Chapter 3:

Frame Perfect Routing

Red took a few seconds to catch his breath. In his mind he could visualize the stopwatch that kept on adding seconds every moment he stayed still, but even he had his limits and had to take a breather every now and then, such were the limitations of having a mortal coil.

This wasn't a timeloss, this was an investment, that's at least what he was telling himself.

Although his body had to take a short rest, his mind was still sharp as ever. Red didn't waste any time while he was waiting for his stamina to refill itself.

He had a goal, and that goal was in the forefront of his mind with every step he took.

His eyes scanned his surroundings, though he barely needed his eyes to know what lay in front of him. After all, he had gone through this scenario every night of the last year.

In front of him was Route 1 and what was worse, among the tall grass and wandering the paths he could see the possible run killers: Random Encounters.

Red gritted his teeth, he could already envision the countless Ratata and Pidgey that would plague him while he tried to reach Viridian City, not to mention the countless stupid half ass rookie trainers that were hoping to test out their newly caught pet rat.

Red slammed his fist against the tree, his eyes burned with hatred. He knew the fastest route to reach Viridian. But those pesky pests would slow him down to the point it would take him a full day to reach Viridian, assuming none of the trainers knocked out Squirtle.

Red's heart began to race, he turned his eyes around and tried to look for the best direction to head in but only saw dead ends. His eyes scanned left and he saw some kid from Pallet town with a Nidoran. He turned his gaze right and a Sparrow watched the fields from the treetops. What about the way through the middle? He saw a mother and a kid play in the fields, another huge time loss if he were to run into them.

Left right? No, there was a pack of Ratata sunbathing.

Red clutched his head. Was this it? Was the run over?

It was impossible. There simply was no way through Viridian without encountering a single Pokémon.

Am I really going to lose this run over a stupid random encounter? Is this how my career ends? Red began to fidget with his fingers while he tried looking for a single path through Route 1, but even the fastest path would result in a full 3 minute timeloss.

Right in front of Red he saw his dreams fall into pieces.

No! I don't want that to happen. My dreams of becoming the best won't be decided by random chance.

But there was no path. This was another locked door.

Red's eyes widened. The door this morning, the door that had been locked and would've ended the run, weren't it for Red being able to find an alternate path to victory. How had he done that?

Red shut his eyes trying to recall what he had done in that exact moment to prevent his own career from ending. Without even thinking he had found the single path that took him straight to Oak's lab. How had he known about that window?

This was another closed door, thus there had to be another window of opportunity.

Red closed his eyes.

Immediately his senses increased, he could hear the Pokémon skittering through the grass, he felt the way the wind swayed the treetops, he could hear the distant talking of other trainers.

Although his eyes were closed, he could perfectly picture his surroundings. After all, he had studied this part of the run for a full year, and now combined that with the data he was gathering from his senses.

And slowly but surely, his scope of the area increased further. He noticed the subtle smell of berries, he could hear a distant creek that would attract wild Pokémon and could visualize the most common route newbies from pallet town would traverse.

All this information, it was almost overwhelming Red but he pushed through. If he couldn't, then he might as well go home right now.

THERE! He could see it. THE PERFECT PATH!

Red grinned and opened his eyes.

With a single step, Red burst into a sprint.

2 steps. 3 steps. 4 steps. Red came to a screeching halt and made a 20 degree turn to the left and continued to run. Around him the fields passed by him but he couldn't relax. Exactly 50 meters away from him was a bug catcher.

Red didn't care, all he had to do was follow the path. So he did, the path curved and zig zagged 90 degrees right. Red followed it blindly, trusting his senses utterly, even as the path turned in on itself and then cut straight through a river.

Red's body was burning hot, with every step he took he was aware of his surroundings. He dropped down through the grass just as a Pidgey flew overhead and crawled exactly 40 meters before bursting into a charged sprint.

Just as a random trainer turned around, Red rushed behind her.

All the while the smile on Red's face grew wider. Adrenaline was freely flowing through his veins.

This was it. His secret weapon: FRAME PERFECT ROUTING

In the distance, a family of Pidgey looked out from their nest.

"Why is that trainer moving so strange? Is he having a stroke?" the young Pidgey asked.

The mother Pidgeot looked at the strange boy who was moving through the grass at an erratic pace.

"I think he might be having a stroke. Better to not engage him."

A/N ohhh thank you for all the follows and favorites. 24 follows and 17 favorites for my first fic is insane! I am so happy people are liking this.

I am just trying to interpet how I imagine a gamer speedrunning the game would appear to people in universe. glad other people also like that.

Also to the user Delta.

Who'se to say whether Red will abuse glitches?

Anyway, thanks for reading again!

-CaptainMoonShine-