"Hey, Red—do you know Professor Oak?"

As the children wandered aimlessly around the plateau, one of the kids piped up, his curious voice breaking the relaxed silence. He followed closely behind Red, along with the other children, their eager faces reflecting their interest.

L remained quiet, silently trailing behind them. Her thoughts drifted to the well-known Pokémon researcher from the affluent part of town.

"The old guy at the edge of the town?" Red raised a brow in curiosity, leaning his head back against his arms in a leisurely manner as he strolled forward.

"What about that weirdo?" he huffed, puffing up his chest with a mixture of pride and skepticism. His confident demeanor was hard to miss.

"Well..." one of the boys hesitated, his voice trailing off as he darted his eyes away, unsure of how to continue.

"People say he knows a whole lot about Pokémon!" the little girl from earlier chimed in enthusiastically, her face lighting up with a wide grin. Her excitement was contagious, and the other children nodded in agreement.

"Maybe he can teach us a thing or two about how to catch them?" The boy holding the net and basket from earlier suggested, his voice tinged with hope. He glanced at Red with wide, expectant eyes, as if the very idea of learning from Professor Oak filled him with excitement.

"You don't need that old nut," Red replied with a casual shrug, a carefree and smug smile spreading across his face. His confidence was almost palpable, radiating from him in waves. L, who had been silently trailing behind, let out a quiet sigh at Red's display of arrogance. His demeanor often struck her as overly self-assured, but she couldn’t deny his skill. "I'll teach you everything you need to know," Red continued, his voice brimming with certainty.

"Maybe..." one of the children murmured, their voice tinged with uncertainty and a hint of doubt. The hesitation in their tone was palpable.

"But they say Professor Oak taught his grandson to be one of the world's greatest Pokémon Trainers..." the little girl added, her face lighting up with enthusiasm. The other kids nodded in agreement, their excitement growing with the mention of the famed professor's family. L slightly perked up at the mention of the Pokémon researcher's grandson. She had seen him a few times before but never caught his name.

"His grandson!?" Red snapped his head around to look at the children, disbelief etched on his face. His eyes widened as he processed the information. "Yeah. He's been studying overseas for a long time. He just got back," the little boy said, a mixture of nervousness and excitement playing on his features.

Red merely let out a dismissive huff, turning his head away as he continued to move forward. His steps were determined, his mind set on proving himself. He pulled out his PokéBall and examined it with a self-assured smirk, as if the simple object was a testament to his prowess. The sunlight gleamed off its polished surface, adding to the aura of confidence that surrounded him. Red tore his gaze away from the PokéBall and looked straight ahead, his eyes filled with determination. "I don't care who he is—he doesn't stand a chance against me!" he declared loudly, his voice echoing with conviction as he pushed his cap up in a defiant gesture.

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"For sure!" Red grinned, holding his PokéBall aloft as the light bounced off it, casting reflections around the group. His confidence was infectious, and the children watched him with admiration.

---

"See you tomorrow!" The children called out, their voices ringing with the innocence and excitement of youth as they ran back towards Pallet Town, waving enthusiastically.

"See ya!" Red waved back, a wide grin plastered on his face. L stood quietly beside him, her eyes following the children as they hurried off, some stumbling in their haste. The fading light cast long shadows, creating a serene yet melancholic atmosphere.

Once the children were out of sight, Red let out a small sigh, turning his back and folding his arms. L watched him intently, one brow raised in curiosity. She turned to face him fully, her expression questioning.

"... What is it?" she asked, her voice low and devoid of emotion as she tilted her head slightly to the side. Red merely shrugged his shoulders and began to walk forward. "Nothing," he replied dismissively.

L didn't press further, her eyes lingering on his retreating form before she shook her head slightly. She fell into step beside him, her eyes constantly scanning their surroundings with quiet vigilance.

"Old Professor Oak, huh...?" she heard him mutter. L turned her gaze towards him, noting the deep concentration on his face as he hung his head low, his arms still folded.

She was about to ask him if he wanted to meet the renowned Pokémon researcher, but her thoughts were abruptly interrupted as they both collided with a solid figure. "Oomf!" Red yelped in surprise, stumbling back as he shook his head. L took a step back as well, her eyes locking onto the towering figure before them.

"Watch it, you worm!" a man dressed in all black snarled, glaring down at them with an intense scowl. "Eep!" Red stepped back quickly, moving to stand beside L for support. The young girl, however, glared defiantly back at the man, her eyes burning with annoyance. The man's confidence wavered under L's gaze, and he clicked his tongue in irritation, muttering something under his breath before striding away to join a small group in the distance, all dressed similarly in black.

L's sharp eyes caught the subtle red "R" emblazoned on the back of the man's shirt, barely visible in the dappled light filtering through the trees.

"Wh-where'd those guys come from?" Red stammered, his voice tinged with anxiety as he watched the man's retreating figure. He remained close to L, his earlier bravado replaced with unease.

He quickly shook his head, trying to regain some of his composure and dignity. Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward, his face a mask of boldness and courage. The earlier encounter had rattled him, but he was determined not to show it.

L rolled her eyes at him, her mind drifting back to the red "R" emblazoned on the man's shirt. There was something disturbingly familiar about it, a distant memory she couldn't quite grasp. She pushed the thought to the back of her mind, reminding herself that now was not the time to dwell on it.

When she turned back to face Red, she realized he was no longer beside her. "That... that kid..." L sighed, a look of mild irritation and annoyance settling on her face. Shaking her head, she scanned the area, hoping to catch sight of the troublesome boy.

Her eyes finally landed on Red's familiar figure, crouching behind a tree, eavesdropping on the group of men in the distance. She quickly made her way towards him, her sharp gaze noticing the men fleeing the scene. As soon as they were gone, Red emerged from his hiding spot, a mischievous smirk playing on his lips.

'What is it this time?...' she thought, feeling uneasy and on edge. Whenever he had that look on his face, it usually meant trouble was brewing.

Sensing a presence beside him, Red spun around, his eyes wide with caution. He relaxed when he saw his best friend, L, standing there. "Oh, it's just you. I thought it was one of those guys," he said, letting out a sigh of relief.

L raised an eyebrow at him, her expression a mix of curiosity and exasperation. She knew Red well enough to recognize the glint in his eye—he was up to something, and she had a feeling it was going to drag them both into another adventure.