Pokémon Red

The Viridian Forest (Red)

As I was heading towards the Viridian Forest, I heard a man's voice calling my name but it just felt like it was in my head and nothing else. I continued walking and then stopped when a man in a lab coat said,' Wait, Red. I've been trying to stop you'.

It was one of the junior scientists who worked with Professor Oak. He wore a black pants and a blue shirt under the lab coat and lab glasses. His hair were pretty messed up as if he just survived an explosion, obviously the chemical one.

'Yes ?', I said, curious to know why he was here. 'Professor Oak', he said. 'What happened to him ?', I asked. 'Um, nothing happened to him. He asked me to give this to you', he said, handing me a small memory card or something like that.

'What is this ?', I asked, smiling. He asked for the Pokedex and I handed it to him. He put the memory card in the a slot in the Pokedex. 'From now on you won't have any problem with directions. Just select the Town Map option in the Pokedex and it would tell exactly where you have to go', said the scientist. Then he patted my shoulders for my good luck and then went back.

I continued walking towards a rusty gate with Viridian Forest written on it. I pushed the gate open and entered the forest when suddenly a Police Officer stopped me from going. 'Wait, kid. You are not authorized to go inside', he said.

'Wait, why is that so ?', I asked.
'Don't ask anything, just go away', he said.
'But please tell me the reason'.
'Kid, there are sightings of rare and dangerous and powerful Pokemons in the forest'.
'But how would I go to the other side of the forest ?'.

Then something clicked my mind and I turned on my Pokedex. And there were some options for Pokemon , Attack , Item , Type , Town Map and Settings. I selected the Town Map option and it asked me to turn on the GPS access. After turning it on, it displayed my exact location - Viridian Forest. In the south there was Viridian City and the north - Pewter City. The one and only way to Pewter was Viridian Forest.

'I've to go to the Pewter City', I said.
'For what ?'.
'Gym battle'.
'You a trainer ?'.
'Yes, I am. Why ?'.
'Then you can go. I thought you were some normal kid'.
'What do you mean by normal ?'.
'Uh, a kid who doesn't do anything but sit and watch TV and study and play'.

I realized that I was just wasting my time there and nothing else, I ignored the man and continued inside the Viridian Forest.

It was huge. I could only see the green colour all around except for the sky. There was some fragrance that filled the entire forest. It was a pleasant fragrance of nature.

There was a lot of vegetation in the forest that made me feel even better. Right in front there was a Pokemon Trainer of my age who just stood by a big tree. He wore blue track pants and yellow t-shirt.

'Hello',he said looking at me.
'Um, hello',I replied.
'Are you a Pokemon Trainer too ?',he asked.
'Yes', I said.
'Great. You're also from Viridian City ?'.
'No,I'm from Pallet'.
'Oh, it's quite calm there. Viridian is much more lively'.
'Yeah, I know that. So why are you standing there'.
'Just waiting for a friend'.
'So you are travelling with a friend ?'.
'Yeah'.
'Amazing'.
'I know, you travelling alone ?',he asked.
'Yes'.
'That is not bad either'.
'So where is your friend ?', I asked.
'He went deeper into the forest and I'm just too afraid to go'.
'You can come with me and I can help you finding him'.
'Thanks man, wait what about a battle ?',he asked.
'Yes, I would love to have a battle 'what, I said.

My hands went for Charmander's Pokeball.
He held a Pokeball too. 'Go Jigglypuff', he said. 'What's that ?', I said, pointing the Pokedex towards it.

'Jigglypuff, a Balloon Pokemon.It captivates foes with its huge, round eyes, then lulls them to sleep by singing a soothing melody', explained the Pokedex.

'I choose you, Charmander. Come on out', I said.
'Charmander ?', he said, pointing his Pokedex.

'Charmander, a Lizard Pokemon.From the time it is born, a flame burns at the tip of its tail. Its life would end if the flame were to go out', explained the Pokedex.

'Jigglypuff, use Pound', he said.
'Charmander, Smokescreen', I said.
'Jigglypuff, try to see where it is'.
'Charmander, Ember'.
A critical hit.
'Jigglypuff, there it is. Use Disable. Now Charmander cannot use Ember'.
'Oh,no. Charmander, use Metal Claw'.
Jigglypuff fainted.
'No way',he said.
'Well done Charmander', I said. 'Come back'.

The battle wasn't too long. But it made Charmander stronger. 'Come on let's go'.
'I'll wait here. Please go on', he said.

I didn't argue and walked deeper into the forest. The fragrance grew even more. I remembered about the dangerous and rare Pokemons the watchman told me about.

Suddenly, there was a footstep sound just coming from a grass patch in front of me and a Pokemon appeared. I pointed the Pokedex.

'Pidgey, a Tiny Bird Pokemon. A common sight in forests and woods. It flaps its wings at ground level to pick up blinding sand', explained the Pokedex.

'Go Pikachu', I said.
Pikachu came out of its Pokeball.
Pidgey flapped it's wings at ground level and used the Sand Attack which got into Pikachu's eyes.
'Pikachu, can you see ?', I asked.
Pikachu shook his head to say no.
'So then I'll be your eyes', I said

Pikachu nodded to say yes.
'Pikachu, Thundershock at forty five degree angle', I said. Pikachu used Thundershock at the flying Pidgey. I threw a Pokeball and the Pidgey went inside. The Pokeball shook and then flashed. The Pidgey was caught.

'Hey', said the same Pokemon Trainer I met.
'Hi', I said. There was another boy with him now who was definitely his friend he was looking for.

'My friend also wants a battle', he said.
'Alright', I said. 'Go Charmander'.
'Go Caterpie', said his friend.
'What's that ?', I said pointing the Pokedex.

'Caterpie, a Worm Pokemon.
It is covered with a green skin. When it grows, it sheds the skin, covers itself with silk, and becomes a cocoon', explained the Pokedex.

'Charmander, Scartch'.
'Caterpie, String Shot'.
Charmander looked tired.
'Caterpie, Tackle'.
Charmander was too tired that it sat on the ground.
'Charmander, I switch you for now. Come back, go Pidgey'.
'Caterpie, Tackle'.
Pidgey was already had a battle with Pikachu, so it fainted. Caterpie flashed and grew bigger. It evolved.

I pointed the Pokedex.
'Metapod, a Cocoon Pokemon. Even though it is encased in a sturdy shell, the body inside is tender. It can't withstand a harsh attack', explained the Pokedex.

'Come back, go Charmander', I said.
'Metapod, Harden'.
'Charmander, Ember'.
Metapod fainted.
'Come back, well done'.
'Wait , you're not using anymore ?', I asked.
'No , I don't have any more', he said.
'Then I lost', I said.
'You used two, Charmander and Pidgey. I used two, Caterpie and Metapod'.

That wasn't a nice logic.
They went to the other way and continued walking. Then I saw a wild Weedle. I pointed the Pokedex but it said no information provided for this Pokemon. That was a kind of strange. But then it transformed into the same Pokemon I saw the previous night of my birthday - Mew. Then it transformed into the legendary Pokemon Zapdos and flew away.

So there was just one rare Pokemon and everybidy thought there were many. But what Pokemon was that actually, it could transform into any.

I took a deep breath and ran towards the direction it flew. It lead me to a hill from which Pewter City was visible. There was a sign board that said Pewter City, Ten Kilometers. I brought out a sleeping bag from my bag and slept beside a tree.

I woke up with a start and continued to Pewter City.