Red woke up to the sensation of something warm and fuzzy pressed against his face.
For a brief, blissful moment, he forgot where he was. He was just a guy waking up with what was probably a cat on his head, which was weird because he didn't own a cat, but also not the strangest thing that had ever happened to him.
Then his Partner Eevee sneezed directly into his ear, and reality came crashing back.
Right.
He was Red now.
He was in the Pokemon anime universe.
He couldn't speak.
He had nearly two thousand Pokemon in his pocket dimension storage.
Cool. Great. Fantastic. Another day in paradise.
"Vee!" His Partner Eevee chirped happily, apparently delighted that he was awake. It nuzzled against his cheek with aggressive affection, its tail wagging so hard that its entire body wiggled.
"Pika pi!" His Partner Pikachu added from its position curled against his side, yawning and stretching in a way that would have been adorable if Red wasn't still processing the existential horror of his situation.
The camp was already stirring. Brock was at the fire, cooking what smelled like breakfast, and the aroma was good enough that Red's stomach growled loudly despite his continued crisis of identity.
"Good morning!" Ash's voice cut through the morning air like an overenthusiastic Exploud. The boy bounded over, already fully dressed and seemingly incapable of experiencing anything less than maximum energy. "Did you sleep okay? I couldn't sleep at all! I was too excited! We're traveling with the Champion!"
Red gave him a thumbs up, because that required less effort than reaching for his Pokedex.
"Breakfast is almost ready," Brock announced. "I made rice balls and some Pokemon food for everyone's teams."
Misty emerged from her sleeping bag looking like she had personally fought every Zubat in Mt. Moon. "Ugh. Morning people. Why are you all so LOUD?"
Red felt a kinship with her that transcended universes.
After breakfast (which was excellent—Brock really was a fantastic cook), the group packed up camp and continued their journey toward Cerulean City. According to Brock's map, they were still about two days away, which meant plenty of time for things to go wrong.
Red had a feeling things were definitely going to go wrong.
The first sign that something was off came about an hour into their walk.
They were passing through a particularly dense section of forest when Red noticed that it was... quiet.
Too quiet.
In the Pokemon world, forests were never quiet. There were always Pidgey chirping, Rattata rustling through underbrush, Caterpie munching on leaves. The ambient sounds of Pokemon were as constant as breathing.
But this section of forest was silent.
Ash noticed it too, his hand going to his belt. "Hey, where are all the Pokemon? I wanted to try catching something new!"
Misty shivered. "This is creepy. Why is it so quiet?"
Brock frowned, looking around with a practiced eye. "Something's scared them. When prey Pokemon go silent like this, it usually means there's a predator nearby."
Red's Partner Pikachu's ears twitched, and it made a low sound that was distinctly different from its usual cheerful chirps. Red's Partner Eevee pressed closer to his legs, its fur bristling.
Then Red felt it.
Something watching them.
He turned slowly, scanning the treeline, and his eyes locked onto a pair of glowing red orbs in the shadows between two massive oaks.
A Gengar.
But not just any Gengar.
Red's Pokedex buzzed in his pocket, and he pulled it out to see an alert flashing on the screen:
WILD GENGAR DETECTED
Level: 67
Status: TERRITORIAL
WARNING: This Pokemon is exhibiting aggressive behavior
A level 67 wild Gengar. In the early anime timeline. That was... that was NOT supposed to exist. Wild Pokemon in the early episodes topped out at maybe level 20 or 30, and that was being generous.
The Gengar emerged from the shadows, and Red got his first good look at it.
It was BIG. Much bigger than a normal Gengar, easily five feet tall, and its grin was less "mischievous ghost" and more "I am going to consume your soul and enjoy it." Its eyes were locked onto Red with an intensity that made his skin crawl.
"GENGAR!" Ash pulled out his Pokedex, which beeped alarmingly. "Whoa, that's a strong one! I'm gonna catch it!"
"Ash, NO!" Misty grabbed his arm. "Look at it! That thing is way out of our league!"
"She's right," Brock said, his voice tense. "That Gengar is too powerful. We should back away slowly and—"
The Gengar moved.
One moment it was at the treeline. The next it was directly in front of Red, close enough that he could feel the unnatural chill radiating from its spectral body.
Everyone screamed.
Everyone except Red, who couldn't scream even if he wanted to.
The Gengar leaned in close, its massive grin inches from Red's face, and... sniffed him?
"Gengar," the ghost type rumbled. "Gen... gar?"
Red's Partner Pikachu and Eevee had jumped into defensive positions, ready to attack, but Red held up a hand to stop them. Something was happening here. Something he didn't quite understand.
The Gengar pulled back slightly, its expression shifting from menacing to... confused? And then, to Red's utter shock, it BOWED.
"Gengar gar," the massive ghost type said, and the tone was unmistakably respectful.
What.
WHAT.
The Gengar turned and vanished back into the forest, and within seconds, the ambient sounds of the forest returned. Pidgey started chirping. Rattata resumed their rustling. It was as if the oppressive silence had never happened.
"What," Misty said flatly, "was THAT?"
"I have no idea," Brock replied, looking at Red with wide eyes. "It just... bowed to you?"
Ash was staring at Red like he'd just witnessed a miracle. "That was SO COOL! The Gengar was scared of you! Or... respected you? Red, what did you DO?"
Red had no idea what he did. He hadn't done anything. He'd just stood there and tried not to have a heart attack.
He typed on his Pokedex:
"I don't know. That's never happened before."
But even as he typed it, a nagging thought formed in the back of his mind. He had a Gengar. In his PC storage. A level 100 Gengar that he'd trained since the original Red and Blue games, transferred through every generation, and maxed out in every possible way.
Was it possible that... wild Pokemon could somehow sense his team? Sense the power he was carrying?
That seemed insane. But then again, this entire situation was insane.
The second incident happened about three hours later.
They had stopped for lunch by a river, and Ash had decided that this was the perfect opportunity to do some fishing. He'd borrowed a rod from Misty (who seemed to have an entire tackle box in her bag despite being terrified of most Water-types larger than a Goldeen) and was enthusiastically casting into the water.
Red sat on a rock near the shore, his Partner Pokemon on either side of him, reviewing his PC storage on his Pokedex. He'd been putting off a proper examination of his team's stats, but he needed to understand what he was working with.
He started with his original Kanto team.
CHARIZARD
Level: 100
Nature: Adamant
Ability: Blaze
Stats: HP 394 / ATK 348 / DEF 298 / SP.ATK 317 / SP.DEF 295 / SPD 328
Moves: Flare Blitz, Dragon Claw, Earthquake, Thunder Punch, Fire Blast, Fly, Solar Beam, Dragon Dance
Status: PERFECT IVs (31/31/31/31/31/31)
EVs: 252 ATK / 4 DEF / 252 SPD
Note: SHINY
Red stared at those numbers.
In the games, those were just statistics. Abstract numbers that determined how battles played out.
But here... here they were REAL. His Charizard actually HAD those stats. In a world where Ash's Pikachu—the protagonist's Pikachu, the one that would eventually fight legendary Pokemon—probably had stats in the low hundreds at best.
He checked another one.
ALAKAZAM
Level: 100
Nature: Timid
Ability: Magic Guard
Stats: HP 314 / ATK 136 / DEF 229 / SP.ATK 405 / SP.DEF 295 / SPD 372
Moves: Psychic, Shadow Ball, Focus Blast, Recover, Calm Mind, Dazzling Gleam, Trick Room, Disable
Status: PERFECT IVs
EVs: 252 SP.ATK / 4 SP.DEF / 252 SPD
An Alakazam with 405 Special Attack. That was... that was enough to one-shot almost anything that didn't resist Psychic. And with Magic Guard, it was immune to passive damage. Poison, weather, entry hazards—nothing could touch it.
Red kept scrolling, and the more he looked, the more he realized just how ridiculous his situation was.
His Dragonite had perfect IVs and was holding a Lum Berry.
His Gyarados was shiny and knew Dragon Dance.
His Snorlax had Thick Fat and a moveset specifically designed to wall everything ever.
And those were just his "normal" Pokemon. His non-legendaries.
His legendary collection was on another level entirely.
MEWTWO
Level: 100
Nature: Timid
Ability: Pressure
Stats: HP 416 / ATK 256 / DEF 306 / SP.ATK 427 / SP.DEF 306 / SPD 394
Moves: Psystrike, Aura Sphere, Ice Beam, Calm Mind, Shadow Ball, Thunderbolt, Fire Blast, Recover
Status: PERFECT IVs / SHINY
His Mewtwo was SHINY. He'd forgotten about that. Three weeks of soft-resetting back in Ultra Sun had paid off, apparently, because now he had a shiny Mewtwo in a world where Mewtwo was a singular, legendary being that had almost destroyed civilization.
Wait.
Red's brain short-circuited as a horrible realization dawned on him.
Mewtwo was unique in this world. One-of-a-kind. The product of a scientific experiment to clone Mew.
But Red had a Mewtwo. His own Mewtwo. From the games.
Did that mean there were now TWO Mewtwos in existence?
Was this world's Mewtwo going to sense his Mewtwo and have an existential crisis?
Was Giovanni—
Oh no.
Oh NO.
Giovanni had CREATED Mewtwo. Giovanni knew Mewtwo existed. And if there were suddenly TWO Mewtwos...
Red was so lost in his spiraling thoughts that he almost missed the commotion at the river.
"WHOA!" Ash's voice cut through his panic. "Something's biting! Something BIG!"
Red looked up to see Ash's fishing rod bent nearly in half, the line taut with the weight of something enormous. Misty and Brock were already on their feet, rushing to help.
"Hold on, Ash!" Brock grabbed the boy's shoulders to stabilize him. "Whatever you've hooked, it's powerful!"
"I can feel it!" Ash was grinning despite the strain. "This is gonna be an awesome catch!"
Red's Partner Pikachu sparked with interest, and his Partner Eevee's ears perked up. Both were watching the water intently, and Red had a sudden sense of foreboding.
The water exploded.
A Gyarados—massive, blue, and absolutely furious—erupted from the river with a roar that shook the trees. It was easily thirty feet long, dwarfing any Gyarados Red had ever seen, and its eyes were filled with rage.
"GYARADOS!" Misty screamed, immediately retreating behind the nearest tree. Her fear of Gyarados was apparently very much a thing in this early timeline.
"It's huge!" Brock's voice cracked. "That's the biggest Gyarados I've ever seen!"
Ash, to his credit, didn't run. His Pikachu was already on the ground in front of him, cheeks sparking, ready to fight.
"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"
Ash's Pikachu launched a respectable Thunderbolt at the Gyarados. The electric attack struck true, causing the sea serpent to roar in pain—
—and then immediately shake it off like it was nothing.
"What?!" Ash's eyes went wide. "But Thunderbolt should be super effective!"
The Gyarados responded by opening its mouth, and Red recognized the energy building there immediately. That was Hyper Beam. A fully charged, absurdly powerful Hyper Beam that was about to vaporize everyone in front of it.
Red didn't think. He just acted.
He reached into his PC storage through his Pokedex, grabbed the first appropriate Pokemon he could find, and threw the Pokeball.
The flash of light was blinding.
And then there was another Gyarados on the field.
But this wasn't just any Gyarados.
This was RED'S Gyarados.
Red's Gyarados was even bigger than the wild one. Where the wild Gyarados was thirty feet, Red's was at least thirty-five, and its scales had a particular sheen that marked it as one of the most well-trained specimens in existence. It was also shiny—blood-red instead of the usual blue, which made it look like some kind of apocalyptic sea serpent from a trainer's worst nightmare.
The wild Gyarados's Hyper Beam died in its throat.
Red's Gyarados loomed over it, and the sound it made was less a roar and more a declaration of absolute dominance. The air itself seemed to tremble.
The wild Gyarados stared at Red's Gyarados.
Red's Gyarados stared back.
For a long, tense moment, nothing happened.
Then the wild Gyarados lowered its head in submission.
"What," Misty said from behind her tree.
The wild Gyarados—the massive, aggressive, about-to-Hyper-Beam-everyone Gyarados—made a small, almost pitiful sound and slowly sank back into the river, disappearing beneath the surface without so much as a splash of resistance.
Red's Gyarados turned to him with an expression that was somehow both smug and adoring. It lowered its massive head until it was at Red's eye level and made a rumbling sound of contentment.
Red patted its snout.
"WHAT," Misty repeated, louder this time. "YOUR GYARADOS JUST SCARED AWAY A WILD GYARADOS BY LOOKING AT IT?!"
"It's red," Ash observed, because apparently that was the most important detail. "Your Gyarados is RED! That's so cool! Is that a special Gyarados?"
Red typed on his Pokedex:
"Shiny Gyarados. Alternate coloration. I raised it from a Magikarp."
"Shiny?" Brock approached cautiously, his scientific curiosity apparently overcoming his self-preservation instincts. "I've heard of alternate coloration in Pokemon, but I've never seen one in person. The red scales are beautiful."
Red's Gyarados preened at the compliment, which was somewhat terrifying given its size.
"But how did it scare the wild one away?" Misty demanded, still not emerging from behind her tree. "It didn't even attack! It just... LOOKED at it!"
Red had a theory about that. He checked his Gyarados's stats on his Pokedex:
GYARADOS
Level: 100
Ability: Intimidate
Stats: HP 394 / ATK 383 / DEF 282 / SP.ATK 219 / SP.DEF 328 / SPD 287
Status: PERFECT IVs / SHINY
Intimidate.
The ability that lowered opponents' Attack stat just by being present.
But in the anime, abilities weren't just battle mechanics. They were actual, physical traits that Pokemon possessed. And Intimidate on a max-level, perfectly trained, shiny Gyarados meant that its very presence was so overwhelming that weaker Pokemon literally couldn't resist the urge to submit.
Red's Gyarados wasn't just strong. It was so strong that other Pokemon could FEEL IT and decided that fighting wasn't worth the trouble.
That was... actually terrifying, when he thought about it.
"Can you put it away now?" Misty's voice was getting higher. "It's still a Gyarados and it's still RIGHT THERE."
Red recalled his Gyarados, which went willingly but not before giving Misty's tree a pointed look that made her squeak.
"Well," Brock said after a long moment of silence. "I think we've learned something important today."
"What's that?" Ash asked.
"Never make Red angry."
Red wanted to protest that he wasn't angry, that he'd just been trying to help, but he supposed the silent champion thing did add to the mystique. Instead, he just shrugged and went back to examining his Pokedex.
The more he looked at his Pokemon's stats, the more he realized how absurd his situation was.
Every single one of his Pokemon had been trained to absolute perfection. Perfect IVs. Optimal EVs. The best abilities. The most powerful movesets. They were designed to compete at the highest levels of competitive Pokemon—and here they were, in a world where those levels didn't exist yet.
His Pikachu alone could probably solo any challenge in the early anime.
His legendary collection could probably solo any challenge EVER.
And all of these Pokemon, according to his Pokedex, had maximum affection ratings. They would do ANYTHING for him. Fight any opponent, face any danger, protect him from any threat.
Red put down the Pokedex and stared at the sky.
He was overpowered.
He was INCREDIBLY overpowered.
And he had a sneaking suspicion that this was going to cause problems.
The problems started the next morning.
They had camped for the night and were just finishing breakfast when Brock's portable radio crackled to life. The device was tuned to a Kanto news station, and the morning broadcast was just beginning.
"—and in our top story, the Pokemon League is in an uproar following multiple reports of a mysterious trainer appearing in the forests east of Pewter City. Witnesses describe a young man matching the description of legendary Champion RED, accompanied by a Pikachu and an Eevee unlike any seen before."
Red choked on his rice ball.
"Furthermore," the announcer continued, "wild Pokemon in the area have reported behaving strangely, with multiple instances of aggressive Pokemon suddenly becoming docile in the trainer's presence. Pokemon League officials are urging trainers to report any sightings of this individual."
"You're on the NEWS!" Ash exclaimed, looking at Red with stars in his eyes. "That's so cool! You're famous!"
Red did not feel like this was cool. He felt like this was the opposite of cool. He felt like this was the beginning of a massive headache.
"The Pokemon League has issued an official statement," the announcer continued. "Current Elite Four member and Dragon-type specialist LANCE is quoted as saying, and I quote: 'If Red has truly returned, I need to speak with him immediately. His disappearance years ago left many questions unanswered. The League—and the world—needs to know why he's back.'"
Oh no.
Oh no no no no no.
"LANCE wants to talk to you!" Ash was practically bouncing. "Lance is SO STRONG! He has Dragonites! Multiple Dragonites! Are you going to talk to him? Can I come?"
Red typed frantically:
"I don't want attention. Please don't tell anyone you've seen me."
"But why?" Misty looked confused. "If you're the Champion, shouldn't you be talking to the League? Don't you have responsibilities?"
Red didn't know how to explain that he WASN'T the Champion. That he was just some guy in the Champion's body, with the Champion's Pokemon, trying desperately to figure out what was happening before everything went sideways.
Before he could formulate a response, the radio crackled again.
"Breaking news: We've just received word that Giovanni, the Viridian City Gym Leader, has issued his own statement regarding the potential return of Champion Red. Giovanni—who famously lost to Red in a Gym battle years ago—stated that he 'has no comment' and 'refuses to discuss that trainer.' Observers note that Giovanni appeared visibly distressed during the press conference."
Red's blood ran cold.
Giovanni.
Giovanni had lost to Red. The REAL Red. Before Red had disappeared to Mt. Silver.
And now Giovanni thought Red was back.
Giovanni, who was the secret leader of Team Rocket.
Giovanni, who was probably VERY CONCERNED about why the trainer who had single-handedly dismantled his criminal empire was suddenly walking around again.
This was bad. This was VERY bad.
"Hey," Ash said, tilting his head. "Didn't you say you beat Giovanni? What was that like?"
Red had not said that. He didn't know anything about it. But apparently, his predecessor—the REAL Red—had indeed defeated Giovanni, and now Giovanni was probably having a complete mental breakdown.
A tiny, petty part of Red found this hilarious.
The rest of him was terrified.
Somewhere in Viridian City, in a office that definitely wasn't suspicious at all, Giovanni was having a complete mental breakdown.
"Sir? Sir, are you alright?"
Giovanni stared at the newspaper in his hands. The headline read: "LEGENDARY CHAMPION RED SPOTTED IN KANTO?" and below it was a blurry photo that was nonetheless unmistakably that boy. That INFURIATING boy.
"He's back," Giovanni whispered.
"Sir?"
"He's BACK." Giovanni's voice rose to something approaching hysteria. "That... that MONSTER is back."
The grunt standing at attention in front of his desk looked uncomfortable. "Sir, if I may ask... why is the return of a single trainer causing such concern? We've rebuilt since—"
"You don't understand." Giovanni set down the newspaper with trembling hands. "None of you understand. You weren't THERE."
The memory hit him like a freight train.
Three years ago...
Giovanni had been confident. More than confident—he'd been CERTAIN. The Viridian Gym was his domain. His Pokemon were the strongest in Kanto. And this child, this silent CHILD who had somehow defeated his entire criminal organization, was about to learn the true meaning of power.
"You've made it this far," Giovanni had said, lounging in his chair. "I'm impressed. But this is where your journey ends. The Viridian Gym is the strongest in Kanto, and I—"
The boy had just stared at him.
Not speaking. Not reacting. Just... staring. With those red eyes that seemed to look right through him.
Giovanni had felt the first prickle of unease.
"Very well. Let's begin." He'd thrown his first Pokeball. "Go, Rhyhorn!"
His Rhyhorn had appeared on the field, strong and ready for battle. It was level 50, one of his best, more than capable of handling—
The boy had thrown his own Pokeball.
What emerged was a Blastoise.
But not just any Blastoise. This Blastoise was MASSIVE, easily twice the size of a normal specimen, and its cannons gleamed with an almost metallic sheen. Its eyes locked onto the Rhyhorn with cold, calculating intelligence.
Giovanni's Rhyhorn had taken one look at that Blastoise and whimpered.
"Rhyhorn, use Horn Attack!"
The Rhyhorn hadn't moved.
"Rhyhorn! I said—"
The Blastoise opened its mouth and fired a Hydro Pump so powerful that it created a small crater in the gym floor. The Rhyhorn was blasted through the wall of the building. Through the WALL. It was found three streets over, unconscious and traumatized.
One attack. One Pokemon down.
Giovanni had sent out his Dugtrio.
The Blastoise had used Surf. Inside the gym. The Dugtrio had been washed away like it was nothing.
Giovanni had sent out his Nidoqueen.
The Blastoise had used Ice Beam. The Nidoqueen was frozen solid in an instant.
Giovanni had sent out his Nidoking.
The Blastoise had used Earthquake. The entire gym had shaken. The Nidoking had fainted before it could launch a single attack.
By the time Giovanni sent out his Rhydon—his STRONGEST Pokemon, his pride and joy—his hands were shaking.
The boy still hadn't said a word.
The Blastoise hadn't even taken any damage.
Giovanni's Rhydon lasted exactly four seconds. The Blastoise used Hydro Pump again, and the sheer force of the attack was so great that Giovanni himself had been knocked off his feet by the splash.
When he'd looked up, soaking wet and humiliated, the boy had been standing over him.
Still silent.
Still staring.
Giovanni had handed over the Earth Badge with trembling hands.
The boy had taken it, nodded once, and left.
He hadn't said a single word the entire battle.
Giovanni had nightmares for months.
"Sir?" The grunt was looking increasingly concerned. "You've been staring at the wall for five minutes."
Giovanni blinked, returning to the present.
"Cancel my appointments," he said, his voice hollow. "All of them."
"Sir?"
"And tell the operatives in the Cerulean area to stand down. Whatever they're planning, cancel it. I don't care if we've been planning it for months. CANCEL IT."
"But sir, the mission to steal the Cascade Badge designs—"
"DID I STUTTER?" Giovanni slammed his hand on his desk, and the grunt jumped back in terror. "That trainer—that BOY—is in the area. If any Team Rocket operative comes within a MILE of him, he will destroy them. Do you understand? Not defeat. DESTROY."
The grunt was pale. "Y-yes sir. I'll inform the operatives immediately."
Giovanni slumped back in his chair as the grunt fled.
Red was back.
The silent demon who had crushed his gym, dismantled his organization, and left him with a crippling fear of Blastoise was BACK.
And he was apparently heading toward Cerulean City.
Giovanni reached for his emergency whiskey and took a very, very long drink.
Meanwhile, at the Indigo Plateau, Lance the Dragon Master was having his own crisis.
"You're certain?" Lance demanded, staring at the report in his hands. "Multiple confirmations?"
"Yes, sir." The aide standing before him nodded nervously. "At least twelve trainers have reported sighting someone matching Red's description. Three of them were able to get photographs, though they're blurry. The physical resemblance is... uncanny."
Lance set down the report and began to pace.
Red. The legendary Red. The trainer who had conquered the Pokemon League at age eleven, defeated the Elite Four without losing a single Pokemon, and then disappeared to Mt. Silver without explanation.
Lance had fought him once, during Red's championship run. It had been the most one-sided battle of his entire career.
His Dragonite—his PARTNER, his strongest Pokemon—had lasted exactly two turns.
Red's Pikachu had somehow known Ice Punch.
It shouldn't have been possible. Pikachu couldn't learn Ice Punch naturally. But this Pikachu had, and it had used that move with such devastating efficiency that Lance still had nightmares about it.
And that wasn't even the worst part.
The worst part was that after the battle, when Lance had congratulated Red on becoming Champion, the boy had just... nodded.
No celebration. No excitement. No emotion at all.
Just a nod, like becoming the strongest trainer in Kanto was merely a task to be checked off a list.
It was terrifying.
"What is he DOING?" Lance muttered to himself. "Why would he come down from Mt. Silver now, after all these years?"
"We don't know, sir. But there's something else."
Lance looked up sharply. "What?"
"The reports mention that wild Pokemon in Red's vicinity have been behaving strangely. Several aggressive species have been observed becoming docile or even submissive in his presence. A territorial Gengar reportedly bowed to him."
"A Gengar BOWED to him?"
"Yes, sir. And a Gyarados—one of the largest ever recorded in the area—fled from a confrontation after Red released his own Gyarados. Witnesses describe it as... I believe the word used was 'apocalyptic.'"
Lance sat down heavily.
This was worse than he'd thought.
Red had always been absurdly powerful, but this was something else. This was Pokemon actively SENSING his power and choosing not to fight. This was a level of dominance that Lance had only heard about in legends.
"I need to find him," Lance said finally. "Before this situation escalates."
"Sir, do you think that's wise? If he's that powerful—"
"I'm not going to fight him." Lance stood up, grabbing his cape with practiced dramatic flair. "I just need to talk to him. The League needs to know what's happening. And..." He hesitated. "And I need to make sure he's still... him."
The aide looked confused. "Sir?"
Lance didn't answer. He was already heading for the door, pulling out a Pokeball.
"Dragonite. We're going to Kanto."
Back with our protagonists, Red was blissfully unaware of the chaos he was causing.
The group had continued their journey toward Cerulean City, and Red had spent the walk experimenting with his Pokemon. Not in battle—he didn't want to cause any more incidents—but in small ways. Having his Partner Pikachu use Floaty Fall to scout ahead. Having his Partner Eevee use Glitzy Glow to create impromptu lighting when they passed through a dark stretch of forest.
The reactions from Ash, Misty, and Brock were priceless.
"Your Eevee just used a PSYCHIC MOVE to make a LIGHT SCREEN!" Brock had practically screamed. "THAT'S NOT FAIR!"
"A Pikachu that can FLY!" Ash was torn between being inspired and being envious. "I want my Pikachu to fly!"
"Pika pika!" Ash's Pikachu responded, sounding equally determined to learn impossible techniques.
But the real revelation came when they stopped for lunch and Red decided to check on his other partner Pokemon.
Not the ones in storage. The ones he was actively carrying.
He'd been avoiding looking at the other Pokeballs on his belt, partly out of fear of what he'd find and partly because he'd been distracted by everything else. But now, with a moment of peace, he finally checked.
CURRENT PARTY:
Partner Pikachu (Let's Go)Partner Eevee (Let's Go)Charizard (Kanto Starter - Shiny)Blastoise (Kanto)Venusaur (Kanto)Alakazam (Kanto)
Red stared at the list.
His original Kanto team. The six Pokemon he'd used to beat the Elite Four for the first time, way back when he was twelve years old and Pokemon Red was his entire world. They'd been with him ever since, transferred through every generation, trained to absolute perfection.
And they were all on his belt right now.
Red pulled out Charizard's Pokeball and stared at it. According to his Pokedex, this Charizard was shiny—meaning its scales were black instead of orange, with blue-purple flames instead of red-yellow. It was also level 100 with perfect stats and a moveset designed for competitive destruction.
Slowly, carefully, he released it.
The flash of light was brilliant, and when it faded, Red found himself face-to-face with a dragon.
His Charizard was MASSIVE. Easily twelve feet tall at the shoulder, with a wingspan that had to be at least thirty feet. Its scales gleamed like polished obsidian, and blue-purple flames danced at the tip of its tail, crackling with barely contained power.
The Charizard's eyes found Red, and its entire demeanor shifted from imposing to adorable. It made a sound that was somewhere between a roar and a purr and immediately lowered its head to nuzzle against him.
"WHAT," Ash said. "IS THAT."
"That's a Charizard," Misty replied faintly. "But it's... black? And HUGE?"
"Shiny coloration," Brock managed, though he looked like he was about to pass out. "I've read about it but... this is..."
Red's Charizard, having finished its greeting, turned to examine the other humans. It sniffed Ash curiously, then Misty, then Brock. Its verdict, apparently, was that they were acceptable, because it settled down on the ground and curled its tail around itself in a remarkably cat-like pose.
"It's so calm," Ash breathed. "My Charizard barely listens to me, but yours is like a big puppy!"
Red checked his Charizard's affection rating on his Pokedex. Maximum. Completely maxed out. This Charizard would do literally anything he asked without question.
That was... simultaneously heartwarming and terrifying.
"Can I..." Ash was inching closer. "Can I pet it?"
Red's Charizard looked at him, then at Red.
Red nodded.
The Charizard lowered its head, allowing Ash to approach and place a hesitant hand on its snout.
"It's warm," Ash marveled. "The scales are so smooth. This is incredible!"
Ash's own Pikachu, emboldened by its trainer's success, approached Red's Charizard as well. The massive dragon examined the small electric mouse, then—very gently—nudged it with its snout in a friendly greeting.
"Pika!" Ash's Pikachu seemed delighted.
Red watched this interaction and felt a warmth in his chest.
His Pokemon weren't just powerful. They were GOOD. They were friendly and gentle and protective. They'd accepted his new companions without question, just as they'd accepted him despite him being... well, not the trainer they'd originally bonded with.
Or maybe they didn't know that. Maybe, to them, he WAS their original trainer. The bonds had transferred along with everything else.
Red didn't know how to feel about that.
He recalled his Charizard (which went reluctantly, clearly wanting more pets from Ash) and checked his Pokedex again.
If his regular Pokemon were this powerful and this loyal, what about his legendaries?
He navigated to his legendary collection and started reading the entries more carefully.
MEWTWO
Level: 100
Affection: MAXIMUM
Note: This Pokemon was created through genetic modification. It possesses psychic powers far beyond any natural Pokemon. It has overcome its hatred of humans and now serves its trainer with absolute loyalty.
"Overcome its hatred of humans." That was interesting. In this world, Mewtwo was supposed to hate humanity because of how it was created. But his Mewtwo had apparently gotten past that through their years of training together.
MEW
Level: 100
Affection: MAXIMUM
Note: This mythical Pokemon is said to contain the DNA of all Pokemon. It is playful and curious, with vast psychic abilities. It has formed a deep bond with its trainer and enjoys playing pranks on those nearby.
Red's Mew was a prankster. He vaguely remembered that from playing with it—it had a habit of transforming into other Pokemon for no reason and teleporting around just to confuse him.
ARCEUS
Level: 100
Affection: MAXIMUM
Note: The Alpha Pokemon. It is said to have shaped all of existence with its thousand arms. It has formed a bond with a human trainer, a fact which defies all known understanding of legendary Pokemon behavior.
Red closed the Pokedex.
He had Arceus. The literal god of the Pokemon universe. And it had maximum affection for him.
What was he supposed to DO with that information?
The afternoon brought new challenges.
They were getting close to Cerulean City—Brock estimated they'd arrive by nightfall—when the forest opened up into a large clearing.
And in that clearing was a Snorlax.
A very, very large Snorlax.
It was blocking the path. Completely. The massive Normal-type was sprawled across the trail like it owned the place (which, in a sense, it did), and its snores were loud enough to shake leaves from nearby trees.
"Oh no," Misty groaned. "Not a Snorlax. We'll never get past it."
"I have a Pokeflute!" Ash announced, rummaging through his bag. "I can wake it up!"
"Ash, NO!" Brock grabbed his arm. "If you wake up a wild Snorlax, it might attack! We don't know how it'll react!"
"But we need to get through!"
Red examined the Snorlax. According to his Pokedex, it was level 45—high for a wild Pokemon, but not absurdly so. Still, a Snorlax was a Snorlax. They were notoriously difficult to deal with, and this one looked particularly ornery even in its sleep.
Then Red had an idea.
He reached into his PC storage and pulled out a very specific Pokeball.
"What are you doing?" Misty asked. "You're not going to battle it, are you?"
Red shook his head. He didn't want to battle it.
He wanted to negotiate.
He released the Pokemon.
Another Snorlax appeared on the field.
But like all of Red's Pokemon, this was not an ordinary Snorlax. It was level 100, perfectly trained, and looking remarkably well-rested for a species known for sleeping twenty hours a day.
"You have a Snorlax too?!" Ash's voice cracked. "Of course you do!"
Red's Snorlax yawned, stretched, and then noticed the wild Snorlax blocking the path. Its expression shifted from sleepy to... curious?
It lumbered over to the wild Snorlax and poked it.
The wild Snorlax stirred.
Red's Snorlax poked it again.
The wild Snorlax opened one eye.
And then something remarkable happened.
The two Snorlax began having a conversation. Or at least, that's what it looked like—a series of low rumbles and grunts that went back and forth between them. Red's Snorlax gestured toward Red and the group, then toward the path, then back to the wild Snorlax.
After about thirty seconds of this, the wild Snorlax let out a massive sigh, heaved itself to its feet, and waddled off the path into the forest.
"It... it just LISTENED," Brock said, sounding faint. "Your Snorlax CONVINCED it to move."
Red's Snorlax turned to him and made a satisfied rumbling sound. Mission accomplished.
Red gave it an appreciative pat (which required reaching up quite a bit, given the size difference) and recalled it.
"That was amazing!" Ash was grinning from ear to ear. "You didn't even have to fight! Your Snorlax just TALKED to it!"
Red typed on his Pokedex:
"Snorlax are intelligent. They respond to respect. My Snorlax simply explained the situation."
"Simply," Misty repeated, shaking her head. "Nothing about you is simple."
Red couldn't really argue with that.
They reached Cerulean City just as the sun was setting.
The city was beautiful—all waterways and bridges and buildings that seemed to flow into each other. The Cerulean Gym, a massive structure designed to look like a Dewgong, dominated the center of town.
"We're here!" Ash pumped his fist in the air. "Tomorrow I'm going to challenge the Gym and get my second badge!"
"The Gym is run by my sisters," Misty said, her voice suddenly tight. "Fair warning—they're kind of... a lot."
Red noted the tension in her posture but didn't comment. He remembered from the anime that Misty had complicated feelings about her family. It wasn't his place to pry.
They found a Pokemon Center on the outskirts of town and went inside to get rooms for the night.
And that's when everything went sideways.
The moment they walked through the door, every single person in the Pokemon Center stopped what they were doing and stared.
At first, Red thought it was because of Ash's Pikachu, or maybe his own Partner Pokemon.
Then he saw the poster.
It was on the wall near the reception desk. A wanted-style poster, except instead of "WANTED," it said "SEEKING INFORMATION."
And the picture on it was unmistakably him.
SEEKING INFORMATION
Have you seen this trainer?
Description: Male, approximately 16 years old, black hair, red eyes
Last known location: Mt. Silver
Known Pokemon: Pikachu, various high-level species
If sighted, please contact the Pokemon League immediately
REWARD: 1,000,000 Pokedollars
One million Pokedollars.
There was a ONE MILLION POKEDOLLAR REWARD for information about him.
Red's soul tried to leave his body.
"Oh my god," someone in the Pokemon Center whispered. "That's HIM. That's Red!"
"The Champion?!"
"He's RIGHT THERE!"
"Someone call the League!"
Within seconds, chaos erupted. People were pulling out phones, cameras were flashing, and Red found himself surrounded by a crowd of excited, disbelieving trainers.
"Is it really you?!"
"Can I have your autograph?!"
"Battle me!"
"Battle ME!"
"Why did you leave Mt. Silver?!"
"What's your secret to becoming so strong?!"
His Partner Pikachu and Eevee were pressed against him, looking around nervously at the crowd. This was too many people, too much attention, too much EVERYTHING.
Red felt panic rising in his chest.
He couldn't deal with this. He couldn't handle being the center of attention. He was just a guy—a GUY who played too many video games and happened to be wearing the body of a legend.
And then—
"EVERYONE BACK OFF!"
A voice cut through the crowd like a blade.
The trainers parted, and Red found himself face-to-face with a figure he recognized immediately.
A young woman with orange-red hair, wearing a Police uniform.
Officer Jenny.
"This trainer is under Pokemon League protection," Officer Jenny announced, her Growlithe standing at attention beside her. "I'm going to have to ask everyone to give him space."
The crowd reluctantly backed away, still murmuring and pointing.
Officer Jenny approached Red, her expression professional but curious. "Red, I presume?"
Red nodded.
"I've been instructed by the Pokemon League to locate you and ensure your safety. There have been concerns about your sudden reappearance." She paused, studying him. "I was told you don't speak. Is that accurate?"
Red nodded again.
Officer Jenny pulled out a small device. "In that case, I've been authorized to provide you with this. It's a text-to-speech communicator, courtesy of the League. You type, it speaks."
Red took the device with slightly trembling hands. It was like a small tablet, with a keyboard interface and a speaker.
He typed: "Thank you."
The device spoke in a neutral, synthesized voice: "Thank you."
Red felt something loosen in his chest. He could TALK now. Sort of. It wasn't the same as actually speaking, but it was better than typing on his Pokedex and showing people the screen.
"Now," Officer Jenny continued, "I'm required to inform you that Elite Four member Lance has requested to meet with you as soon as possible. He's currently en route to Cerulean City and should arrive within the hour."
Red's heart sank.
Lance. Coming here. To meet with him.
This was happening too fast. Everything was happening too fast.
"Do I have to meet with him?" Red typed. The device spoke: "Do I have to meet with him?"
Officer Jenny looked sympathetic. "Not legally, no. But Lance was quite insistent. He seemed... concerned about you."
Concerned. Great. The Dragon Master was concerned about him.
Red turned to his companions. Ash, Misty, and Brock were standing off to the side, looking overwhelmed by everything that was happening.
"Sorry about this," Red typed. "This is... more attention than I expected."
"Are you kidding?" Ash's eyes were shining. "This is AWESOME! You're so famous! And now you're going to meet Lance! Can I come? I want to meet Lance too!"
Misty smacked the back of his head. "Ash, this is serious! Red obviously doesn't want all this attention!"
"It's okay," Red typed. "Ash can come if he wants. You all can."
He wasn't sure why he said that. Maybe because he didn't want to face Lance alone. Maybe because, despite knowing these people for only a day, they already felt like allies.
Or maybe he was just terrified and wanted backup.
Yeah, that was probably it.
Lance arrived exactly forty-seven minutes later.
Red knew because he'd been counting.
The Dragon Master swept into the Pokemon Center like he owned the place, cape billowing dramatically behind him (was there a fan somewhere? How did he get that effect?). His Dragonite followed, just as imposing, filling the doorway with its bulk.
Every trainer in the Center immediately stopped what they were doing to stare.
Lance scanned the room until his eyes found Red, and something complicated passed across his face. Relief? Suspicion? Nostalgia?
"Red," Lance said, approaching with measured steps. "It really is you."
Red lifted his text-to-speech device. "Hello, Lance."
The Dragon Master's expression flickered at the synthesized voice. "So it's true. You really don't speak anymore." He paused. "Do you remember me?"
Tricky question. Red DID remember Lance—from playing the games, from watching the anime, from years of Pokemon media consumption. But he wasn't supposed to know Lance from any of those things. He was supposed to know Lance because the original Red had battled him.
"Of course," Red typed. "Elite Four. Dragon specialist. We battled when I challenged the League."
"We did," Lance agreed. "You defeated me in three turns. Three. I've never forgotten it."
Three turns. Jesus. The original Red hadn't just beaten Lance—he'd EMBARRASSED him.
"I've improved since then," Red typed, which was technically true. His Pokemon were even more optimized now than they would have been during the original Red's championship run.
Lance's expression tightened. "I don't doubt it." He looked at Red's Partner Pikachu and Eevee, then at Ash's Pikachu standing nearby. "These are different Pokemon than the ones you had before. The Pikachu and Eevee—they have an unusual energy to them."
"Partner Pokemon," Red typed. "From a special program. They're... unique."
Lance nodded slowly, but his eyes were calculating. "Red, I need to ask you some questions. About why you've returned. About what happened on Mt. Silver. About..." He hesitated. "About whether you're still you."
Red felt a chill run down his spine.
"Still me?"
"There have been concerns," Lance said carefully. "Among the Elite Four. Among the League. You disappeared for years, and now you suddenly return, accompanied by unusual Pokemon and causing strange phenomena wherever you go. Wild Pokemon bowing to you. Other trainers reporting feelings of overwhelming pressure in your presence." He paused. "Some have suggested that you might not be the same person who left."
Oh no.
OH NO.
Did they suspect the truth? That he WASN'T the original Red? That he was some kind of imposter, or possessed body, or—
"I'm still me," Red typed quickly. "Just... different. Time on the mountain changed me."
Lance studied him for a long moment.
Then, slowly, he nodded.
"I want to believe that." He turned to his Dragonite, which had been waiting patiently. "But I need to be sure. And there's only one way I can think of to test it."
Red had a sinking feeling he knew where this was going.
"Battle me."
Yep. There it was.
"Here?" Red typed. "Now?"
"There's a battlefield behind the Pokemon Center. Standard League rules. Three Pokemon each." Lance's eyes were intense. "If you're really Red—if you have even a fraction of the power you showed during your championship run—then this shouldn't be a problem for you."
Red looked at Ash, Misty, and Brock. They all looked nervous but excited. Ash, especially, was practically vibrating.
He looked at his Partner Pokemon. His Pikachu was sparking with anticipation. His Eevee's fur was puffed up with determination.
He looked at his belt, where his Pokeballs rested. Charizard. Blastoise. Venusaur. Alakazam. All level 100. All perfectly trained.
Then he looked back at Lance.
"Okay," Red typed. "Let's battle."
The battlefield behind the Pokemon Center had, within the twenty minutes it took to set up the match, accumulated approximately two hundred spectators.
Word had spread fast. "Lance is battling the legendary Red" was apparently the kind of news that drew a crowd. Trainers were packed around the perimeter, many recording on their phones, all of them watching with bated breath.
Red stood on one side of the field, his Partner Pokemon at his feet. He'd decided not to use them for this battle—their moves were too obviously unusual, and he didn't want to answer questions about Zippy Zap or Bouncy Bubble.
Instead, he'd selected three Pokemon from his original Kanto team.
Alakazam.
Blastoise.
Charizard.
Lance stood on the opposite side, his Dragonite already beside him. Two more Pokeballs were visible on his belt.
"Standard League rules," Officer Jenny announced, serving as referee. "Three Pokemon each. The battle is over when all three Pokemon on one side are unable to continue. Are both trainers ready?"
Lance nodded.
Red gave a thumbs up.
"Then... begin!"
Lance wasted no time. "Dragonite, Dragon Dance!"
His Dragonite began to glow, its body moving in a rhythmic pattern that increased its power.
Red had anticipated this. Competitively trained Dragon-types always opened with setup moves. He needed to shut that down immediately.
He released his first Pokemon.
Alakazam appeared on the field, spoons gleaming, psychic energy already crackling around its form.
The crowd gasped at the sight of it. This was no ordinary Alakazam—it was larger than normal, its body radiating visible power.
Lance's eyes widened slightly. "Ice Punch, Dragonite!"
His Dragonite shot forward, fist glowing with ice-type energy.
Red raised one hand and made a swift gesture.
Alakazam's eyes flashed, and it vanished.
"What—" Lance started.
Alakazam reappeared behind Dragonite and fired a Shadow Ball point-blank into its back.
The Dragonite stumbled, crying out in pain.
"Again," Red typed, and the device spoke the word clearly.
Alakazam fired another Shadow Ball. And another. Each one hit with devastating precision, and each one did super-effective damage to the Dragon/Flying type.
By the time Dragonite recovered enough to turn around, it was already badly weakened.
"Dragonite, Extreme Speed!"
Dragonite blurred forward—
—and passed right through Alakazam.
Red's Alakazam had used Teleport at the exact moment of impact, relocating to the other side of the field.
"How?!" Lance's composure was cracking. "That timing—that precision—"
Alakazam fired one final Shadow Ball.
Dragonite went down.
The crowd exploded into noise.
"Dragonite is unable to battle!" Officer Jenny announced. "Trainer Red's Alakazam wins this round!"
Lance recalled his Dragonite, his face pale. "That was... that was exactly like before. Exactly like our first battle. Your Alakazam didn't take a single hit."
Red said nothing. He couldn't, even if he wanted to.
"Go, Gyarados!"
Lance's second Pokemon was a massive Gyarados, red and menacing—a shiny, Red noted. Just like his own.
"Alakazam, return," Red typed. He recalled the Psychic-type, which had taken no damage and was honestly overkill for this situation.
He threw his second Pokeball.
Blastoise appeared.
And once again, the crowd reacted with shock. Red's Blastoise was enormous, its cannons gleaming, its eyes locked onto the opposing Gyarados with calm confidence.
"Gyarados, Dragon Dance!"
The Gyarados began its dance—
"Freeze," Red typed.
Blastoise opened its cannons and fired.
Ice Beam. A perfectly aimed, devastatingly powerful Ice Beam that struck the Gyarados mid-dance and spread frozen energy across its body.
The Gyarados was frozen solid in an instant.
"No!" Lance shouted.
"Finish it," Red typed.
Blastoise fired another Ice Beam. And another. By the time the Gyarados thawed, it was already unconscious.
"Gyarados is unable to battle! Trainer Red's Blastoise wins!"
The crowd was going absolutely insane. People were screaming, chanting "RED! RED! RED!" like he was some kind of sports hero.
Red felt deeply uncomfortable, but he forced himself to focus on the battle.
Lance recalled his Gyarados. His hand was trembling slightly.
"I understand now," Lance said, his voice strained. "You really are Red. Only Red could battle like this. Only Red could make me feel like a complete novice again."
He threw his final Pokeball.
"Aerodactyl, I choose you!"
The ancient Pokemon appeared, shrieking as it took to the air. It was fast—probably Lance's speed specialist, designed to outpace opponents and strike before they could react.
Red recalled Blastoise.
He threw his final Pokeball.
Charizard emerged.
The SHINY Charizard emerged.
The crowd went silent.
Because Red's Charizard was not just shiny. It was not just massive. It was radiating power so intense that the air around it seemed to shimmer with heat.
Its black scales gleamed in the artificial lights. Its blue-purple flames roared at the tip of its tail. Its eyes—intelligent, focused, HUNGRY—locked onto the Aerodactyl with predatory interest.
"What IS that?" someone in the crowd whispered.
"Charizard," another voice answered. "But I've never seen one like THAT."
Lance's Aerodactyl faltered mid-flight, its primitive instincts screaming at it to flee.
"Aerodactyl, Rock Slide!"
The Aerodactyl forced itself to attack, summoning rocks to rain down on the Charizard.
Red's Charizard didn't dodge.
It didn't need to.
The rocks hit it and shattered. SHATTERED. Like they were made of glass.
Lance's face went white.
"Finish this," Red typed.
Charizard opened its mouth and fired a Flamethrower.
Not a normal Flamethrower. This was a CHARIZARD-LEVEL, PERFECT-IV, MAXIMUM-STAT, STAB-BOOSTED Flamethrower from a Pokemon that had been trained for over fifteen years.
The flames were blue.
BLUE.
The Aerodactyl didn't stand a chance.
When the fire cleared, the ancient Pokemon was unconscious on the ground, and a significant portion of the battlefield was scorched black.
"Aerodactyl is unable to battle!" Officer Jenny announced, though her voice was shaky. "The winner is Trainer Red!"
For a long moment, there was absolute silence.
Then the crowd erupted.
The noise was deafening. People were screaming, crying, chanting his name. Red's Charizard landed beside him, preening at the attention, while his Partner Pikachu and Eevee jumped up and down in celebration.
Lance walked across the battlefield, his steps slow. His expression was unreadable.
When he reached Red, he stopped.
"I forgot," Lance said quietly. "I forgot what it felt like to battle you. To face that overwhelming power. I thought I'd gotten stronger over the years, but..." He shook his head. "You've gotten stronger too. Much stronger."
Red didn't know what to say. He typed: "You fought well."
Lance laughed—a slightly hysterical sound. "I didn't land a single hit. That's not 'fighting well.' That's getting demolished." He paused. "But I'm glad. I'm glad you're back, Red. The Pokemon world needs trainers like you."
Red wasn't sure about that, but he nodded anyway.
Lance extended his hand.
Red shook it.
And somewhere in Viridian City, Giovanni watched the battle's broadcast on his private television and poured himself another very large drink.
"He's gotten STRONGER," Giovanni whispered to no one. "How is that possible? How can anyone BE that strong?"
His Persian, curled at his feet, wisely chose not to respond.
END OF CHAPTER 2