"I thought I'd be able to just watch from the sidelines for a while," Damian said, turning around, "but I didn't expect someone to come charging in this fast."
He faced the crimson-eyed boy as he approached.
"My, my… that look of yours…" Damian clicked his tongue. "This is really interesting."
A grin spread across Damian's face, and something sharp flickered in his eyes as he took the boy in from head to toe.
Blue jeans. A red sleeveless vest. A red-and-white cap. A backpack.
That image was familiar.
Too familiar.
Wasn't this Red?
The first-generation Champion. The Mt. Silver menace from the second generation. The battle legend people still talked about years later.
"Heh."
"..."
Red noticed the way Damian was staring—like he was sizing him up with way too much intensity—and took a step back without thinking. That kind of look was hard not to misunderstand.
Red wasn't particularly interested in the opposite sex, sure, but he also wasn't interested in the same sex. His heart belonged to Pokémon. Only Pokémon.
"Don't get it twisted," Damian said, raising an eyebrow. "I'm normal."
He didn't really need to explain, but he did anyway. He wasn't about to let Red walk away thinking the wrong thing.
Red: "..."
Damian tilted his head, smiling like he'd just put the pieces together.
"Let me guess," he said. "Back on the St. Anne, you were the one who beat Archer and ruined his plan, right?"
He'd talked to Archer recently and confirmed it. Of the two boys who'd taken Team Rocket down that day, one was Ash and the other was Red.
And this world really was something else—Ash and Red existed at the same time.
Even better, they were twins.
Red stayed silent, but his right hand tightened around a Poké Ball. The red eyes under his cap watched Damian with a mix of focus and tension. Damian gave off danger, and Red could feel it clearly.
At the same time, Red felt something else—an odd sense of familiarity, even though this should have been their first meeting.
"Are you… Damian?" Red finally asked, voice low.
"Oh?" Damian's eyebrow rose. "You know me?"
"..."
Of course he did.
Unlike Ash—who could be a little airheaded—Red paid attention. He chased the peak. He'd naturally followed last year's Indigo League, and Damian's performance had stood out. Red had even wondered whether he'd battle someone like Damian one day.
He just hadn't expected it to happen so soon, and definitely not like this.
And—
Red's gaze dropped to the woman behind Damian.
Erika.
She stood there in a vivid floral kimono, looking straight at Red. She gave him a subtle shake of her head.
Damian caught it and let out a light laugh.
"No need to stare at Erika," Damian said. "She isn't with Team Rocket. She's my spoils of war."
He reached out and pulled Erika in by the waist, yanking her until she was pressed flush against his side.
Erika bit her lip—made more noticeable by the gloss on it—and her thin-skinned face turned red again.
Especially because this was happening in front of someone else.
And not just anyone. Red and Erika were acquaintances. Red had challenged Celadon Gym yesterday.
Erika pressed her hands against Damian's chest and tried to push him away, but she couldn't move him at all.
Heaven help me… how am I ever going to get married after this?
Erika wanted to cry, but nothing came out.
How could Damian act like this? It was one thing to mess with her in private, but now there was someone watching. How was she supposed to find a husband after this?
Red's brow tightened.
"Spoils of war?" he said, voice heavier. "So Erika is a hostage."
"Release her," Red said, pressing down on the brim of his hat.
"I'm afraid I can't," Damian replied, without dodging it. "If you want to save her, why don't you try beating me?"
"..."
Red didn't answer. Behind him, Charizard stepped forward, slow and steady, eyes locked on Damian.
Damian flicked a Poké Ball open with one finger.
"If my information is right," Damian said, "you only started your journey this year, didn't you?"
Light flashed.
Tapu Fini landed in front of Damian, calm and indifferent as she faced Charizard.
"Remarkable," Damian said, and he meant it. "Not even four months into the year, and you're already at this level."
He sounded almost annoyed by it.
"Your talent's ridiculous. Like a monster."
Damian paused and snorted, like he'd remembered something.
"Yeah, yeah. I know. I'm a monster too. Never mind."
Then his tone cooled.
"But your growth window is short," Damian said. "Right now, you're not beating me."
Red's eyes stayed on Tapu Fini. He didn't underestimate his opponent, and he wasn't about to underestimate a guardian-level Pokémon either.
"Tapu Fini…" Red said, cautious.
Damian chuckled. "You recognize her? Correct. She's one of Alola's island guardians. And she's on my team now."
He wasn't surprised Red could name her. A trainer aiming for the top had to read the Pokédex thoroughly. You didn't need trivia on every species, but recognizing types was basic.
Red didn't know Tapu Fini personally, but he could identify her and knew what mattered: Water/Fairy.
"Pikachu!" Red called.
He threw another Poké Ball. White light flashed, and a Pikachu appeared in front of him.
"Red's electric rat," Damian said, watching it closely.
This Pikachu had presence—good spirit, good posture. It looked leaner than Ash's. Probably because Ash fed his Pikachu too well. Red's Pikachu looked like it trained, not lounged.
And to anyone who'd played the games, Red's Pikachu was iconic.
In the second generation, Red was the hidden boss on Mt. Silver. In HeartGold and SoulSilver, you'd wander into him, and then that Level 88 Pikachu would come out and make your jaw drop. After beating the Elite Four, most players were around Level 60. Red's team averaged in the 80s.
Damian's grin returned.
"Alright," he said. "As a first-meeting bonus, I'll give you the first move."
Damian kept one hand on Erika's soft waist, clearly enjoying himself. Meeting Red was an unexpected surprise.
Sure, the Red he really wanted to fight wasn't this version—not yet—but there was no way Red was turning around and leaving.
So Damian might as well play along for now.
And as he watched Red set his stance, another thought slid in.
Is there any way to trick Red into joining Team Rocket?
Damian turned the idea over, weighing how possible it really was.