After that embarrassing shout at nothing, Red looked around to see if anyone saw, relieved at the lack of presence, he sighed.

'Phew, that woulda been embarrassing if someone saw me.'

Red made his way to forward only to hear his name being called by 2 feminine voices. He turned around to see a woman he recognized as his own mother, and a friend he recognized as Leaf.

"Red! Red!"

"Yeah?"

The ladies finally caught up to him and took a second to catch their breaths.

"So, did you get it?"

Red smiled and reached his hand into his bag and took out a Pokeball.

"Charmander, come out!" He yelled with passion.

'Damn it feels so good to say that and watch it happen.'

A bright light was emitted from the Pokeball as it took shape into a Charmander.

'Hahaha, this is my Charmander, mine! Damn it's way too beautiful I swear.'

"Wahhh!~~" The ladies gasped as they began to rub and hug Charmander. Quite the ladies man isn't he.

'Ah! I almost forgot I have to build a good relationship with Charmander to strengthen our bond.'

"Charmander! Here boy!" Red yelled with enthusiasm and happiness at the sight of this great creature.

Charmander heard his owner and with a happy jump, he landed in his embrace. Red had the most peaceful smile and face he has had his whole lifetime, in both worlds. Having a Pokemon in your embrace feels much better than anything else in this world, that's a fact.

"Hey Red, did you happen to obtain a Pokedex too, by any chance?"-Mom

"Yeah, I have it right here."-Red

"Well take it back to Oak with your new P-Phone X, he will give you a special form of the Pokedex that he has successfully tested and created not too long ago."-Mom

"Hmm, ok then!" Red said with a big smile beneath all his confusion.

'New form? What is this?'

He walked back to the Pokelab and showed Oak his phone and Pokedex.

"Ah! You should have mentioned you had the newest P-Phone model, I have something I can add to it. Hurry and give me your Pokedex and P-Phone X!"

"Ok," Red said with a confused look.

He handed both the devices to Oak, and Oak left quickly. while waiting, Red decided to deepen his bond with Charmander, so they played catch with the 25 pokeballs that Oak had gifted him for his journey. Charmander really enjoyed catch and shown by the ever-increasing enthusiasm in his movements, his trust in Red was increasing.

'He's actually really cute, isn't he?'

"Alright, it is finished."

Oak came back with only the Phone in his hand, nothing else.

"Hmm? Wheres the pokedex?"

"I installed it straight into your phone, now you can more efficiently keep track of the Pokemon you discover."

"Cool!"

'This is great! Much more efficient than carrying around both the Pokedex and the phone.'

"Thank you, Professor Oak!"

"You are most definitely welcome Red. Oh and by the way, I recommend going to Viridian city first after you make it through Viridian forest and all the routes in between. Heal up your Pokemon there in the Pokemon center and make your way to Pewter city, where you will truly begin your adventure!"

'Of course, I know all of this old man.'

"Ok, thank you very much, professor."

"No problem, now get on out of here."

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

"haha! Bye!"

Red ran out and said goodbye to Leaf and his mother one last time.

"Will you visit often?"-Mom

"Of course I will."

"Red! I will become a trainer and I will catch up to you! No! Surpass you!"-Leaf

"Haha! I am looking forward to it!" Red said with a bright smile which caused her to lose focus and slightly blush.

"Seeya!" Red yelled as he ran out of the town, through the wilderness.

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"Amazing!" 

While looking at the Pokemon in the wilderness, Red couldn't help but praise.

Pidgeys, caterpies, weedles, metapods, rattatas, spearows, and much more. So much variety in all the different Pokemon around, Red couldn't help but get excited. 

"Time for the first battle, Charmander I choose you!"

Red chose a caterpie to fight for his first battle.

The ball hit the floor and a strong light was emitted as it took shape into a lizard with a pure, strong flame burning on his tail.

-----------------------------------------

The Pokemon each had the others attention and the fight was on!

"Charmander, use scratch!"

Charmander jumped towards the slow caterpie and scratched it, a whimper was heard as he dealt high damage to it.

It instantly retaliated by tackling him, then taking advantage of Charmander's imbalance, shot string shot, drastically slowing him.

'Alright, now that I am damaged and slowed, I gotta play the douchebag move!"

"Use growl!"

Charmander gave a half menacing, half cute roar, but it did the job.

Caterpie attempted to tackle Charmander.

"Wait until he is close, then sidestep!" 

Charmander sidestepped in the last second.

"NOW! Scratch!"

Charmander scratched the recovering Caterpie. 

Critical hit! 

Even if the Caterpie hit him, with the lowered attack from growl, the damage would be minimal.

It fainted, and Charmander looked very excited, probably due to the adrenaline from the battle.

Red ran and hugged Charmander.

"We did it, buddy! We won our first battle!"

Red felt great, no more than great, he couldn't stop the happiness and his ever-increasing pulse. 

'That felt great! That's a Pokemon battle, isn't it! Hahaha!' 

"Time for the next one!"

-----------------------------

Pidgey used Gust!

"Charmander dodge and use it now!"

That's right, ember! He learned it a fight after Red's first fight.

The blaze coming from the tail reached the bird, bypassing the wind that would have blocked it, roasting the bird.

A Pokeball soon followed.

"Alright, although not a permanent member, it will do for now.

3 knocks on the ball later and it was caught.

"Hahaha! My first caught Pokemon!"

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Red continued on his path and his fighting continued. Although there was no concept of leveling, there definitely was improvement every fight. In fact, Charmanders speed, strength, and flames got stronger with each and every fight. Not only that but he was getting used to fighting. This allowed him to act on his own in some situations without Red having to order him as much. This is what Pokemon training was, making them better and stronger with every fight!

Pidgey was improving a lot too, its size and strength grew as it obtained more battle experience and learned. Red was getting the hang of training Pokemon and Pokemon fights. It was truly different than Pokemon fights in games, there was no turn base and there truly was a lot of action and strategy. He purely had to choose when and how to attack the enemy Pokemon, which was very taxing. Surely more so than turn-based fighting. But nonetheless it was exhilarating, Red even began to sweat and feel emotions in the middle of battle, almost as if he was fighting alongside Charmander up there.

'Ah, so this is what it means to treasure Pokemon as partners and friends, not just tools. We both are fighting together, and without one another we cannot accomplish much, but together, we can reach the skies!'

Red's epiphany allowed his and his Pokemon's fighting prowess soar to a new level, one mustn't just order a Pokemon around, they must think of all aspects, including the Pokemon's energy, emotions, and pain.

Red continued fighting, slowly improving with every encounter. He refused to catch basic Pokemon like rattata and spearow, but Pidgey was a good addition, for now.

------------------------------

"Hey, you! Fight me!"

And finally, an answer to Red's expectations, Trainers do exist! Well, at least the annoying wilderness trainers.

"Alright then! If its a fight you want its a fight you'll get!"

------------------------------------

"Metapod I choose you!" yelled the kid enthusiastically

Red couldn't help but start laughing.

'haha! A Metapod, let me guess, he will harden the whole fight?'

And to Red's expectations, he was right.

"Charmander! Ember"

"Harden!"

"Hahaha!"

"Hey! Whats so funny"

"Nothing kid, nothing."

"I am not a kid, you're probably my age!"

"Mhmm."

The battle didn't take long, 2 embers and the metapod was out. Next Pokemon he sent up? Another Metapod!

"Hahahaha!" Red couldn't help but laugh yet again.

-----------------------------------

'Trainer fights are pretty fun, but I need to find an actual competent trainer instead of some kid who catches every caterpie he sees.'

Red continued onward, facing many challengers along the way. He gradually got stronger and stronger, until the fated day came, in which he would have his first fight with blue. 

He was walking normally in the woods, with Charmander waddling cutely behind him when he spotted someone he knew.

'Blue!'

That's right! His rival who had been a pain in the ass for the past few years and wouldn't stop being one for a while to come.

"Red! I can't believe someone like you could make it this far, I have got to say that I am proud."

"Mhmm"

Red nodded annoyingly and sarcastically. This same remark that would haunt Blue even in his nightmares due to annoyance began today.

"Fight me you loser!"

"Do you really enjoy losing Blue?"

-----------------

"Go Bulbasaur!"

A green small Pokemon was released from the capsule as it roared with its raspy little voice.

"Bul-ba-saur!"

"Hmph, that turd can't stand a chance against my Charmander!"

"Go Charmander!"

"You may have the type advantage Red, but I will prevail with my exceedingly advanced skill in Pokemon fighting."

"We'll see about that!"

And so the battle of rivals truly began that day, in that little forest. Their fight, which may seem insignificant currently, will mean much more for the world, and they don't even know it!(Obviously not including Mason)