The moonlight glistened between the leaves of the Viridian Forest. The forest was practically still. A Weedle slowly crawled down a tree. Its orange body was bathed in the moonlight as it nibbled on the leaf in its mouth. Suddenly an arc of electricity blasted it from a few feet away. The Weedle let out a small squeak before it was bathed in a faint red light and landed in a Pokeball.
Green pumped her fist excitedly as she picked up the Pokéball. "Perfect! I'm sure I can convince Red to let me study his Caterpie during its evolutionary stages. From there, I just need a Pidgey, and a Rattatta from Route 2 once we exit the forest." She pushed up her glasses a little as she began to take notes on what she observed from the Weedle she caught. The notes she took were of course no different to any of the notes she took in school, but she figured it would get her into the habit when she encountered a Pokemon doing something new.
"I thought we were told not to leave the cabin during the night," said a voice from behind the girl. She turned around nervously but then breathed a sigh of relief.
"Oh, it's just you." Green had a hand over her heart as Red approached her sheepishly.
"Sorry, did I scare you?" he replied with a small blush.
"At first, but I'm glad it's just you," she then thought about his first statement and gave him a pointed look. "Hypocrite, you're out here too."
Red responded with a chuckle. "Fair enough, I came out here to train Blaze and Gabriel a little bit. I heard you cheering and decided to say hi." He smiled as he looked over at his best friend. He thought she looked different under the moonlight. Someting about the pale light allowed her face to really pop out to him. He began subconsciously stepping closer to get a better look as he kept talking. "Sorry for scaring you, again."
"Oh, no, it's fine. You didn't mean to. I'm just glad it wasn't a..." She heard a loud buzzing noise behind her which silenced her thoughts. "...B-b-b..." She became paralyzed with fear as the black and yellow Pokémon flew closer to the poor girl. Red saw this and quickly grabbed a Pokéball reflexively and threw it at the Beedrill. It hit the Pokémon square in the face and caused Gabriel to pop out.
If she wasn't so terrified at the moment, she would have probably admonished Red for choosing Caterpie to fight a Bug - Posion type instead of his Charmander, but now was the time for panicking, not scolding.
The Beedrill flew towards Gabriel and prepared a Poison sting. Red could hear Green's voice in his head and quickly moved to recall him, but before the Pokéball could send him back, Gabriel was stung and was blown backwards by the momentum. Red gritted his teeth as he sent out Blaze for backup. "Please be ok Garbiel," he said worriedly as he ordered Blaze to use Ember on the Beedrill. Orange light shone on the faces of the two teens as the Beedrill was engulfed in flames. The flames receeded and the Beedrill fell to the ground.
Red rushed to administer a potion to Gabriel. "Sorry buddy, I didn't mean to throw you out just then," Gabriel let out a weak noise of forgiveness before he suddenly started glowing. Red couldn't believe his eyes. Gabriel was evolving into Metapod already.
"Look's like fighting the Beedrill gave Gabriel enough experience," Green said smiling as she put a hand on Red's shoulder.
"We should probably get back to the cabin before more Beedrill show up," Red gave Green a look of worry and the girl reluctantly sighed.
"Yeah, we should probably head to bed anyway. See you tomorrow morning," Green yawned and stretched.
The two returned to the cabin and both went into their separate rooms.
The next day, the two of them were chuckling together about their nightime experience over breakfast. Blue had already gone ahead towards Pewter City.
"So, now that you defeated that Beedrill, I guess this means I can squeeze your arm again while you lead me out of here," Green joked as Red started to get up and sling his backpack over his shoulder.
"Don't push your luck. You're still gonna show bravery yourself if you wanna get out of this forest," he chuckled as he handed her her bag, "Besides, you're gonna have to get face to face with Beedrills in your research eventually won't you?"
"Nope, that'll be your job," she playfully hit his arm as they set off down the road together.
"What? Since when did I become your lab assisstant?" he laughed in turn as the cabin dissapeared behind them
"Since I just asked you nicely," she replied giving him her most convincing Gworlithe eyes.
"You've overused the Growlithe eyes Green, I'm immune already," he chuckled and booped her nose. She pouted for a bit as they left the forest and found their way to Pewter City.
When the two of them entered the city they saw an annoyed Blue grumbling off towards the Pokécenter. "Closed for a trip... why did it have to be closed... now I have to wait another day."
"Hey Blue!" Green said as she skipped over to him. "How's it going?"
"Apparently Brock had gone for a trip and won't be reopening the gym until tomorrow. First the Viridian gym is closed, and now this..." he sighed and entered the Pokécenter.
"Sounds like we have a day to relax before the first battle. Anywhere you wanna go?" Red asked with a shrug. Green looked at a map of the city for a bit before her eyes lit up in excitement.
"The museum!" She began jumping up and down like a kid who wanted a new nintendo system.
"All right, all right!" Red chuckled as he walked with her to the Pewter City Museum.
After paying the admissions fee, the two kids had plenty of free time to explore the building and check out their favorite exhibits. Green was looking at the fossils of now extinct Pokémon while Red decided to take a look at the Mew exhibit in the history section. Green would occasionally poke fun at him for still believing in Mew, but he never really let it bother him. One of the pages on display was an old poem someone had written.
O how gracefully you float around me
Through air and forest leaves do you appear
Yet for some reason no one else can see
You floating when they try you disappear.
The others say you're nothing but a myth
That only someone foolish would believe
Now there's a dilema I am faced with
How do I get you to stay and not leave
It seems as though my efforts are in vain
The others don't belive in you like I
And so my heart is grappling with the pain
As you float by me on this clear blue sky
And now it seems our time is at an end
I hope I can see you again my friend
"Still obsessed with finding Mew?" Green asked teasingly which caused Red to jump. Green giggled at the reaction, "Consider that payback for last night."
"Yeah, yeah, how were the fossils?" Red asked playfully shoving her.
"Pretty nice, I decided to get some replicas from the museum. They might look nice in an office sometime."
"As what? Paperweights?" Red asked sticking his tongue out playfully.
"Why do I even bother. Should I get you a stuffed Mew fromt he gift shop?" She responded with a smirk causing Red's cheeks to match his name.
"It's a beautiful poem ok, and that Pokémon is out there." Red said defensively.
"You always say that, yet noone has ever seen it and been able to prove it," she put a hand on his shoudler out of concern, "Red, we're exploring the world now on our own. We're 16, it's time to stop believing in kids tales."
"Don't you wanna be a researcher? Imagine how cool it would be if you could publish the first scientific paper about Mew," Red responded, trying to invoke her dream tog et her on his side. The two of them began walking out to find a place to stay the night.
"It'd be ridiculed, thrown in the shredder, and destroy any credibility I could have as a researcher," Green responded as they approached a hotel, "Listen, I think it's sweet that you still believe in the myths, but at some point..."
Red's face fell a bit, "Yeah... ok... I'll see you tomorrow when we challenge the Gym." He wen't inside his room and closed the door.
"Red! I meant..." she sighed and decided to leave him be. Perhaps it would be better for him to grow out of it on his own.
A/N: Hey! I'm back! This was a fun chapter to write even if it might not have been the most action packed, especially in the second half, but the character moments are important to touch upon, and I needed to get the Mew plot rolling. I'm gonna try to get a more consistent schedule going soon. Next time: Brock, The First Gym Challenge