"Where am I?" the boy asked again.
"Take it easy, son," said Professor Redwood quietly. "You're in my lab, in Talpel Town."
"...what?" the youth asked uncertainly. "Talpel Town? Where... Who are you?"
"I'm Professor Redwood."
"Who?"
"You've never heard of Professor Redwood?" asked Orange incredulously. "He's like, only the most renowned Pokémon researcher in the whole Tanko region!"
"The what region?" replied the boy.
"What the hell?!" exclaimed Orange. "HOW do you not know the name of the region you're in?!"
"Orange, shut up," sighed Violet. She then turned to the youth on the professor's couch. "I'm Violet Scramble and Mr. Insensitivity back there is Orange McPixel. What's your name?"
"Red. Red Vershunn," replied the boy.
"And where are you from, Red?" asked Redwood patiently.
"Pallet Town, Kanto region," Red answered.
Orange, Violet, and Professor Redwood exchanged surprised glances.
"The WHAT?!" exclaimed Orange.
"The... Kanto region," Red repeated, now regarding Orange warily. "You must have heard of it."
"I've heard of it," nodded Orange. "But I thought it was just an urban legend, you know, how it's supposed to be like a parallel universe or something."
"Kanto does indeed exist," said Professor Redwood. "They've been conducting all sorts of research in the laboratory on Bincanar Island in the south, and the scientists there believe that it may be possible to forge a link between Kanto and Tanko. Red, what's the last thing you remember before waking up on my sofa?"
"Well," Red began, "I was in Fuchsia City's Safari Zone, with Professor Oak and his grandson Blue."
"Professor Oak exists?!" interrupted Orange.
"Orange?" said Violet.
"Yes?"
"Shut up."
"Anyway," continued Red, "He was going there to study some of the rarer Pokémon in the wild, and I got him to bring me along. He had just given me my first Pokémon, and I thought maybe I'd be able to catch something else there. But once I was inside, I got separated from the professor and Blue, and while trying to find them, somehow angered a Venonat, who blasted me with Sleep Powder. Once I woke up, I couldn't find the professor or Blue anywhere, so I left the Safari Zone. Five minutes later, I heard this awful voice in my head, saying stuff like 'Time's up! Your Safari Game is done!', over and over. It got worse and worse, and I must have passed out after that, 'cause that's the last thing I remember."
A stunned silence followed this story. After a few minutes, Professor Redwood cleared his throat, breaking the silence.
"Well, Red, you've obviously had a tough time. I think the best thing for you would be to get to Bincanar Island in the south. The scientists there might just have the answers you're looking for. Unfortunately, there's no boat scheduled to leave for Bincanar for a few months now..."
"Oh, man," groaned Red. "The professor's probably worried sick."
"I've got it!" exclaimed Redwood suddenly. "Red, you're a trainer, right?"
"Yeah," Red nodded. "I never got a Pokédex yet, though. Professor Oak was all out, but he expecting to get a shipment of Pokédexes once we got back from Fuchsia, so he'd give me one then."
"Well, I have an extra one," Redwood stated as he rummaged through a nearby cabinet, tossing various items over his shoulders as he spoke; Orange had to duck to avoid being hit by a stray cheese grater. Finally, the pudgy professor pulled a Pokédex out and handed it to Red. "Here you go. Orange and Violet here are about to start their own Pokémon journey. You can join them, Red. They'll probably be going to Bincanar Island for a badge eventually, and you can get your answers then."
"Um, Professor? We weren't actually gonna travel together," Orange spoke up. "We just kinda bumped into each other on the way here."
"And he means that in the most literal way possible," Violet added, rubbing the spot on her head where it had collided with Orange's head.
"Really?" Redwood asked in surprise. "I would have thought you'd be traveling together, especially in these dangerous times."
"They're not dangerous anymore, Professor," Orange said. "Those gangs haven't been heard from in months."
"True," replied Redwood, "but that doesn't mean they're gone. And anyways, don't you think you ought to help Red out here? He's in a land unfamiliar to him."
"We'd be glad to," Violet stated while shooting a dirty look at Orange.
"Good, good," nodded Redwood. "Now, Red, what do you say?"
"Well..." began Red, uncertainly, "...I don't know. It seems like a really roundabout way to get there. I mean, there's no other way I can get to... what was it... Bincanar Island? No planes? I can't rent a boat? You don't have any Water-types I can borrow?"
Redwood shook his head. "The ferry service to Bincanar put all the boat rental businesses out of work, and they had already been struggling given the popularity of traveling over water via Pokémon. The only Pokémon I have here are the starters I give to beginning trainers, and the Water-types don't know Surf yet."
"You don't have the HM for Surf?" asked Red.
"Sorry," said Redwood. "Hidden Machines are very hard to come by, even for a professor such as myself. The only one I have teaches Flash, and that's practically useless."
"Well, in that case," Red said, "I guess I'll go with... Violet and Orange, right?"
"I think that's the best idea," nodded Redwood. "Even if you have questions about this region, I'm sure exploring it and seeing it for yourself would be better than any answer I can give you."
"Good point," Red admitted. "Professor Oak says stuff like that all the time, that it's better to see the world for myself than just learn about it from someone else. That's why he agreed to take me with him to the Safari Zone in the first place."
"That's settled then!" boomed Redwood. "Good luck to the three of you!"
The trio said their goodbyes and exited Redwood's lab. Almost immediately, Red's eyes widened and he started to look in every direction, clearly weirded out.
"What the..." Red muttered. "The sun... It looks like someone cut it into ribbons and scrambled up the pieces!"
"Nice, isn't it?" smiled Violet. "You don't usually get a clear day like this in Tanko.
"And... are those numbers in that garden?!"
"Those?" Orange scoffed, looking at the professor's garden, which contained a bunch of ones, threes, and nines, all of them looking as if they were carved out of wood and painted black. "Those are nothing. My mom's crop of even numbers is fantastic this year."
"This place is too weird," Red muttered, shaking his head. "So... you two are trainers, right?"
"Yeah," answered Violet. "You want to see our Pokémon?"
"Sure," Red replied, finally smiling. Violet smiled back as she took out and enlarged a Poké Ball.
"Come on out, Chompy!" called Violet as she threw the sphere into the air. The Poké Ball split open, and Violet's Bellsprout materialized. Though obviously worn out from its previous battle, it was at least conscious again.
"Cool Bellsprout," Red nodded as he took a Poké Ball of his own off his belt. "Now have a look at my Pokémon! Charmander, go!"
Red threw the Poké Ball, and in a flash of light, a small, orange, reptilian Pokémon appeared before them. It stood on its hind legs, and the cream colored spot on its stomach extended down the length of its tail, which was tipped with a single small ember.
"WOAH!" exclaimed Orange. "A Charmander?! Those are so rare!" As he spoke, he took out his Pokédex and pointed it at Charmander.
"Charmander, the Lizard Pokémon. Obviously prefers hot places. When it rains, steam pours from the tip of its tail."
"Yep," Red grinned proudly. "Professor Oak gave me this Charmander as my starter Pokémon. Now let's see your Pokémon, Orange."
"With pleasure," Orange grinned back as he took his own Poké Ball, pressed the button to enlarge it, and tossed it up. In yet another flash of light, the two-foot-tall cube known as 44Hy appeared.
"AIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEE!" shrieked Red in an unnaturally high voice as he pointed at 44Hy. "Wha... What IS that thing?!"
"My 44Hy," answered Orange. "Why, what's wrong?"
"Four four?" added 44Hy.
"Where do I begin?!" Red exclaimed, now looking slightly nauseated. "Is that... thing... even a Pokémon?"
"Look it up on your Pokédex," suggested Violet. Obligingly, Red took the miniature computerized Pokémon encyclopedia out of his backpack and aimed it at 44Hy.
"44Hy, the Riverside Pokémon. 44Hy is an uncommonly good swimmer. If threatened, it fights back with telekinetic power," droned Red's Pokédex.
"OK..." Red stated. "But, all the same, call it back, would you? That thing gives me the creeps."
"44Hy is not a 'thing'," scowled Orange, but he withdrew his Pokémon all the same.
"Thank you," Red sighed in relief. "So, um... where are we off to first?"
"Nearest Pokémon Gym ought to be in Ivadirin City," Violet answered as she and Red withdrew their Pokémon. "It's not far from here, it shouldn't take too long to get through Route -1."
"Route negative one?" Red repeated.
"What, now you're gonna have a problem with our routes?" demanded Orange.
"Not a problem," said Red, shaking his head. "Just... I just need to get used to this place."
"We understand," Violet nodded. She then turned and glared at Orange while mouthing "You are so insensitive!".
Before long, the trio had arrived at Route -1. Red looked all around him, eyes wide, jaw dropped. The trees that surrounded them looked crooked and scrambled, as if someone had taken ordinary oak trees, chopped them into pieces, and glued them back together haphazardly and without regard for what trees actually looked like; between the arboreal abominations were what appeared to be large rocks with pieces of drywall, brick, and roof tiles attached in strange places.
"Here we are," said Violet. "Route -1. Let's see what we can find in the way of wild Pokémon here."
"Oh, it's on!" exclaimed Orange. "I bet I catch something before either one of you!"
"Is he always like this?" Red muttered to Violet. as Orange dashed off across the scrambled landscape.
"You've no idea," she answered.
With that said, the three trainers began wandering around, turning their heads to look in every direction, eyes peeled for the slightest sign of a wild Pokémon. Though they saw nothing for the first minute of their search, a high-pitched gibbering sound reached their ears before long. Simultaneously the looked in the direction from which the noise was coming, and found its source easily enough; a swarm of small purple Pokémon was zipping through the air above them. Each Pokémon couldn't have been much taller than ten inches; their bodies looked almost rectangular, but with uneven, almost jagged bottoms. As they flew in every directions, some of them emitted small explosions, usually two or three in quick succession. Oddly, not only did the explosions not seem to harm the others, they didn't even seem to harm the exploders.
"Awesome!" Orange exclaimed as he held his Pokédex up at the noisy newcomers. "It's a whole swarm of .4!"
".4, the Caffeine Pokémon," droned Orange's Pokédex. ".4 travel in swarms and emit high-pitched cries constantly. They explode regularly to let off excess energy, but the explosions will not knock them out. .4's type is Pokémaniac, which gives it no weaknesses."
"Gah!" exclaimed Red as a couple of .4 swooped down right past his face. "Get rid of these things!"
"Get rid of them?" repeated Orange. "Are you kidding? I'm gonna catch one!" And he took the Poké Ball of his belt, enlarged it, and threw it. "44Hy, come on out!" he exclaimed.
The ball opened up, and 44Hy appeared in a brilliant display of light. Many of the .4 scattered in all directions at the sight of this larger Pokémon, though several remained.
"Use Confusion!" Orange commanded.
"Four four!" replied 44Hy as it fired off a ray of blue light at the remaining .4. The Caffeine Pokémon screeched in pain as the Psychic move struck them, causing a few more to flee. One of them, however, stayed behind and began to fly in circles around 44Hy.
"This is too weird," Red murmured, shaking his head.
".4's using its Agility attack," Violet warned Orange. "You better be careful, now it's even faster!"
"Relax," scoffed Orange. "I got this-"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Orange, however, was interrupted by the sound of three consecutive explosions, all of them coming from .4. Each blast, though minor, knocked 44Hy back a bit.
"So, what, they know Explosion? Selfdestruct?" asked Red.
"Nope. TM28," said Violet.
"TM twenty-eight?" Red repeated. "I don't think I'll ever get used to this."
"TM28, .4's signature attack," Red's Pokédex spoke up suddenly from within his backpack. Red hastily dug it out to hear it continue. ".4 explodes to let off excess energy. Due to its constantly-energetic nature, however, the blast does not knock it out. TM28 has no type."
"A move... with no type," Red sighed. "I've never heard of such a thing."
Meanwhile, Orange was continuing to battle the wild .4. After the TM28 attack was done, 44Hy had retaliated with a Headbutt, slamming the energetic Pokémon down onto a rocky part of the ground, right next to a square-shaped puddle. Though it still made unintelligible gibbering noises, it couldn't seem to rise back into the air.
"I've been waiting to say this all my life," Orange said as he took an empty Poké Ball out of his backpack, enlarged it, and heaved it directly at the unconscious .4. "Poké Ball! GO!"
The red-and-white sphere hurtled through the air and struck the Caffeine Pokémon. As soon as this happened, .4's body turned into a shapeless glob of transparent red energy. The Poké Ball split open, and with a distinct whirring sound, sucked the mass of energy inside. Once all of it was inside, the ball snapped shut and began to wobble back and forth on the ground.
"C'mon... c'mon," whined Orange as the ball continued to shake.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the ball stopped shaking.
"YES! YEEEAAAAH!" exclaimed Orange as he snatched the Poké Ball and held it up high. "I caught .4! Oh yeah!"
As Orange continued to loudly celebrate his new capture, Violet turned to Red.
"So, Red, why don't you try to catch a Pokémon? It shouldn't be too hard to find some more .4."
"I'll pass, thanks," Red answered. "I haven't even heard of Pokémon like 44Hy and .4 before. They just creep me out a bit, I dunno. I prefer stuff like.. you know... Rattata, Pikachu, Spearow. Stuff with bodies that aren't so... geometric."
"Well, you'll be able to find a good amount of those," Violet assured him. Then, she looked behind Red. "Huh. Speaking of which, isn't that a Rattata right there?"
Red spun around. Sure enough, a small, rodentlike creature was scurrying across the blocky landscape. Most of its fur was a rich shade of purple, and its front teeth were extremely prominent.
"Now we're talking!" Red exclaimed as he held out his Pokédex in the direction of the Rattata.
"Rattata, the Rat Pokémon," said Red's Pokédex. "Rattata's front teeth grow continually, so it gnaws various items to whittle them down. It can chew through even the toughest of metals."
"I'm catching this!" Red declared, throwing a Poké Ball. "Charmander, go!"
In a flash of light, Charmander appeared. It gave a sharp cry of "Char char!", which caught the Rattata's attention.
"Orange, will you shut up for a minute?" Violet asked; Orange had still been celebrating his new Pokémon in a very verbal manner. At this, Orange grudgingly quieted down, then noticed Red about to battle.
Rattata made the first move. It darted forward, and slammed its whole body into Charmander. Though Charmander was taller than Rattata, the Tackle attack made its mark nonetheless; Charmander was pushed backwards a bit, but it managed to stand its ground.
"Scratch attack, Charmander!" Red ordered.
"Charmander char!" replied Charmander as it lunged at Rattata and took a swipe at it with its front left leg. This knocked Rattata onto its back, but it got back up relatively easily. Rattata then wheeled around and started wagging its tail uselessly.
"...uh..." Orange said, clearly at a loss.
"It's Rattata's Tail Whip," explained Violet. "Red, don't get caught off-guard. That's exactly what Rattata is after."
"Right," nodded Red. "Charmander, Scratch one more time!"
"Chaaaaar!" Charmander exclaimed as it lunged at Rattata again and took another swipe. This time, Rattata was able to scramble out of the way of the attack. It continued to run, gathering speed, and slammed into Charmander's side, sending the Lizard Pokémon tumbling to the ground.
"Gah!" Red exclaimed. "That was a Quick Attack, wasn't it?"
"Looked like one," Orange nodded. "My mom's pet Pikachu knows that move."
"Charmander, try your Ember attack!" Red ordered.
"Mander!" Charmander exclaimed as it climbed to its feet. Charmander then turned its back to Rattata and wagged its tail. With each wag, a number of small flames flew off its tail. Rattata watched this, seemingly mesmerized by the fire, until the flames actually collided with it. At that point, Rattata began screeching angrily, but passed out almost immediately.
Red wasted no time. With his right hand, he dug into his backpack and pulled out an empty Poké Ball. With his left hand, he turned the cap on his head so it faced backwards. He enlarged the Poké Ball, then launched it at the Rattata. "Poké Ball, go!" Red shouted.
The sphere struck Rattata, and just as Orange's Poké Ball had done with .4, Rattata turned into a shapeless mass of red energy, which was sucked into the ball. Once Rattata was completely pulled inside, the ball slammed shut, fell to the ground, and started wobbling back and forth.
There was total silence. Red was glaring at the Poké Ball as though his gaze would prevent Rattata from breaking free. Then, finally, the ball gave a final pinging sound and fell still.
"Nice," Orange said as Red scooped up the Poké Ball containing his new Rattata.
"Yeah," Red grinned back as he withdrew Charmander. "I caught Rattata!"
"Your turn, Violet!" Orange exclaimed as Red turned his cap back around. "You're the only one who hasn't caught a Pokémon yet."
"Will you give it a rest?" Violet snapped. "I'll catch a Pokémon when I'm good and ready to, and not just because it's the first one I see!"
"Well, you gotta do something, that Bellsprout of yours isn't gonna cut it forever."
"I will, eventually. Quit bugging me."
"Fine," Orange sighed as Violet started looking around. Once she had her back to him, however, Orange stuck his tongue out at her.
"Shouldn't we head to... what was it... Irividan City?" Red suggested.
"It's Ivadirin City," said Violet. "And you got a good point.
"Wait a minute!" interrupted Orange. "You wanna challenge the Ivadirin Gym Leader with only a Bellsprout that only knows Vine Whip?"
"That's... actually a good point," Violet admitted. "Even if I don't want to catch something just yet, I gotta train Bellsprout a bit."
"In which case we should head to a Pokémon Center," Red stated. "Bellsprout looked pretty wiped out when you showed it to me."
"Oh, fine," sighed Orange. With that, the trio continued down Route -1.
The walk wasn't a particularly long one. Red was extremely wary of his surroundings, given that the ground seemed to be made up of lush grass, solid rock, paved road, and puddles of water in relatively equal measure. Orange and Violet traversed this terrain like it was nothing, whereas Red kept tripping over almost everything. It took Red a little while, but he was able to catch up. Once he did, he began talking with Orange and Violet, and was astonished to discover that the both of them were fourteen.
"I'm only eleven!" exclaimed Red. "And you guys only just started today?"
"Yeah," sighed Orange. "There's been a lot of trouble in this region lately, so my mom didn't want me starting until things quieted down a bit."
"Same with my mom," added Violet. "There's been these two gangs wreaking havoc all over the region, causing trouble for trainers. I think they call themselves Team Debug and Team Error. My mom only gave up and let me start my journey because they've quieted down lately."
"Yeah, same here," Orange nodded.
"Teams Debug and Error, huh?" said Red. "They sound a lot like this Team Rocket we got back in Kanto. They're a gang of Pokémon thieves."
At that point, however, the trio reached the top of a small hill and saw before them a mass of pixellated, scrambled structures that appeared to be buildings.
"Here we are," announced Orange. "Ivadirin City!"