaten him once again. His body tingled with glee as he realised he could break things up, get them moving and get his revenge all in one.
"Hey Red, why don't we have a little competition? Let's say whoever catches the first Pokémon gets a point that puts them in the lead and whoever does everything for the first time can –"
"I thought you wanted to get a move on?" Leaf interrupted, but Red's face lit up with delight.
"Sounds awesome," he said excitedly. "Are you interested, Charmander?"
"Charmander Char Charm!" Charmander chirped, eager to get a go at battling.
Leaf rolled her at eyes so they knew she was above their little game, but the idea of capturing a Pokémon was exciting. "Do you want to join in, Squirtle?"
"Till Squirt!" Squirtle said, nodding eagerly.
Blue beamed as he walked back towards them. "We all in then? Excellent – whoever captures their Pokémon first wins," he said, and gestured at a patch of grass that seemed to be shaking with life.
The three each grabbed a Poké Ball as their Pokémon moved into position. The grass seemed to be rattling with excitement, and Leaf gasped as a Pidgey peered through the fronds. It looked smaller than the ones that had just flown away, but as it stood still, Leaf was able to examine its pink beak, black eye markings and cream and brown feathers.
"Oh my god, it's coming out!" She whispered excitedly. Squirtle reared forwards, causing the Pidgey to freeze where it was. Leaf whipped out her Pokédex out and scanned the bird, quickly reading the information that came up. "Alright, Squirtle, it says here that Pidgey don't like to fight and prefer to flap sand into their opponent's eyes, so let's start this with a Tail Whip."
"Squirt," Squirtle said. Red, Blue, Charmander and Bulbasaur watched with interest, while the Pidgey interestedly watched them. Squirtle turned around and waved his tail, the attack meant to distract Pokémon and make it easier to get past defences.
The Pidgey watched this for a moment and then puffed out its chest. "PIDGEEEEEY!" It screamed and charged forwards, tackling the Water type and pinning him to the ground with its wings.
"Guess the Pokédex was wrong," Red said as he and Blue began laughing. Leaf was stunned silent, the Pokédex slipping from her hands as she watched Squirtle struggle.
As Red began to double over with laughter, there was a sudden movement that made him and Blue snap to attention: two Rattata rolled out of the grass, legs wrapped around each other, paying the humans no attention as they both tried to dig their sharp teeth into the other.
"Two, how convenient," Blue said, smiling at Red. "Shall we share them?"
Red grinned back. "Might as well; Charmander, grab one for us and use Scratch!"
"Bulbasaur, Tackle the one left over," Blue commanded.
Both Pokémon nodded and charged forwards. Charmander got there first and sank his sharp claws into one of the Rattata's hides, causing it to let go of its opponent to see what was happening, allowing the Lizard Pokémon to throw the purple rat to the ground.
"Bulba!" Bulbasaur cried, running forwards and striking the other one before it had registered what had happened.
Red and Blue both beamed with delight, leaving Leaf to deal with the aggressive Pidgey alone. She didn't want Squirtle to get embarrassed and be the only one to lose and struggled to think of a move.
"Ummm… I know!" Leaf gasped. "Push yourself up with tail and then run towards the ledge!" Squirtle seemed confused by the order but obediently pressed his tail into the earth and pushed, slowly rising up. The Pidgey didn't seem to notice, merely adjusting itself in order to peck the turtle's forehead.
"Squirt Squirt!" Leaping to his feet, Squirtle charged forwards without hesitation. Everyone turned and watched as the Water type ran head first into the bottom of the ledge: the Pidgey squawked as she was squashed between the exposed earth and Squirtle's head, and when the turtle stepped backwards, the bird fell in a daze to the ground.
"YES!" Leaf cheered as she threw the Poké Ball forwards. The energised Pidgey was sucked inside, and everyone watched as the Poké Ball shuddered on the ground before stopping with a loud click.
"OH MY GOD!" Leaf grabbed Squirtle and the Poké Ball and pulled them into a hug. "I CAUGHT MY OWN POKÉMON! OH MY GOD! THANK YOU SQUIRTLE! AAAAAHHH!" She screamed and danced on the spot, causing Charmander, Bulbasaur and the two Rattata to stop battling as they investigated the noise. Squirtle was embarrassed to have his friends watching him, but Leaf's happiness was contagious and he couldn't stop himself from beaming.
Red and Blue just stared at the scene in shock, not sure quite what to make of being beaten to first place, before realising that neither one of them wanted to be last.
"SCRATCH!"
"TACKLE!"
Charmander and Bulbasaur quickly snapped back to the battle; the Lizard Pokémon slashed his Rattata's face, while the Seed Pokémon knocked his opponent towards the grass. The two Rattata were too stunned to fight back, and simply let themselves get bombarded with attacks.
"Out of the way, Charmander," Red yelled as he threw his empty Poké Ball.
"Not before I do!" Blue snapped as he threw his own. Charmander and Bulbasaur backed away as the two Rattata were sucked inside separate Poké Balls. Red whooped as his clicked with success first, Blue's following a moment later.
"Great job Charmander!" Red said as he grabbed his successful capture. The Charmander clapped in joy and smiled at Bulbasaur, who respectfully nodded back.
Blue was more stoic, pleased by his capture but annoyed that both his fellow trainers had beaten him. But Red held a hand in the air for a high five, and Blue pushed his bitterness aside and smiled as he returned it.
"I guess we both did good."
"I wonder how Oak will feel when he sees we already have our own Pokémon," Red said gazing proudly down at the ball. There was a cough from behind them, and the two turned to see Leaf standing on a ledge above them, tapping her foot impatiently.
"If you two are going to be as slow with walking as you are with catching Pokémon than this journey is going to take a while," she said with a forced sigh before cheekily walking off with Squirtle in her arms. Red, Blue and their Pokémon run after her, causing Leaf to break into a jog.
"Come on, I've seen a Snorlax move faster than you!" She jeered. "I do want to get pack to Pallet pronto as well: I need to see Susie before she goes to Johto for her holiday."
"Why do you even like Susie, she's so annoying," Blue scoffed as he and Red caught up to her, the three returning to a normal walking pace.
Leaf scowled at him. "I put up with your annoying best friend, so why can't you put up with Susie?"
Red stepped in front, pulling a shocked expression. "Blue, I thought I was your best friend?" He gasped. "Who is this other supposedly annoying friend you've been seeing behind my back?" He and Blue began laughing, and even Leaf couldn't resist letting a giggle escape. The three Pokémon had no idea why their trainers were laughing, and as her grip on him loosened in her glee, Squirtle climbed out of Leaf's arms and joined his fellow starters.
The group carried on down the route, the trainers laughing, the Pokémon talking, the world disappearing into the background as they became lost in the moment.
If they hadn't been laughing, they would have noticed five people emerging from the trees behind them, their black clothes allowing them to hide in the shadows.
However, they did notice the jet black Poké Ball hurtling through the air. Red, Blue and Leaf stopped as they saw it, the laughter instantly leaving their faces, and they watched as black energy coiled up from the earth and formed into a purple Pokémon. They didn't need their Pokédexes to know this was an Arbok. It looked as poisonous as its sharp fangs, scaly purple skin going on forever as the creature reared back on its tail, towering over the three and making their Pokémon cower.
"CHAAAAR-BOK-BOK!" The trio shivered as the Arbok hissed at them, but the Pokémon didn't strike, simply swaying as it glared down at them. Red leant back to reach into his bag, hoping he'd have something fend the monster off with, but froze as he noticed the quintet standing behind them: their faces were mostly obscured by oversized hats, but he could their mouths, yellow teeth on display as they all smirked viciously at him.
"What's going on, who are you?" Red asked, trying to sound brave.
"We don't have any money or anything worth stealing!" Leaf added with a sob. The five began to laugh as Arbok slid in a circle around them, hissing and jabbing its tail at their feet. Over the laughter and the hissing, footsteps echoed down the empty lane, and Red, Leaf and Blue looked back as a woman approached them.
"Oh, you poor, wasted children, we don't want anything from you except your lives." The woman had hair the colour of blood, styled in an exaggerated widow's peak at the front before sweeping down to her shoulders from the back. Her eyebrows matched, standing out like open wounds across her pale, pointed face, currently stretched in a smug smile. She was tall and thin, with a large bust and wide hips distorting her frame, all held together by a white leather dress, hiding her arms in long sleeves but revealing her legs and matching boots through a smooth cut down the right side. She was easily the most striking person any of them had ever seen, though it was the vicious glint in her eyes that captured their attention as she stopped a few metres ahead of them.
"Who are you?" Red repeated, and the woman flashed a set of white teeth that matched her Arbok's fangs.
"I suppose it wouldn't hurt to tell you," she purred, her voice rising with sophisticated inflexions in every word. "I do believe in a personal touch when it comes to murder, otherwise it just becomes so… grisly," she added and laughed as she clutched Arbok's head in her hands.
"My name is Arianna, and I work for an organisation that has some important plans coming up over the next few weeks. What are these plans, you might ask? Well, they have nothing to do with you, so I wouldn't worry about them. However, my boss thought it would be fun if, just to kick things off, we start by killing you three. I am not sure why you're the lucky ones, but I am not the sort of lady who turns down official orders." Arianna smiled as reached into the slit on her dress and withdrew a handgun, clicking the safety off and stepping forwards.
"Look, we don't want any trouble!" Blue said, raising his hands. "If you let us go we promise not to bother you!"
Arianna rolled her eyes as she stepped forwards. "It doesn't matter what you promise, that really isn't important here. My boss wants you dead, and I am more than willing to oblige." Arbok hissed again as though to emphasise the situation they were in. The three starters stepped backwards again, making the tall woman grin. "Now, are we going to do this the easy way or the hard way?"
Red had no idea what the easy way or hard way was, but he had not been planning for this journey his whole life to have it snatched away a mere half hour after it had begun. "We have Pokémon, we could battle you. If we win, we get to go –?"
"Honey, I have faced the gods and come out the other side – whatever little rat you've caught in the last five minutes really doesn't worry me," Arianna snapped. "Now shut up and get on your knees!"
Arianna pointed the gun at the ground. Leaf and Blue got down, the former shaking and hold back tears. Red, though, was slower to move, his body seized with fury. He had no idea who these people were or why they were doing this, and the injustice of it made him want to scream. He looked down at Charmander and saw the Fire type was staring fretfully back at him: Red wanted to save him, but if he moved Arianna would shoot him without hesitation.
Guess what, mum, looks like you were right all along. Red shut his eyes and thought of the medal hanging in their living room: his father had died trying to save Kanto, and here he was, twelve years later about to suffer the same fate.
"Good little puppies," Arianna said, taking a step forwards. "Don't worry; this will all be over in a moment…" Her smiled widened as aimed the gun at Leaf's head, and everyone tensed as her finger tightened on the trigger.
It all changed in an instant.
Red felt something like a gentle breeze against his neck, and the next second a snap echoed through the route: he looked up as Arianna's gun was torn from her hand, the woman yelling as she clutched at her broken index finger.
"What was that?" She ignored her waiting victims and gazed around the route. "Did any of you see something?" She barked at the quintet, but they all shook their heads. "Look around, something has to be here! What about you fuckers," she snapped as she turned back to the trio, pointing her middle finger at them accusingly, "did you see anything? If this is your doing so help me I'll – SHIT!"
"CHAAAR!" Charmander growled through gritted teeth as he sunk his fangs onto the outstretched finger, scratching at Arianna's wrist with his claws. Arianna swore as she tried to shake him free, but Charmander grabbed her dislocated finger and twisted it. Red was so stunned by this that he nearly laughed, but Arbok suddenly reared in his face.
"AAAAAARRRR!" The Pokémon hissed, jaw open wide, and jumped: Leaf pushed Red aside at the last moment, leaving Arbok to crash into the ground. Bulbasaur and Squirtle took the opportunity to charge forwards with a Tackle. Red and Leaf ran backwards to avoid Arbok's thrashing tail, only to see three of the black clothed gang running up the route.
"Do what we came here to do!" Arianna yelled; she had thrown Charmander aside as was now rushing for the undergrowth to find her gun.
Red reached for his second Poké Ball as the men got closer, ready for battle, but he felt the cold wind again and watched, stunned, as all five were sent flying.
"What the hell?" Leaf mumbled, and they watched the five slam one after the other into a tree trunk.
"Is this some sort of prank? Are we're on camera or something?" Blue shouted. The three all turned back to Arianna, who was leaning against a tree breathing hard, clutching at her bloody hand. "Um, lady, what is going on here?"
"What's going on? How the fuck should I know?" Arianna snapped. "Do you think I planned this? I was sent to kill three children with no Pokémon, this was meant to last a minute – trust me, you would be dead right now if I had planned for more than this."
"Sure thing," Red scoffed, and he began to laugh. Leaf and Blue looked surprised before they too started cackling.
"You think this is some kind of joke?" Arianna growled as she stepped forwards. "Oh, this may seem hilarious now, but you do realise that I was sent here to kill you, right? My boss is a very powerful man, and if he wants you dead, you aren't going to last long out there," she said, flicking her head towards Viridian.
"We will if he sends you after us again," Leaf retorted, and the three laughed harder.
Arianna sighed and clutched her temple with her unbroken hand. "In the name of all that is good and holy…" With an irritable grunt, she lashed out, kicking Squirtle straight in the face. The trio stopped laughing as she sent Bulbasaur flying a second later; Arbok quickly slid back and rose up to full height again, purple spit dripping from its mouth.
"No more games. This may be a bloody shambles, but I came here to do a job, and I am going to follow through. Arbok, go for their necks."
"CHAAAR!" The snake yelled, and it sprung forwards. Leaf screamed as the Pokémon turned to a blur, and Red jumped in front of her; he wouldn't be his father's son if he stood by and let his friends die first.
Arms open wide, eyes shut, Red tensed, waiting to feel that sharp bite around his throat. Something burnt his skin, making him wince, but after a moment he realised that was all. Slowly, he opened his eyes, wondering what had gone wrong this time, and was found Arbok hovering barely a centimetre from his Adam's Apple. The Pokémon looked as confused as he did, angry eyes suddenly frightened and frantic.
Cautiously, Red reached out and touched Arbok on the nose. There was a soft bang and suddenly the Pokémon was flying towards the forest, suffering the same fate as its comrades, long body cracking as it hit bark. Arianna watched her Pokémon fall but did nothing, her attention quickly snapping back to the new creature that had appeared above the grass. From afar it looked like a woman, with green hair and a flowing white dress, but as it got closer, eyes shining a brilliant pink and a hem that didn't touch the ground, they could see it was a Pokémon.
"What is that?" Red whispered.
"Gardevoir… that's native to Hoenn," Blue mumbled, too awestruck to say anything else. He watched as the Psychic-type floated forwards, her glowing pink eyes turning to Arianna.
"Fuck this," Arianna hissed. She pointed her Poké Ball at Arbok and turned to the trio as the Poison-type was withdrawn. "You got lucky this time but that doesn't mean you will again – Team Rocket is after you, and we always get our man." She pressed a button on what looked like a watch, and a second later a golden brown Pokémon appeared in a flash of light.
That's an Abra, Red thought. Arianna managed one more gleaming smile as she grabbed hold of the little Pokémon. The creature's sleeping eyes flickered, and the rest of her entourage flew towards them. They all grabbed hold of Arianna and the Abra began to glow. The three shielded their eyes as a blinding flash illuminated the route, but it lasted only a few seconds before fading, revealing a disturbed patch of earth and nothing else.
Red blinked several times in order to stop seeing white. He had no idea what had just happened. The whole event had barely lasted ten minutes, yet it was so real and so bizarre that his brain struggled to comprehend it.
His thoughts were interrupted by a fresh voice echoing throughout the route. "Fucking bitch!"
Leaf gasped as a woman appeared alongside the Gardevoir, staring at the spot where Arianna had been with utter contempt. It took Red and Blue longer to recognise the long brunette hair, slim body and trademark red glasses of the woman, but it soon clicked: Vivian Winters, a famous talk show therapist who had run her show for over twenty years. Wealthy, volatile, more famous than the Champion and nearly as powerful – what she was doing in the middle of Kanto suburbia was nearly as weird as Arianna and her botched assassination.
"Bastards have a habit of teleporting, don't they, useless shits," the therapist snarled to Gardevoir, almost as if the trio weren't there. "Go find that gun, we can't leave it there for some moron child to find." Gardevoir nodded respectfully and floated towards the trees. Vivian withdrew a maroon cigarette holder from a pocket of her leather jacket and lit the waiting cigarette, finally turning to the trio. "What are you three doing here?"
"You're my idol," Leaf spluttered.
"What a surprise," Vivian replied with an irate bark, "now answer the question, you silly little girl!"
"We are doing a job for Professor Oak before we go on our journeys," Red explained. "That woman appeared out of nowhere and said she was sent to kill us."
"Intriguing," Vivian said with a nod, blowing smoke into his face. "Did she say why she wanted to kill you?"
"Something about her boss," Blue said, and Vivian nodded yet again. She looked down at the road again and spat at the spot where Abra had teleported.
"You're lucky I enjoy the fresh air around here, otherwise she probably would have succeeded," the therapist said, sucking on the cigarette holder again. "Come on then, let's go find old man Oak and told him what happened here."
"But we have to deliver –," Blue began in a whine, but Vivian pointed her cigarette holder at him and fired off a steely glare.
"I just saved your skin, so you can do what I say," she snapped. "You haven't even thanked me from preventing your heads getting a hole right through the centre, so shut up and come with up." Red and Blue were shocked, but after what had just happened, they didn't say a word.
"Vivian Winters insulted me," Leaf whispered excitedly to no one.
"Come along, kiddies," Vivian snapped, and the trio instinctively grabbed their Pokémon and walked towards her. Gardevoir floated back to her trainer, and her eyes began to glow, white light enveloping them all as she prepared to teleport.
When Professor Oak and Vivian Winters finally emerged from the back room, the sun was beginning to dip behind the western trees, dragging the colour from the sky as it descended. Despite the hours that had passed since arriving back in Pallet, Red, Leaf and Blue remained silent as the professor approached them, waiting to receive their fate.
Oak had been horrified to learn what had happened with Arianna and had threatened immediately to remove them from the league. The three had protested, he had argued back, and it had threatened to get heated until Vivian led the professor away. For hours, the trio had waited, receiving no hint as to what would come of the pair's talk. Occasionally, raised voices could be heard echoing down the hallway, but otherwise, there was only silence.
Red couldn't believe this was happening. He had wanted this for so long, and to have it taken away, to lose Charmander after less than twelve hours together, he didn't know how he would survive. His heart was beating so rapidly as Oak approached them he thought he might pass out.
"Miss Winters has convinced me to let you go on your travels," the professor sighed.
"YES!" Blue yelled as Red and Leaf cheered. The two boys high-fived, and in their excitement, Red and Leaf did as well but looked disgusted as their hands parted and turned away from each other.
"I am letting you go, but on two conditions!" Oak said firmly. He removed three brown packages from his coat and passed one to each of them. "In here are some items I want you to use only in emergencies! Do not open these parcels otherwise, these are not toys – I have friends out there you will likely meet, and they will be checking on my behalf."
"How will you know if something has happened?" Red asked.
"That's the second condition: if you ever get in trouble, I want you to use the speech function of your Pokédexes," Professor Oak replied. "Yell into the microphone while pressing on the screen with your palm. That will trigger an emergency signal and I will send someone to help." The three nodded, happy to do anything as long as they got to keep travelling.
Oak leant forwards, looking serious once more. "What I said to you earlier is even more important now: I want you to be on a constant look out, to keep your Pokémon on you at all times, stay together and call-in anything you find suspicious, alright?" The three nodded, but Vivian pushed Oak aside, a new cigarette already in her holder.
"Don't put them off their journey, Samuel," she scoffed, blowing smoke across them all. "Come on children, I'll walk you out."
"Grandpa, do we still have to deliver the parcel?" Leaf said.
"If you wouldn't mind, that'd be lovely!" The professor said, smiling once more. "Deliver it to the Pokémon Centre and one of my assistants will bring back what I need."
Leaf nodded and rushed forwards to hug him. Red and Blue didn't want to say it but they both felt emotional as well and hugged the professor in turn.
The old man laughed but there was a serious sadness in his eye. "I am sure one of you will end up becoming Champion, I have absolute faith in you all and I know you'll do me proud."
Leaf was close to tears as they emerged a minute later, and Vivian gave her a gentle but not particularly sincere pat on the back. All their Pokémon were back in their balls, the packages had been tucked away, and they were ready to head out once more. The town was quiet once again as everyone began to settle down for the day, leaving the four all alone on the main road.
"Ready to tackle it again?" Blue asked his travellers.
"Well, you are going without me, I have a client to see," Vivian said. "Goodbye, you three. I am sure we will see each other again." She waved at them before strutting across the road, a small trail of smoke following from behind.
"She's a bit of a bitch, isn't she?" Blue said.
"Don't be rude!" Leaf snapped, whacking him. "She clearly likes us if she thinks she'll see us again."
"She probably tells that to all her stupid fans."
"I am not stupid!"
Red paid no attention to the bickering cousins. He was too busy watching Vivian as she approached her client. He hadn't seen his mother standing at the end of their street, cigarette hanging droopily from the end of her mouth, but there she was, pulling the therapist into her embrace. As the two broke apart, Maria met his eyes, and for a moment the two simply stared at each other. She didn't signal for him to approach, merely gazed at him before giving him a short smile and turning away.
"Red, are you ready to go?" Blue asked. Red nodded but didn't look at him, his eyes following his mother as she and Vivian disappeared down the street. He wasn't sure whether he was hurt or not by the silent goodbye, but wasn't in the least bit surprised. "Oh my god, I forgot to say goodbye to Susie!" Leaf gasped, looking around as if her friend would suddenly appear before her. "She has probably gone to Johto by now, crap!"
"Just call her when we get to Viridian, I am not wasting any more time in this town," Blue said firmly. Leaf looked like she was going to argue, but Red suddenly cut between them, marching off towards Route 1.
"Where are you going?" Blue yelled, racing after.
"I'm going to live my life," Red replied, smiling to himself as the two chased after him. It was time to experience the world and have a life outside of Pallet, away from his mother, away from the ghost of his father, the worries of wars past. This was what Red had wanted his whole life, to train and battle gyms: Pallet was the past, and with his two Pokémon, best friend and Leaf at his side, he was more than ready to face the future.
All was dark in Giovanni's office, the half-moon the only thing illuminating the room. Giovanni didn't normally like to skulk about like some petty criminal, but right now, he savoured the shadows and the atmosphere it created. He couldn't see the woman sitting opposite him, but she couldn't see him either, and the power that gave him made his body hardened.
"Let me recap here for a second," he growled as he reached for his wine. "The children are still alive, they know your name, they possibly know mine, and they were able to relay this information back to Professor Oak?"
"That's what I just said, sir," Arianna replied coolly. Giovanni stifled his laugh by taking a long sip from his glass.
"This is disappointing, in a way. Killing them would have been a stronger message, but Oak definitely knows we are back now. It just means that we will have to try a bit harder next time – who knew three children with barely a pubic hair between them would be so hard to kill?"
"As I said, sir, there was interference from –"
"Indulge in your excuses if you must, my darling, but keep them to yourself. I am trying to pull you out of this hole, but you seem content to dig yourself deeper and deeper." He paused, ensuring she felt the gravitas of his barb. "Anything else?"
She waited a moment, refusing to give him the upper hand. "No, sir."
"Go away then." Giovanni stood and watched Arianna's shadow leave, smirking as she slammed the door extravagantly behind her. She would be angry for days, weeks maybe, but Giovanni didn't care. If she was not who she was, he would have had her killed for failing such a simple mission; she should savour the clemency their relationship provided, no matter how she felt about him the rest of the time.
Casting aside thoughts of his bitter admins, Giovanni turned and stared out the window, gazing at the mismatched shambles of buildings that dared to call itself a city. Tomorrow, the children would reach Viridian, they would be well within his grasp. Oak obviously knew this, yet had let them carry on with their journey regardless.
"What game are you playing, old man?" Giovanni murmured, sipping his wine again. There was something in the air, it was staring him right in the face, and he was looking forward to finding out.
Destroying the world once again was going to be more fun than he had anticipated.