Pokémon Red (Book 3)

Origins : The Man In The Mask

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Chapter - 2
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Mr. and Mrs. Satoshi lived in Pallet Town, in the Kanto Region. Mr. Satoshi worked at the Silph Company and was also the most efficient scientist in all of Kanto. Mrs. Satoshi was a teacher who taught kindergarten and a few upper grades.

In 2003, they had a son together, named Red. Mr. Ben Satoshi wanted him to be a Pokemon Trainer, something Ben failed to be but hoped that one day his son would be able to do what he couldn't.

8 Years Later

Ben's company assigned him a project in association with his invention called the Master Ball, a Pokeball that can capture any Pokemon without it breaking free.

One day he received a mysterious phone call.

"Ben, I need to talk to you. I've heard great things about you and I might need your help." Said the man on the phone.

"Who is this?" Asked Ben. "Do I know you?"

"I don't have time, you should understand the importance of time, right?" Said the man. "Or maybe the importance of having a living family, it wouldn't be great to have the corpses of your wife and son sitting on the couch."

"What do you want?" Ben cried. "Please don't do anything to them. I'll do anything for you."

"Good." Said the man. "I want you to take a bus to your office. That's all you need to do."

Ben had a feeling that he might never come back and without any hesitation, he walked outside, thinking about his son who he loved. Ben met Professor Oak, a well know Pokemon Scientist, and handed him Pikachu, the Pokemon Ben's son loved a lot.

He then takes a bus to Saffron City but on the way it was stopped by Team Rocket. All the passengers were forced outside and Ben was kidnapped by Team Rocket. And the bus was burned. The passengers couldn't tell anyone about this fake accident as Team Rocket threatened them too.

Ben was kept hostage at Sevii Island Rocket Warehouse, where he was ordered to build the Master Ball. Within 2 years, he managed to build it.

Giovanni killed Ben's wife and son to force Ben into going back to capture Mewtwo.

Ben was sent back to 1999 using the GS Ball to capture Mewtwo from the lab where it was created.

"Doctor Fuji." Said Ben, looking at the familiar scientist he was friends with in his time.

"Do I know you?" Asked Fuji.

"Not in this time, you don't. I need to tell you something." Said Ben. And slowly he told Fuji everything.

"I have an idea." Said Fuji. "You might be able to save your family, Ben."

"Is that possible?"

"If you somehow have an influence on Giovanni, like a secret angel who tells Giovanni what to do and you already know what's going to happen, it might help you." Said Fuji. "I know it's a huge risk, you may end up erasing yourself."

"I want to do this! I want to take away every piece of his happiness. He ruined my life, I'm not going to forgive him under any circumstances." Ben cried.

Ben did not capture Mewtwo, nor did he use the GS Ball to go back to 2013. He started creating a new timeline where a mysterious Masked Man tells Giovanni what to do.

He gains Giovanni's trust withing a few months. He orders Giovanni to capture the 2011 version of himself and send him back. Giovanni did what he asked and did not murder Ben's family.

In 2013, Ben drops the GS Ball in his son's way so that Red recieves the GS Ball.

Present

"Giovanni knows about me. He doesn't know my real identity but he knows that I'm not his brother, and it's just a matter of time he learns my true identity."

Ben created the voice log in the hidden basement in his Pallet Town house, where his wife and son lived.

He walked here and there, thinking what he could do to stop Giovanni. I messed up - he thought. It's been 18 years of perfect planning and now I finally mess up, I can't even have those years back. For the first time I have no idea, no strategy to defeat Giovanni. He wants Mewtwo to do whatever he wants to do, and the Mewtwo is clearly not in safe hands, it's with a kid, if Giovanni even learns about the whereabouts, it'll be over. He doesn't need the GS Ball anymore, so that's useless. Wait, I can call Looker again, he'll be able to help. No, no. Not a good idea.

"I'm clueless." Ben whispered.

"You don't have to be." Said Professor Oak. "It's great to see you again, old friend."

"How did you-"

"I built this place, remember?" Said Oak. "I was shocked to see you in the security camera, why would you come here? What happened to your safehouse?"

"Team Rocket knows about it now. I had no other option than to leave. I sealed the tunnel though, they would never know where it ends." Ben handed Oak a glass of water.

"Don't worry, Red is fine." Oak smiled. "He has grown up to be a brilliant person, I still feel sorry for him, why would you give him the GS Ball? He messed up badly, lost the Kanto League because of time travel."

"I wanted it in safe hands and I couldn't come to you at that time. I thought leaving it in his way would be the best option. And I ensured that the ball was locked." Ben explained. "It was your fault that you sent that Ketchum kid to Kurt to get it unlocked."

"I was just curious about what makes time travel possible. Something is inside that ball and being a Pokemon Scientist, I just thought it was best I know what's inside. Nevermind."

"It's okay, Samuel. I'm just stuck now." Ben frowned. "Giovanni thought I was someone else, he referred me as brother. Does Giovanni has any relatives?"

"None that I know about. Except for his wife and his son and the new born girl who I don't even know is real or not." Said Samuel.

"She's not real. It was just a lie he told the world and everyone belived it. We can't even use the brainwash gun on Giovanni, don't know who else is with him." Said Ben. "Can't even trust Looker now."

"You're right. I think you should meet your family once, let them know you're alive." Said Oak. "It's been 3 years, Ben."

"18 years. It's been 18 years for me Oak. I went back to 1999 and lived in isolation for 11 years. I want those years back, if not for Giovanni, I would be teaching my son battle tactics. I'd be watching my son become the Kanto Champion, if not for Giovanni my son would've been the Kanto Champion right now. None of this is fine, Samuel. Giovanni is going to pay for all his sins."

"He will, Ben." Said Oak. "Meanwhile, we can find that 'brother' of his."

"There's only one way to do that. Pull out the military records for every Giovanni who has ever existed. Would that be possible?"

"Sure, I can manage that for you." Oak promised. "We'll find that brother."

"He belived that I was the brother and it seems like they are not close. Maybe family problems, maybe they had a fight, or maybe Giovanni betrayed his family." Ben gasped. "We find the brother, we could get some answers."

"I promise, I'll do whatever I can." Said Oak, looking straight at Ben's face. "First, you need a shave."