Chapter Text
POV: Red
I’ve made a lot of questionable decisions throughout the past few years, but this one really is the strangest one of all. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing in front of Green's apartment. I haven't seen him in three years, and yet, I kept thinking about him during all that time, which has ultimately brought me here.
I’m not stalling or anything, I really will knock on his door today, but I feel as if I should tell you about the past few years to fully grasp my situation. I’ll knock today, I swear.
Around three or four years ago, back when I became the grand champion, I knew it was a terrible mistake, immediately. I should have just let Green win and keep his title. I should have just swallowed my pride and accepted defeat there.
The look on his face was one I never wanted to see again... He looked so discouraged and tired, like I effortlessly took everything he worked for.
"No! That can't be!" He shouted. "You beat me at my best! After all that work to become the League Champ? My reign is over already? It's not fair!" He covered his face with his hands and fell to his knees, yelling. It pained me to see him this way; back then I didn’t fully understand then what that meant to him. He whispered things I could barely hear, so I had to move closer.
"Why? Why did I lose? I never made any mistakes raising my pokemon…" Then he looked up at me, with a vicious look in his eyes I could still see past the tears that were building up.
"DAMN IT! You're the new Pokemon League Champion! Although I don't like to admit it…"
There was a pain in my chest that I couldn't comprehend at the time as I looked into his emerald eyes, shining with fury. I offered him a hand, which he batted away with force.
He got up on his own... and that's when I realized.
Once the champion is defeated, the challenger gains that title instead.
I really had taken away everything he worked for.
Professor Oak came running in through the door just then.
He congratulated me in my victory against Green, which made me feel worse. He did that in front of one of his last few blood-relatives; someone he should have been taking better care of. But it only got worse from there.
"I'm disappointed in you,” Professor Oak started with. “I came when I heard you'd beaten the Elite Four. But when I got here, you had already lost!" Green looked down at his feet, wiping away the unfallen tears from his eyes.
"Do you understand why you lost? You have forgotten to treat your pokemon with love and trust. Without them…" He spat the next words so sharply, even I felt the sting. "You will never become a champ again!"
Professor Oak then turned to me again, and said, "The bond you share with your pokemon is marvelous. Come with me." He turned, walking towards the Hall of Fame room.
I turned to back to Green once more and his eyes locked onto mine, shaking with anger, his tears finally spilling freely.
He got up quickly and ran from the room.
I do understand why it hurt him so much, in retrospect. There he was, finally having achieved his dream. He was the champion. He was proud of himself. Once his grandfather showed up, he would say how proud of him he is, and how he went so far since first dashing out of the lab. The professor would have congratulated him and publicly announce to the world that His grandson, Green Oak, was the best trainer in the entire world.
But It didn't happen that way. Instead, his rival showed up and took his title, and his only blood relative (besides his sister) called him a disappointment.
Green’s entire life goal since our childhood was to be the champion. My only goal was to keep up with my old friend. I can’t believe things ended up this way…
In the weeks that followed, I'd been staying at my mother's house. I told her I didn't want to see any one. I'd been getting calls from the League saying they want me to stay on as the official Kanto champion and that they'd pay me and all this other stuff. But I couldn't bring myself to accept. Every time I'd even consider accepting that role, I would see Green's tear-streaked angry face, and I'd feel a horrible stab in my chest. So I would always hang up, and ignore it for another day.
Green had refused to see me. Daisy would always answer the door when I knocked. I wouldn't even have to say anything, and she'd know why I was there. Eventually, I came to expect her sad smiles and head shakes.
I had tried for weeks to see him; I don't exactly remember what expression I made on a certain day, but she quietly added, "I'll let him know you stopped by." as she shut the door. I wanted to make it up to Green somehow, but I knew the league wouldn't accept him as the champion knowing there was 'someone' out there stronger than him. I needed to figure something out sooner rather than later.
The guilt was eating at my soul. I just couldn't stand it that the only person I ever respected and chased after would never want to see me again over something I felt wasn’t even worth it. I felt like I was being torn in two. Until this moment, I never even knew I was capable of such an intense feeling.
Mother was getting concerned over the way I would lay in bed all day, staring at the ground. She didn't know what happened up there and how it messed us both up, I had never told her. One day, Celadon Department Store to buy an evolution stone, to get me out of the house. At that point, I hadn't left in three days. Mother said that she was considering evolving her Vulpix and it’d be nice to have a stone around, just in case. I did so without a second thought, of course, since it was her asking. If she said there was a certain brand of water only sold in Lavender, I’d have gone there, too.
But I ran into Green at the store, on the fourth floor. (Looking back at it now, Mother and Daisy definitely planned that out.)
His eyes widened, and for a minute he looked panicked, but then his eyes narrowed as he stared at me. Just seeing Green again froze my entire world. Without thinking, I closed the distance between us and grabbed his wrist. He tried to twist away from me, but it didn't work. He then looked up at me, with a discouraged expression, his brilliant green eyes meeting my dull, red ones. With our slight height difference, I’d hoped I didn't seem as if I was looking down on him figuratively as well as literally.
"Green…" I breathed out.
His averted his eyes, and said quietly, "They all think I’m a fraud.”
It took me a moment to register what had been said, but he meant the League. The civilians. Everyone...
"The League regrets giving me that spot in the first place. They said 'if he was beaten that easily, maybe he wasn't even the right choice.' Can you imagine how that makes me feel, Red? They say I was a mistake. Ignoring the fact that I had earned the eight gym badges, AND beat the elite four, AND clawed my way to the top. That I’ve worked my ass off to get there, and it was all because of you!" He was shouting right at me then, and two nearby cashiers turned their heads to look at us.
"Gramps basically disowned me; says I brought great shame to the Oaks. All because of you! I HAD EVERYTHING! I was RIGHT THERE! I had finally achieved my dreams! I'd…" And he looked down and started shaking.
I pulled him into my arms. With his face buried into my shoulder, I could tell he knew what I was trying to convey at that moment. That's just how it is when you’ve know someone for as long as we do. He wrapped his arms around my waist and hugged me tight. Everything little felling he had bottled up, he let out. It was like a fountain of pure emotions. I've never heard him be so ..upset before. It hurt me immensely to know I caused this.
As we stood there in front the evolutions stones at Wiseman Gifts in Celadon Department Store, I realized something: I never want to see Green like this ever again. I wanted to do everything in my power to keep him from feeling this way ever again. I wanted to protect him. Forever.
Even if it was from myself...
That's when I had the idea to disappear without a trace.
The next day, without a word to anyone in Pallet, I left, with only seven pokemon on me. I did make a stop over at the League before I vanished. I told them I officially decline the championship status. They tried to convince me to accept, but absolutely nothing they said would make me think otherwise. All I could see was the beautiful, snarky boy with the big grin and green eyes, shattered to pieces.
I told them I didn't beat Green on “my first try” because he was a bad trainer, but because I’ve been battling him since we got our hands on our first pokemon. I had known his strategies since we were children, and I know the strengths he valued in his team composition. Green is an excellent trainer, and the way the league treated his efforts was downright disrespectful to him and his struggles.
I told them it would be in everyone’s best interest if they were to review the battle video of us. Let them see for themselves what a final battle between decade old friends really looked like. Even the conversation we had before our battle referenced our past relationship.
On those words, I left, When I was eighteen.
The only reason I wanted to be the champion in the first place was because Green wanted to be it, too. Before we set out on our journey, we were best friends, playing all the time. He suddenly stopped being so kind one day and started being a sort of a bully instead. Still, I didn't want to lose him…
So I followed him. Became a pokemon trainer, and set off on a quest of my own as well.
And then, well, you know how it ended…
So where could I go in the region where no one would find me? Some where I could just disappear to? My research had found that Mt. Silver was the most secluded mountain, because of all the strong wild pokemon there. I’d decided that it was nothing my squad couldn’t handle; Pikachu, Charizard, Venasuar, Blastoise, Snorlax, Eevee, and Lapras. I figured it was perfect, as I could focus on us instead, and train harder than we’ve ever done.
I know I was up there for a long time, however, longer than I probably thought. I didnt keep track of all the days, I had to just guess after a while. I don't know what really happened in the world below, but I was content to be in this cave with my friends. My only real regret was not knowing what became of Green afterwards. I wished every day that everything pulled through for him…
My second year (approximately?) of my seclusion, a younger boy had found his way toward me. I haven’t seen another human the entire time up until then, so I was surprised to hear footsteps crunching in the snow.
He had short black hair with longer bangs on the front swept to the right, framing his face. The most striking thing about him were his honeyed gold eyes, wild, as if surprised.
“Who are you?” He shouted across the howling wind of the ever present storm. “Are you The Legend?”
I didn’t know what he was talking about, but he ran up to me and informed me of people reported having spotted me down by the creek sometimes, wondering if I was actually the Legendary Red or not.
I didnt know about any legend, but I told him I was named Red. He said something about that I have been living under a rock, and then he went on to explain how that Title came to be. Apparently, there was a region-wide search for me issued. The League called my house again fearing I was suicidal after what I told them, and when Mom told them she didn't know where I've been for weeks, the warrant went out.
That... was alarming, but it was all just a silly misunderstanding, I'm sure. Gold then said that happened years before, so it probably wasn’t a big deal anymore. He said he wouldn't tell anyone if I was The Red or not.
Ever since, Gold has been challenging me to battles, but he has never won before yet. His Typhlosion is tough as nails though-- Johto pokemon are still so strange to me. These days, Gold has sort of given up on battling me and has resorted to telling me about his days and hanging out, which is very welcomed. Often, he comes up to the mountain just to talk to me. I've never been the chatty gossip type, so I usually sit by him and lend him an ear. He's pleasant company. I suppose he's been traveling alone for so long that he's forgotten what it really feels like to have someone listen.
All of his stories reminded me of my childhood. He collected all the kanto badges after his johto challenge, and he’s also fought Team Rocket, which, admittedly, did concern me-- I thought they had disbanded when I defeated Giovanni.
Gold also has a rival named Silver, which is very cool that they are also named after colors, but he said Silver was actually Giovanni's estranged son. Giovanni was an awful man, but.. But if Gold has nothing but good things to say about him(he even went as far to say they're close friends), then Silver couldn’t be all that bad if someone as cheerful as Gold was fond of him. That kind of talk always reminds me of my own “rival”… It's been near impossible to get him off my mind.
Gold has also been kind enough to bring snacks. He’s brought me something called a Rage Candy Bar from johto on occasion, and that’s always a treat.
He was just telling me how he’d managed to beat the elite four a second time, when all my thoughts immediately went back to Green for the fourth time in that conversation.
Did everything work out for him? What happened after I left? … Did he… miss me?
I only sighed his name out loud, missing the way the way it sounded, which Gold somehow managed to catch me say.
"Huh? Wait, you said Green, right? Like… Do you mean the Gym Leader? You know him?" Gold asked me excitedly. "Oh yeah, huh! He did mention you once! Said he used to be the kanto champion for a short-lived period of time, thanks to someone named 'Red'. That was YOU? YOU’RE that Red?"
I could only stare back at him. How did he meet him? When did he meet him? Green still thinks about me?
I have to get out of here, I thought. I have to go see Green.
As I made a move to get up, Gold ran over to me, alarmed. "Woah, woah! Where are you headin' off to! I'm still here to challenge you, Red! I know I havent beaten you yet, but today I'm really feelin' it!"
I'm not sure if it was that I wanted to get him out of the way quickly, or if I had just simply lost the battling ambition, or if I just wanted to let him win, but I did end up losing. I grinned at Gold, as he processed what happened, stunned, and I left on Charizard. I felt free, finally free of all restraints.
And where's the first place I went?
I flew straight to his house in Pallet after I left Gold stranded on that mountain. Daisy opened the door, looking like she'd seen a ghost. I couldn't quite put my finger on the expression she showed, I was too pumped with adrenaline to register it. She sputtered, and I could tell she had a lot to tell me, but I just couldn't spare any time. I felt as if I would combust if I didn't find Green immediately. I whispered to her to not tell anyone I was back yet, and she nodded smiling hard and crying regardless. I didn't feel anything when I saw her tears; I just had to find Green.
Daisy wrote out his address and gave me some visual directions, then I hopped onto Charizard again and we booked it to Viridian City.
So, here we are. I’m still not quite sure what it is I’m doing in front of Green's apartment. I haven't seen him in around three years.. what if he didn't want to see me anymore? What would we even say to each other? How long ago did Green tell Gold that stuff? My nerves were starting to jumble up around me.
Now, I felt extremely silly. I rushed over here without even considering he wouldn't accept me with open arms. I ruined his life and reputation three years ago. He probably doesnt even care about me anymore. He probably sold all the things I gave him, shaved his head, and renamed himself Blue. At this point, I had convinced myself he wouldn't accept me. Maybe I should just head back to Mt. Silver. I can try tomorrow, when I haven't worked myself up. Plus, I could apologize to Gold for leaving him like that.
As I was about to run away again, I heard the door knob jingling.
And suddenly, the door opened.