The tension was thick as Blue, Leaf, and Red walked through the forest path. They stopped when they saw her—the bully I had been trying to avoid. She stood there, brown hair tied back in a messy ponytail, her smirk as smug as ever.

"Well, if it isn’t Red," she sneered, crossing her arms. "Where’s your crybaby sister? Hiding again? Figures."

Leaf stepped forward, her voice calm but sharp. "She’s at home, sulking. Doesn’t want to deal with people like you."

The bully raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. "Oh, please. Like I’d believe that. She was running through town like a scared Pidgey. Where is she really?"

Red’s fists clenched tightly at his sides. Blue, noticing the subtle tension, tried to step in. "Look, you heard her. She’s at home. Maybe you should just—"

"Pathetic," the bully interrupted with a laugh. "Just like her. What’s the matter, Red? Too scared to defend your own sister? Oh wait, you can’t. You’re just as useless as she is."

That was the final straw.

Without warning, Red lunged at her, his movements quick and precise. The girl barely had time to react before he grabbed her by the front of her shirt, shoving her back against a nearby tree. His usually calm, stoic expression was gone, replaced with something terrifyingly cold and dangerous.

"Red!" Blue shouted, rushing toward him.

The bully’s smirk disappeared entirely, replaced with wide-eyed fear. She tried to squirm free, but Red’s grip was unrelenting. His eyes burned with a ferocity that made it clear he wasn’t going to let her go easily.

"Stop it!" Leaf cried, grabbing his arm. "Red, this isn’t you! Let her go!"

But Red didn’t hear her. He raised a fist, and the girl flinched, squeezing her eyes shut.

Blue bolted forward, grabbing Red around the waist and yanking him back with all his strength. "Red! Enough!"

Red struggled violently against Blue’s hold, his eyes still locked on the bully. His movements were wild, desperate, like an unhinged force that couldn’t be reasoned with. Blue gritted his teeth, tightening his grip. "Leaf, help me hold him down!"

Leaf hesitated for a moment, clearly rattled, but then she grabbed one of Red’s arms, trying to help restrain him. Even with both of them holding him back, it wasn’t easy—Red was far stronger than he looked when he was like this.

The bully stumbled away, gasping for breath. She looked back at Red, her face pale and filled with terror. "Y-you’re insane!" she stammered, before turning and running as fast as she could.

Red continued to thrash, his fury not yet spent. Blue planted his feet firmly, holding on for dear life. "Red, it’s over! She’s gone! Calm down!"

It took a few more moments, but finally, Red’s struggles began to weaken. His breathing was heavy, and his hands shook as he lowered them. Leaf let go cautiously, her eyes wide as she stared at him.

Blue released him as well, but not without a warning. "You can’t lose it like that, Red," he said firmly, though there was a note of concern in his voice. "You scared the life out of all of us."

Red didn’t respond, but the way his shoulders slumped said enough. He avoided their eyes, his head hanging low.

Leaf sighed, her voice softer now. "We know you were trying to protect her, but that was... a lot."

Blue crossed his arms, glancing in the direction the bully had fled. "Look, she deserved a scare, but don’t forget who you are, Red. You’re better than that."

Red still said nothing, but he gave them a small nod, his hands still trembling slightly. Leaf placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, offering him a reassuring smile. "Let’s go find your sister. She’ll want to know that you’ve got her back—just maybe without the punching next time."

When Blue, Leaf, and Red finally found me, I was sitting on a bench near Viridian Gym, nervously fiddling with my hat. My eyes lit up the moment I saw them, and I immediately bolted toward Red, practically throwing myself into his arms.

“Red!” I cried, clinging to him tightly. “Oh my Arceus, you won’t believe it! Someone totally took care of that bully! She was crying and everything! I don’t know who did it, but I really want to thank them!”

Blue coughed awkwardly, looking anywhere but at me. Leaf just stared at Red, shaking her head as if she couldn’t believe what was about to happen.

Red stiffened slightly, and I pulled back to look at him. “You okay?” I asked, tilting my head. Then I noticed how tense he was, how his hands were still trembling just a little.

I blinked. “Wait… it was you, wasn’t it?”

Red didn’t say anything—of course, he couldn’t—but the guilty look on his face said enough. My jaw dropped.

“Wow,” I said, stepping back and looking him up and down. “I didn’t know you liked to fight people! That’s kinda cool, but also kinda scary. Like, what did you do to her? She looked like she saw a Gengar!”

Blue pinched the bridge of his nose, groaning. “Red didn’t just fight her, he snapped. We had to hold him back before he went too far.”

“Seriously,” Leaf chimed in, folding her arms. “You should’ve seen him. I thought he was going to tear her apart.”

I looked back at Red, who was rubbing the back of his neck, clearly uncomfortable. “Red…” I said slowly, “you really went all out for me, huh?”

He gave me a small nod, his expression softening.

I smiled at him, warmth spreading through my chest. “Thanks, big bro. I mean it. I know you were just trying to protect me.”

Red’s eyes met mine, and he smiled faintly.

Blue cleared his throat, breaking the moment. “Yeah, yeah, heartwarming sibling stuff. But next time, let’s not give anyone a reason to call Officer Jenny, okay?”

I stuck my tongue out at Blue. “Don’t ruin the moment!”

Leaf chuckled. “Let’s just be glad the bully’s gone for now. But Red… maybe next time, let’s handle things a bit more… calmly?”

Red nodded again, this time looking a little sheepish.

I grabbed his arm, grinning. “Still, you’re kinda awesome when you’re scary. Maybe we should sign you up for a fighting tournament or something.”

Blue groaned. “Arceus, please don’t give him ideas.”

-------

------

As we walked through Viridian City, where Blue's gym was, the older kids talked while I gripped onto Red's arm, but he didn't really mind.

Then I caught a glimpse of the person I didn't want to see, and my eyes widened.

I grabbed Red's hand. " Come on. We have to go."

I took off running, holding his hand in one hand and my hat in the other.

Red was trying to tell me something, but I didn't notice. " Not now!"

When we stopped in front of the Gym, I let go of his hand and panted. " Oh Arceus."

Blue and Leaf caught up, panting heavily.

" Why'd you just take off running?!" Leaf said, crossing her arms.

" No time. If you see a girl with brown hair asking Red where ' your crybaby sister is', just tell her she's in our house sulking. got it."

" Okay ..... But why?" Leaf asked, but I had disappeared.

Leaf blinked in confusion, looking around. "Where did she go?!" 

Blue shrugged, his hands on his knees as he caught his breath. "How does she have *that* much energy? I’m her age, and I feel like I’m gonna collapse." 

Red just stood there silently, adjusting his hat as if nothing unusual had happened. 

"Red," Leaf said, frowning. "Who is this girl Mia’s talking about? Is she trouble?" 

Red hesitated for a moment, then nodded slightly. 

"Great," Blue muttered, standing upright. "Just what we need—more drama. So, who is she, Red? Old rival? Angry trainer who lost a battle? Spurned admirer?" 

Red rolled his eyes but didn’t answer, instead pointing toward the street where Mia had bolted. 

"You think we should go after her?" Leaf asked. 

Red shook his head, then motioned to the forest.

Blue shrugged. " Eh. Let's go."

The moment they spotted the girl, her smug grin instantly lit up her face. She strutted toward them, arms crossed, and the condescending tone in her voice made Leaf’s stomach churn.

“Well, if it isn’t Red,” she sneered. “Where’s your crybaby sister? Still running scared?”

Leaf sighed, trying to remain calm. “She’s at home, sulking. Probably doesn’t want to deal with someone like you.”

The girl scoffed, her smirk widening. “Oh, please. Like I’m going to believe that. I saw her bolting through town. Come on, where is she really?”

Blue stepped forward, holding up his hands in a placating gesture. “Look, she’s not here, alright? Just leave it alone.”

But Red wasn’t having it. His usually calm demeanor shifted the moment the bully brought me up. His jaw tightened, and his hands curled into fists at his sides. He took a deliberate step forward, and even though he didn’t say a word, his presence alone was enough to make the bully hesitate for a moment.

“What? You’re going to stand there and glare at me, Red? Scary,” she mocked.

That was it. Red’s body moved faster than anyone could react. In a flash, he closed the distance between them, his fists swinging with a ferocity none of them had ever seen.

The girl barely had time to step back before Red’s punch came dangerously close to connecting with her face. She stumbled, letting out a terrified yelp. “What the—are you crazy?!”

Blue grabbed Red by the shoulders, trying to restrain him, but Red wasn’t going down easily. He struggled violently, his arms swinging and his eyes burning with unrelenting fury. He managed to push Blue back, and Leaf gasped as Blue nearly lost his footing.

“Red, stop!” Blue shouted, grabbing Red again with both arms and holding on for dear life. “You’re going too far!”

Red lunged again, his fists aimed at the bully, who was now backing away, her earlier confidence completely shattered. Her hands were raised defensively as she stumbled over her words. “I-I didn’t mean it! It was just a joke! I swear!”

But Red wasn’t listening. His usually composed face was twisted with pure anger. Leaf ran to help Blue, grabbing Red’s arm. “Red, she’s not worth it! Please stop!”

Red’s body trembled, his breathing ragged as he fought against them. His silence was more terrifying than any words he could have spoken. It was as if his rage spoke for itself, radiating from him in waves.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Blue managed to pin Red’s arms to his sides, locking him in place. “Red, enough!” he yelled, his voice strained.

Red froze, his chest heaving as he stared down the girl. She was pale as a sheet, her hands still raised in surrender.

“Get out of here,” Blue barked at her.

The bully didn’t need to be told twice. She turned and bolted, tripping over her own feet in her haste to get away.

Once she was gone, Leaf and Blue let go of Red, but he didn’t move. He just stood there, his hands trembling at his sides.

“Red,” Leaf said softly, stepping in front of him. “You okay?”

He didn’t respond, his gaze fixed on the ground.

Blue let out a shaky sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. “Man, I’ve never seen you like that. She deserved it, sure, but… you could’ve seriously hurt her.”

Red glanced at them, his eyes still dark with emotion. Then, without a word, he turned and walked away.

Leaf watched him go, her heart heavy. “We should follow him. He’s upset.”

Blue nodded, his expression grim. “Yeah. But let’s give him a minute first.”

When Blue, Leaf, and Red arrived at the Viridian City Gym, I was sitting on the steps, swinging my legs and talking to Pikachu, who sat on my lap. The moment I spotted them, I jumped up, beaming.

“Red!” I yelled, running straight into his arms. I hugged him tightly, practically bouncing with excitement. “You won’t believe what happened!”

Red stiffened slightly, and Blue and Leaf exchanged knowing glances.

“What happened, Mia?” Leaf asked cautiously.

I pulled back from Red, looking up at him with wide eyes. “Someone totally scared that bully off! Like, she was crying! I don’t know who did it, but they must’ve been so cool and strong! I really want to thank them!”

Red avoided my gaze, his face slightly flushed, while Blue coughed awkwardly into his hand.

“Uh, yeah,” Blue muttered, scratching the back of his head. “About that…”

I blinked, my grin faltering. “Wait, do you guys know who did it?”

Leaf opened her mouth to say something, but before she could, my eyes narrowed as I studied Red’s face. He looked guilty—very guilty.

“Wait…” I said slowly, taking a step back. “It was you, wasn’t it?”

Red didn’t say anything, but his hands twitched slightly at his sides.

I gasped, my eyes wide. “It was you! Oh my Arceus, Red, I didn’t know you liked to fight people! That’s kinda cool, but also kinda scary. Like, what did you do to her? She looked like she saw a ghost!”

Blue groaned, rubbing his temples. “He didn’t just ‘fight’ her, Mia. He snapped. We had to hold him back before he could go too far.”

“Seriously,” Leaf added, folding her arms. “It was intense. I’ve never seen him like that before.”

I turned back to Red, who was now rubbing the back of his neck, looking anywhere but at me. “Wow,” I said, my voice filled with awe. “You really went all out for me, huh?”

Red finally met my gaze, his expression softening. He gave me a small nod, and I couldn’t help but smile.

“Thanks, big bro,” I said, wrapping my arms around him again. “I mean it. You’re the best.”

Red hesitated for a moment before hugging me back, his touch gentle despite the strength he’d shown earlier.

Blue coughed again, clearly uncomfortable. “Alright, heartwarming sibling moment and all, but maybe let’s not make a habit of this, Red. We don’t need the whole town thinking you’re a delinquent.”

I stuck my tongue out at Blue. “Don’t ruin the moment!”

Leaf chuckled. “Still, next time, let’s try to handle things without violence, okay?”

Red nodded, looking sheepish.

I grinned up at him. “Still, you’re kinda awesome when you’re scary. Maybe you should be a Gym Leader or something. Or join a battle tournament! You’d totally win!”

Blue groaned. “Please don’t give him ideas, Mia.”

I just laughed, linking my arm with Red’s as we headed into the Gym together. “Come on, guys! Let’s go celebrate my amazing big brother being the coolest protector ever!”

Leaf smiled, and even Blue couldn’t hide the small grin tugging at his lips as we walked inside.

----

---

When Blue, Leaf, and Red finally reached the forest path, they spotted her—my bully, the girl with brown hair, standing there with an air of arrogance. She crossed her arms as she looked at them, her expression unimpressed.

“Well, well, if it isn’t the big, bad brother brigade,” she said mockingly. “Where’s your little crybaby sister? Hiding behind you all like always?”

Leaf took a deep breath, stepping forward with her most diplomatic tone. “She’s… at home. Sulking. She doesn’t want to see you.”

The girl raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. “Really? That doesn’t sound like her. She always likes running her mouth, even when she’s about to cry.”

Blue rolled his eyes, trying to back up Leaf’s story. “Look, she’s not here. So maybe just… leave it alone, yeah?”

The bully smirked, stepping closer. “I don’t think so. She’s around here somewhere, and I want to see her. Unless…” Her grin widened as her gaze shifted to Red. “She’s too scared to face me, just like you are too scared to actually say anything, Red.”

That was it.

Red’s head snapped up, and his entire demeanor shifted. His usually calm, collected presence darkened in an instant. His eyes narrowed into a sharp glare, and the tension in the air grew thick. Leaf and Blue both froze, recognizing the sudden change.

“Uh, hey, Red,” Blue said nervously, stepping toward him. “Don’t—”

Before Blue could finish, Red took a single step forward, his posture rigid and imposing. The bully, who had been grinning moments ago, faltered slightly as she realized Red’s expression was anything but friendly.

“What’s he going to do?” she scoffed, though her voice lacked its earlier confidence. “He doesn’t even talk.”

Red’s eyes glinted dangerously, and without a word, he reached for the Poké Balls on his belt. He released Charizard, who loomed over the bully with a fierce growl, its flames blazing brighter than usual. The girl stumbled back, her earlier bravado crumbling.

“H-Hey, what’s your problem?!” she stammered.

Red didn’t respond. Instead, he took another step forward, his movements deliberate and menacing. The bully tripped over her own feet, falling to the ground as Charizard’s fiery gaze bore into her.

“Red!” Leaf cried, grabbing his arm. “Stop it! You’re scaring her!”

Blue ran up, trying to intervene. “Okay, okay, you’ve made your point! She gets it! You can stop now!”

But Red didn’t even glance at them. He was completely focused on the bully, his expression cold and unrelenting. He pointed sharply toward the edge of the forest, silently ordering her to leave. Charizard growled again, a puff of flame escaping its mouth as if to emphasize the point.

The bully scrambled to her feet, panic written all over her face. “O-Okay! Fine! I’ll leave! Just call off your Pokémon!”

She bolted, not daring to look back as Charizard let out one final roar. Once she was out of sight, Red returned Charizard to its Poké Ball and turned back to Blue and Leaf, his expression softening ever so slightly.

“Red,” Leaf said cautiously, her voice shaking a little. “That… was really intense.”

Blue let out a long breath, running a hand through his hair. “Dude, you seriously went full-on evil mode. Remind me never to get on your bad side.”

Red simply shrugged, his gaze drifting to the path where the bully had disappeared. Then he turned and walked away, leaving Blue and Leaf standing there in stunned silence.

After a moment, Leaf sighed. “I guess we don’t have to worry about her bothering Mia anymore.”

“Yeah,” Blue muttered, still staring after Red. “But now I’m kinda worried about him.”

When they found me near the edge of the forest, I was pacing back and forth, anxiously fiddling with my hat. The moment I saw them, my face lit up, and I sprinted straight toward Red.

“RED!” I shouted, throwing myself into his arms with enough force to nearly knock him over. He caught me effortlessly, holding me steady as I clung to him. “Someone beat her up! The bully! She ran off crying! I don’t know who did it, but I really, really want to thank them!”

I was practically bouncing with joy, my voice full of excitement. “She looked so scared, Red! It was amazing! Whoever did it must be so strong and brave! I wish I could’ve seen it happen!”

Red tensed slightly, and I felt his arms tighten around me just a little. I didn’t notice. I was too busy grinning and chattering about how happy I was. “I mean, she totally deserved it, right? Oh, I hope she stays away for good this time!”

I glanced at Leaf and Blue, who were standing a few feet away. For some reason, they both looked… weird. Blue’s mouth was hanging open slightly, and Leaf had her hand over her face like she was trying not to laugh.

“What?” I asked, tilting my head. “Why are you guys looking at me like that?”

“Oh, nothing,” Leaf said, her voice muffled as she tried to stifle a giggle.

Blue coughed awkwardly, crossing his arms. “Yeah, nothing at all. Definitely not thinking about how you’re hugging the guy who totally went full-on scary mode and made her run for the hills.”

“What?” I blinked, confused. “What are you talking about?”

Red gave Blue a sharp look, but Blue just smirked and held up his hands. “Hey, I’m just saying! Your big bro here is a real hero. Maybe you should be thanking him instead of some imaginary stranger.”

I turned to Red, my eyes wide. “Wait… Red? Was it you?”

Red didn’t say anything—of course, he didn’t—but his faint blush and the way he avoided my gaze gave him away instantly.

“IT WAS YOU?!” I exclaimed, my voice rising in disbelief. Then my face broke into the biggest smile as I hugged him even tighter. “Oh my Arceus, you’re the BEST! Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

Red’s blush deepened, and he awkwardly patted my back, clearly uncomfortable with all the attention. Blue, meanwhile, was laughing so hard he had to lean against a tree for support, and Leaf had finally given up trying to hide her giggles.

“Man, you’re gonna spoil her, Red,” Blue teased, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes. “But hey, I guess that’s what big brothers are for, huh?”

I didn’t care about their teasing. I was just so happy—and so proud—that my brother had stood up for me. No matter how scary he might’ve been in the moment, to me, Red was the best big brother in the world.
-----

---
The trio found themselves face-to-face with the girl I had been so desperate to avoid—a smug-looking teen with brown hair, arms crossed, and a sneer plastered across her face.

“Well, well,” she said, eyeing Red, Blue, and Leaf with a raised brow. “Where’s your little crybaby sister, Red? Hiding behind you as always?”

Leaf stepped forward, trying to keep things civil. “She’s not here. She’s back home, sulking about something. You know how she is.” Her tone was steady, just like I had told them to say.

The girl didn’t buy it. She laughed bitterly and shook her head. “Oh, come on. We both know she’s too much of a coward to even try and stand up for herself. She’s probably just crying her eyes out somewhere. Typical.”

That was the breaking point. Red, who had been standing silently up until now, suddenly stepped forward. His eyes darkened, and his entire demeanor shifted. Blue and Leaf exchanged nervous glances, recognizing the storm that was about to unleash.

“Red,” Blue started cautiously, stepping in front of him, “don’t do anything crazy—”

But Red had already moved. In a blur of motion, he shoved past Blue and Leaf and grabbed the bully by the front of her shirt, his grip iron-tight. His normally calm expression was gone, replaced by something cold and menacing.

“Whoa! Whoa!” the girl stammered, suddenly realizing she had pushed the wrong person. “What’s your problem?!”

Red didn’t speak—he never did—but the dangerous glint in his eyes spoke volumes. He released her shirt but didn’t back down, his fists clenched and his stance ready. It was clear that he wasn’t about to let her walk away unscathed for what she had done to me.

“Red! Stop it!” Leaf cried, rushing forward to grab his arm, but he shook her off with surprising force.

“Come on, man, she’s not worth it!” Blue tried, but even he knew it was useless. When Red went into this mode, there was no reasoning with him.

The bully, now genuinely frightened, tried to back away, but Red advanced, his movements precise and deliberate. His silence made the encounter even more terrifying—there was no yelling, no taunting, just pure, unrelenting focus.

Finally, Red raised his hand, and the bully flinched, bracing for impact. But instead of hitting her, he pointed to the ground, as if to say, Apologize. Now.

“I—I’m sorry!” she stammered, her bravado completely shattered. “I didn’t mean it! I swear! Just—just stop!”

Red stared her down for a few more agonizing moments before finally taking a step back. His stance relaxed, but his eyes never lost their intensity.

Leaf and Blue let out a collective sigh of relief. “Geez, Red,” Blue muttered, wiping sweat from his brow. “You really know how to make a point.”

The bully scrambled to her feet and ran off without another word, disappearing into the crowd.

Red turned to his friends, his expression softening slightly as he nodded toward the direction I had gone.

“Yeah, yeah, we’ll go find her,” Blue grumbled. “But you owe us an explanation when this is all over.”

Leaf gave Red a sympathetic smile. “You really care about her, huh?”

Red didn’t respond, but the faintest smile tugged at his lips as he motioned for them to follow.

When they found me, I was sitting on a bench near the edge of the Viridian Gym garden, nervously fiddling with the hem of my shirt. The moment I saw them, especially Red, relief washed over me, and I bolted from the bench, running straight into his arms.

“Red!” I cried, clutching his jacket tightly. “Oh my Arceus, you’re not gonna believe it! Someone beat up that bully! Like, really put her in her place! I—I don’t know who it was, but I really want to thank them! Whoever it was is my hero!”

I stayed nestled in Red’s arms, missing the way Blue and Leaf froze mid-step, exchanging wide-eyed glances. Leaf bit her lip, trying to suppress a laugh, while Blue rubbed the back of his neck, muttering, “Oh boy...”

Red, for his part, simply hugged me tighter, his expression calm and unreadable. He didn’t say a word—he never did—but there was something about the way he patted my head gently that felt… smug.

“I mean, they must’ve been so strong, right?” I continued, oblivious to the knowing looks being exchanged between the older kids. “That bully looked so scared when she ran off. I didn’t think anyone would stand up for me like that. I wish I could meet them!”

Blue finally couldn’t hold back and let out a loud snort. “Yeah, uh… about that…”

Leaf elbowed him sharply, her face red as she tried to keep it together. “Mia, sweetie, you… you’ve already met your ‘hero.’”

“Huh?” I blinked, pulling away from Red slightly to look up at them. “What do you mean?”

Leaf pointed at Red, who stood there looking as calm as ever, though the faintest twitch of a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.

It took me a moment to connect the dots. My jaw dropped, and I gasped. “Wait. Red?!”

Blue burst out laughing. “You really didn’t notice? Who else would it be? He was ready to demolish anyone who so much as looked at you wrong.”

I turned to look at Red, who shrugged casually as if to say, It wasn’t a big deal.

“You—you did that?!” I exclaimed, my voice a mix of shock and awe. “You scared her off?!”

Red just nodded, his calm demeanor unshaken.

“Oh my Arceus,” I muttered, my face heating up as I buried it back into his chest. “You’re the best big brother ever. Like, ever ever.”

Leaf giggled. “Yeah, we know.”

Blue smirked. “Just remind me never to get on his bad side, okay?”

Red ruffled my hair gently, and I could feel his silent promise: no one was ever going to mess with me as long as he was around.