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Red awoke in a cold sweat, pain flaring from his wrists as he frantically tried to sit up in his bed. Sweat trickled down his forehead. He blinked a few times, hoping to stop the images in his mind from repeating themselves. Hoping to blink away the sight of ice creeping up on his arms as he watched helplessly, stuck in the prison of his dreams.
Usually, his nightmares didn’t plague him as much as they did now. Something in the back of his mind started buzzing, like an alarm slowly growing louder. He went to touch the frostbite marks on one of his wrists, but his joints felt stiff as he did so. The alarm grew louder. His fingertips touched the cold skin, half-expecting to feel a jolt of pain. Instead, a numb pounding started which worried him much more. He retracted his hand as panic crept up in his throat, forming a lump.
It had been roughly 15 years since the incident where he got frozen wholly. He kept up with his visits to the springs in Mt. Silver all these years, so why did his pain return…? He was still young, the unbeaten Champion of Kanto, a role-model and guardian to his region and its inhabitants. He wouldn't let his people down. Not over some silly injury, anyway. His confusion soon turned into irritation as he sagged back into his pillows, his mind mulling over the possibilities. Maybe the interval between his visits to the spring had been too long? Maybe the springs lost their healing powers?
Red slowly drove himself insane with the questions, even if he knew that he couldn’t solve any of it in the middle of the night. He nestled back into his sheets, making sure his wrists were warm and covered up. He’d visit Green first thing in the morning. If anyone was capable of thinking this through rationally, it would be him. Green was the one who appointed him to the springs, anyway. Trying to comfort himself with those thoughts, he closed his eyes, hoping sleep would soon sweep him away from this possibly dooming reality.
~ ❄ ~
Needless to say, Red didn’t get much sleep that night, tossing and turning until light finally started filtering through his blinds. The small amount of time that he did spend sleeping was plagued with nightmares. He purposefully avoided the cold water touching his wrists as he washed his face, hoping to feign somewhat of an alive complexion. But alas, his tired expression and the bags under his eyes were beyond saving. The numbness still remained at the places of his injuries, further stirring up his worries that he tried to simmer down desperately.
Instead of his usual fingerless gloves, Red now opted for, well, full gloves with a thicker material. Fall only just started, but the temperatures already plummeted. Despite it being quite normal for Kanto’s climate, Red despised it now more than ever. The cold wasn’t going to do any good to his situation. He snuggled deep into his coat, breathing in and out a few times before opening his front door and stepping outside. He knew damn well he was driving himself crazy. Maybe things weren’t so bad, and he was just imagining things. Green would rationalize it all for him. Green always knew what to do.
Except today, Green mirrored Red’s own concerned expression after being told what had transpired during the night. His best friend sat behind his desk, his chin leaning in the palm of his hand while he tapped his lips with his slender fingers. A silence had fallen between them. It drove Red insane.
“If this… if I cannot get this under control,” Red breathed, struggling to keep his voice steady. If even Green was concerned, then… “There is no one in this region, in this whole world , that I trust more to take over my position. I need… I need you to do that for me. Please take over my title as Champion.”
“Red…” Green sighed, hesitating before speaking up again. His namesake eyes bore into Red’s. Resolute, but compassionate. “You know I can’t. I won’t.”
Red grew irritated at Green’s answer, his anxiety eating away at him at an even faster pace than before. Wasn’t this what Green always wanted? To be the best? From little kids on, they always fought with each other. They had been performing on almost the same level for years . “So, I just gotta hand my title over to some random kid just like that? Crown one of the Elite Four, who caused all of this? I thought you wanted this. I’m handing it to you on a silver platter, and you’re refusing it?”
“Yes.” Green replied, turning around in his desk chair to look out of his window. “You know it’s not fair like this. I can’t take over your title without winning it fairly, without fighting for my honor. You’re in no shape to battle like this, so I won’t fight you. I won’t take over your title. Believe me, Red. I’d have it any other way if I could. But there are other ways to solve this.”
Deep in his heart, Red knew Green was right. If it was the other way around, Red would have felt wrong to take the title just like that, too. But it still hurt, and Red couldn’t stop his eyes from tearing up.
“You should see Yellow, ask what she has to say about it from a medical standpoint. She did continue to study it all these years, after all.” Green started, swiveling back to face Red once again. His eyes slightly widened as he spotted a single tear rolling down Red’s cheek. “Who knows, something could still be done.”
“But what if there’s no solution?” Red’s words started to tumble out of his mouth, his fears now voiced out loud. “I can’t battle without my hands properly functioning. I can’t protect anyone like this. Finding a suitable apprentice would take me ages. And even if I find someone worthy enough, what do I do? My title as the Fighter won’t mean anything if I cannot fight .”
“We’re not doing this again.”
“We’re not doing what again?”
“This gloomy act of yours. You had a breakdown like this on the Sevii Islands all those years ago, too.” Green stood up from his chair, now looking at Red on eye-level. “I feel and worry for you and your situation, but you have to get your head back in the game. Focus on what you can do, and go from there. If you panic now and stay stuck in that, you won’t get out. There are many ways to fight without your hands.”
Red grumbled in response, avoiding Green’s hard stare. He knew full well his best friend was right. Though, staying level headed and not panicking was easier said than done. So, Red turned on his heels and grabbed his jacket and gloves. When he turned his head to look over his shoulder, he saw Green narrowing his eyes at him. Red knew he wasn’t going to approve what he was about to do. It was fool’s gold, anyway, but he had to try it.
“What are you going to do?”
“Going to visit the springs on Mt. Silver.” Red replied bluntly, shrugging his jacket on. “Can’t know for sure if they stopped working if I don’t try it one last time.”
“You’re an idiot if you’re planning to trek all the way up there.” Green hissed, standing up from his chair. Concern laced his expression. “The high altitude, and not to mention the cold, will only make your injuries worse.”
Red waved a hand at him in a dismissive manner. “I know the risks, Green. It’s not like I haven’t done it before. Don’t worry about me.”
A silent ‘ you know I will ’ hung in the air as Green’s face neutralized, realizing he wasn’t going to lecture the resolve of his friend this time. He then huffed, turning his back on Red. “Just be careful. Take Charizard with you if you must.”
A hesitant smile tugged at Red’s lips. “I’ll be fine.”
And so, he took off.
~ ❄ ~
The faint sunlight started peeking through the clouds slightly, but it wasn’t enough to ease the prickling cold that blew in Red’s face as Aero carried him towards the familiar springs. As Green had predicted, being this high up had made the dull ache from earlier become worse. The snowy peak of Mt. Silver was already visible, so it wouldn’t take long to reach the springs. Red wasn’t sure how much longer he was able to bear this pain during flying, anyway.
Soon enough, Aero started his descent. Red groaned slightly as he braced himself for the landing, having to pull his hands out of his warm pockets. With a soft thud, he landed on the white snow, right before the path that would lead him to the springs. He could walk the road blindfolded if he had to. Snowflakes started to decorate his head as he started the trek, hurrying his feet along to get there as fast as possible. A small feeling of nervosity bubbled in the bottom of his stomach. He was trying not to get his hopes up, but what if it worked… and what if it didn’t.
He shook his head vigorously as if trying to shake the intrusive thoughts out and picked up his pace once more. One step at a time. He’d see if the springs brought him any relief, and go from there. Just like Green said. Red repeated it like a mantra in his head until he reached his destination. Warm steam from the water hit his face, and he welcomed it. If he didn’t have better sense, he’d jump in with all his clothes still on, as eager as he was. He quickly shook his bag off his back and stripped accordingly. His answer was within two footsteps. One footstep.
He hesitated.
His mind halted him once more, reminding him of his possible impending end of career. He silently cursed himself and his anxiety-ridden brain, before closing his eyes and plunging in anyway. The hot water engulfing him gave the same feeling as always: immediate relaxation and a sense of serenity after the sheer cold of flying to the mountains. He waded towards the other side and settled himself there, taking in a deep breath before touching his wrists. The pulsing pain from before had faded to the familiar numbness, and it stayed there.
Red wasn’t sure if he was surprised. Wasn’t sure if this was a good sign, anyway. In the past, his pain was relieved immediately when he visited the springs. With regular visits, he didn’t even feel any pain at all. He gulped down his incoming panic. Maybe if he stayed in the waters for a little longer…
“Don’t bother, boy.”
A feminine voice appeared from behind Red. Startled, he turned around within milliseconds. He was met with narrow, pink eyes, almost covered by raven bangs. Sabrina.
“What are you doing here?” Red asked apprehensively. He never learned to trust her fully, even though she did return to her Gym Leader duties all those years ago. They ran into each other once in these springs, but then never again. Almost as if she purposefully avoided going at the same time as him. Except for today.
“Same thing as you.” Sabrina held up her wrist and uncovered it, cringing at the motion of it. Her skin matched the look of his own. “I came to check the springs. The two of us experiencing this pain is quite the abnormality.”
She kneeled down and rid her right hand of her glove. Then, she lightly touched the water with her fingers before retracting it and making a fist. She closed her eyes, heaving a sigh. “As I suspected. The healing magic of the springs has run out. They’re nothing more than regular springs now.”
Red’s heart sank - no, it plummeted. There it was. His definitive answer.
He must’ve been ghostly pale. He assumed as much when Sabrina’s mouth formed a small ‘o’ as she gazed at him again. She managed to push out a wry smile as an attempt of comfort. “I’m sorry. I genuinely am.”
Red, out of all things, started to laugh. “Oh, no. It’s perfect, isn’t it? Unbeaten Champion for multiple triannual tournaments gets beat by his own body. If they can’t beat me, I just have to beat myself. Sure is ironic. Thank you for checking in, Sabrina.”
The psychic Gym Leader huffed in response, turning around. “I’ll be taking my leave now. Take care of yourself. You should go and see that little healer of yours.”
And she did just that, leaving Red in his fit of laughter. He laughed and laughed and laughed, until his laughter morphed into sobs and his tears rolled down into the hot springs.
~ ❄ ~
The blonde girl’s eyebrows knitted together as she passively rotated different points in Red’s arms, taking note of his groans whenever his joints moved. After a while she stopped, rolling back in her chair as she sighed. Red bit his lower lip and moved his sleeves back over his aching arms. His eyes scoured the rows of jars containing medicinal herbs that Yellow carefully procured over the years. He didn’t know what he was looking for, exactly. Perhaps he just wanted to look away from his friend’s concerned face.
“Yellow.” Red gulped, clasping his hands together in an unconscious attempt to keep them warm. “Spit it out. It doesn’t look good, does it?”
“It looks like you’ve developed long-term pain and numbness from your injuries. I can’t heal it with my powers if it’s chronic. I don’t know why the waters of the spring could suppress this for so long, but I seriously doubt a painkiller would mimic the effect the springs used to have.” Yellow explained. Her voice remained kind and calm, but Red knew it pained her to say it. She inhaled, before speaking up again. “I can and will prescribe you painkillers, but… with long term complications like these, you’ll have to take it easy. This seems an awful lot like frostbite arthritis. You can keep exercising, but you can’t overdo it. Not like…”
“Not like in battle. Not like how I battle.” Red finished her sentence with a sigh. It was once again a confirmation: he’d have to give up his title, one way or the other. The way he battled made him who he is today, changing it now and continuing to act as Champion compromised his chances of being able to pick a suitable successor himself. It would make him vulnerable, not to mention easy to beat.
Yellow reached out to pat his knee, a compassionate smile on her face. Red finally averted his eyes from the walls of her office to look at her. You could barely tell she had aged throughout the years: she still had the same, small posture with a young-looking, round face. Her hair was what made her look more mature: what was once a long flow of hair, was now a short but classy bob.
“Red, you’ve been the champion since you were only 11 years old. Most Champions don’t get crowned so young, not to mention reign for as long as you have. Not to mention how well you’ve fought for this region alongside us. However, like you have always cared for us, you have to take care of yourself now. You are in a very lucky position to be able to decide your own fate from here. Make use of it wisely.”
Yellow softly squeezed his knee before she got up to gather his medicine. Red slowly let the words sink in, and weighed them altogether with Green’s. He supposed he could also go and see Blue about it, but she’d only say the same things. This was the reality Red has to face now and he had to make peace with it, one way or the other. His fingers balled up into fists in his lap, refusing to let his emotions get the better of him again. He would decide his own fate. One step at a time.
“Meet me at my house, tomorrow at 5.” Red blurted out, his brain running at full speed. If he was going to go through with this, he wanted his best friends to be there and ensure his plan went perfectly. “Green and Blue will be there as well. I haven’t asked them yet, but they will be there. I need you all to be there.”
Yellow looked at him as she readied his package, one eyebrow arched upwards. “I’ll be there.”
~ ❄ ~
“So, are you going to tell us what was so urgent that you needed all three of us here so suddenly?” Blue asked, moving her legs up and down from her seat on Red’s kitchen counter. “Not that I mind. We rarely get to see each other all at the same time.”
Red fumbled with his fingers nervously. He had spent most of his day thinking his plan through and putting some bullet points on paper. Which, in all honesty, is the most he ever thought out a plan. But this, this had to go right. Not just for him, not just for his friends, but for the entirety of his region.
Green was the one that spotted his nerves first, seated on the opposite side of him. “Give him a minute. It’s important.”
Yellow nodded approvingly at Green’s words, but Red didn’t need a minute. He needed to get the hell over with it. A feeling of melancholy overwhelmed him, but he pushed through it the best he could. He’d get over it. He had friends surrounding him, who he was so grateful for. They’d help him unconditionally. He knew that much.
Red cleared his throat. “It has been confirmed that my injuries render me… unable to continue as Champion. The springs on Mt. Silver ran out of their healing magic, and Yellow’s only option is a low dosage of painkillers for ‘maintenance’ and getting the pain under control. This means my title will pass on sooner than I’d like it to, but because I’m giving it up early, I can do it on my own accords.”
He paused for a second, waiting for any initial reactions. His friends were still looking at him intently, waiting for him to continue. So, he did. “Green was my first choice, but as he kindly refused, I had to think about something else. And this, this is where you guys come in.”
Red held up a paper, two words inked on it in his messy handwriting.
“A tournament?” Blue read out loud in a questioning voice. “Isn’t that the usual way of passing over titles? And what does it have to do with us? I don’t have much interest in competing, not anymore. My job in Unova is quite busy.”
“I won’t be competing, and neither will you guys. All I’m asking you is to look out for young talent. Reach out to our battle-oriented juniors to scout, too. Sapphire, Black, Platinum, X, whoever took the Gym challenges seriously and has a knack for spotting talent. The talents are the ones that will be competing. I don’t care if they’re not originally from Kanto, they just have to be willing to move here and beat our Gyms as preliminaries. Let them create friendly rivalries with each other to keep them sharp, and the winner… I will personally mentor the winner until they are fully ready to take over from me.”
Silence fell over the room once again, as his friends ruminated on the idea. Red waited anxiously for one of them to speak up. He wasn’t quite sure if this was the good kind of silence or not. Green was the first one to finally speak up.
“I think it’s a solid plan. It’s very… you . I think it’ll work out well.” Green said, a sly smile covering his face. “It’ll hopefully mean more competent challengers for me, too. I won’t be holding back.”
“I wouldn’t want you to.” Red smiled, then turned to the girls. “Yellow, Blue? Are you willing to work with me on this plan, too?”
“Sure thing.” Blue nodded. “I’ll contact the juniors in Unova about it. I’m spending most of my time there, anyway. Feels like the old days, a tournament.”
“I’m not sure about how well I’ll be able to ‘scout’, but I’ll be reaching out to some of the other juniors.” Yellow replied, pushing a strand of her short hair behind her ear. She, just as his two other friends, looked at him encouragingly. A square of trust between the four of them, always.
Red still felt sad and frustrated, but most of it was subdued and under control now. Things wouldn’t always go as planned, he knew that all too well. It was a shame his injuries, and with that, his title had spun out of his control in the blink of an eye, but he was the one that controlled the damage. He would still decide his own path, even if this was taken from him.
He would still be able to fight, even without his hands.