"Red! If you expect to input any valuable data into that Pokédex, you can't just stay around here." Professor Oak looked down at the boy. "You have to expand your territory!

"Why not start with the Viridian Forest, north of the city?" The man asked, putting his pointer finger up as a way to show that he had an idea. "You're bound to find Pokémon you've never seen before. Besides, that happens to be where..." he glanced at Red, who was suddenly brought back to attention as the Professor trailed off.

"Ha! Never mind!" Professor Oak said, and laughed as Red stared at him confused.

~~•~~•~~•~~

"Oops. I was in such a hurry..." Red glanced through his jacket's pockets. "... That I didn't bring that many Poké Balls! Oh, well... These'll have to do..." He looked at his small collection of Poké Balls that he had brought with him.

He stopped and looked at the Viridian Forest as it stretched out in front of him.

"I don't know what kind of Pokémon we're gonna meet..." he told his Poké Balls. "But with Poli and Saur- we gotta catch 'em all!" His Pokémon smiled at him from inside their Poké Balls as he said their names.

Kach!

He pressed the buttons to the Poké Balls, releasing his Pokémon.

"All right then!! Let's go!!" He shouted, smiling. His Pokémon smiled as well as they walked.

~~•~~•~~•~~

The Viridian Forest

A boy stood silently in the forest, his eyes closed. His spiky brown hair stuck up in the air. His Charmander Waite patiently at his feet.

A bush rustled nearby.

The boy looked down, silent. And then-

"Charmander, go!!" He shouted, watching his lizard from the corner of his eye. His Charmander shot fire at the bush as its Trainer watched silently. A creature fell, dead, and the boy went to it.

"So... a Venomoth..." he muttered to himself.

- VENOMOTH the Poison Moth Pokémon NO. 049

- TYPE: Bug / Poison

- The dust- like scales covering its wings are color coded to indicate the kinds of poison it has. It has a short life- span, and appears to be the evolved form of VENONAT

"I've already caught one," he finished.

Will you come out? He thought and closed his eyes.

He stood still and his Charmander joined him at his feet.

~~•~~•~~•~~

"Ee-yarrg!" Red's voice cut through the trees.

"Where the heck did it go?" He growled. "Stupid Caterpie..." He turned his head back and forth to look for the bug Pokémon he had lost.

He heard a sound up ahead, and broke into a grin. "Oh- ho- ho!" He exclaimed happily.

"Go, Poli!" He shouted as his Poliwhirl darted towards the sound and disappeared in the foliage.

Red followed more slowly. "Did you catch it?! Did you-"

Poli was laying down in the grass, unconscious. "WHAT?!" he yelled in shock. "Poli!" He ran to his Pokémon's side.

"So the Poliwhirl has an owner..." a voice said. Red whirled his head around and saw a Charmander glaring at him.

"We thought it was a wild Pokémon when we attacked." The Charmander rushed to its Trainer's side, who was laughing as if this was some sort of game.

"Don't take it personally," the stranger said with a smirk.

"You did this to Poli?!" Red shouted, enraged. Finally he could take it no more. "You'll pay!"

"Nonsense!!" The stranger replied calmly, and blocked Red's punch that had been directed at his face. He smirked.

"We're both in this forest to capture Pokémon, so we're bound to cross paths sometime, aren't we?"

Red's eyes widened in recognition. "Hey... you're... you're that guy!" he said, remembering the Trainer he had met a few days ago with the Mew. "Why do you keep..."

Boooooom!

"Wh- What's that?" Red asked and looked around.

Booom!

The other boy smiled. "Ahhh... so it's come at last."

Boom!

Out of the trees came a huge brown Pokémon. It towered over both Trainers, and knocked down trees with every step it took.

"Ee- yaaaa!!" Red screamed in fright.

The stranger took a threatening step forward. "I've been waiting for you, Kangaskhan!" He declared. "I heard that you were here somewhere... but you did test my patience."

He waved his arm forward. "Charmander, attack!" He shouted, and his loyal Pokémon attacked with a powerful Flamethrower.

The flames consumed the large Kangaskhan, blocking it from view.

"Once I win, I'll be able to put its data in..." he smirked and pulled out his Pokédex.

"Hey! Th- that's..." Red began, staring at his Pokédex.

The stranger turned his head as Red continued. "A

"A- ha ha ha ha!" The stranger laughed at Red.

"What's so funny?!" Red demanded.

"My grandad told me he had given a Pokédex to someone. So it turns out to be you... ha ha ha!"

"Gr- grandad? You mean..." Red took a step away. "Professor Oak?!"

"Though why he'd give a Pokédex to the likes of you... Well, never mind! I'll just show you how it's done!" The stranger's Charmander continued to attack the Kangaskhan with its fire.

"Charmander- final blow!" He raised his hand, and his Pokémon sent out an attack stronger than any it had done earlier.

The Kangaskhan roared in pain and took a few steps back.

"That should do it," the boy said and smirked, pulling out a Poké Ball.

With all his might, be threw the Poké Ball. "You're mine!!"

The Kangaskhan, injured though it may be, raised its arm and hit the ball away.

"O- okay, then! One more!" Once again he threw the Poké Ball, and once again the Kangaskhan deflected it.

"The fire attacks... weren't enough?" He muttered quietly in disbelief.

Red looked up at the Kangaskhan. There's... something wrong... he realized. It's strong enough to repel the Poké Ball... but it isn't attacking... His gaze landed on the Kangaskhan's pouch. Of course! That's it...

"Quick! Stop the attack!" The black- haired Trainer told the brown- haired stranger.

"This Pokémon is mine. Don't think you'll steal it," the other responded in a growl.

"You don't understand! It's..."

The boy shrugged him off. "Charmander- fight on!"

"But..." Red began, beginning to become angry. "Oh, just get outta the way!" He knew it was useless to try to talk reason to this kid. "Poli!" His Poliwhirl jumped up, as determined as its Trainer.

"Hey!! What the- What're you-?!" The boy demanded, staring at Red and Poli.

Before He could even finish, Poli had shot a water attack at his Charmander. The flame lizard was hurt by the unseen super- effective attack.

"Where do you think you're going, you little-?!" The boy yelled as Red ran to the Kangaskhan.

"Are you okay?!" Red asked worried as he came closer to the large brown Pokémon. "Your baby... is it alright!?"

The other Trainer realized what was happening. "Eh?"

The Kangaskhan's pouch wiggled slightly. A weak baby Kangaskhan poked its head out.

"It's hurt... Did a Poison Pokémon get you?" Red asked as he looked at the baby.

He brought out an Antidote and gave it to the baby Kangaskhan.

"There! You're all better!" He smiled as the baby was healed and petted its head. He looked up at the mother Kangaskhan. "No wonder you were protecting your middle. If the fire had hit it, your baby could've been really badly hurt."

The mother nodded at him and began to walk back into the forest, quickly disappearing among the trees.

"Hmph. Thanks a lot!" The brown- haired boy said sarcastically. "If you hadn't butted in, I could have captured it..."

"Come on. You know it isn't really winning..." Red smiled at him. "If your opponent's at a disadvantage."

"Feh!" The boy hugged and began walking away. "Save your slogans."

"H- Hey... Wait up!" Red called out, chasing after him. "My name's Red. What's yours? Huh? Huh-?"

Silence.

"Well?!"

"If it will shut you up... my name's Blue!! Now leave me alone!!" The boy shouted, turning on Red.

Red smiled, unfazed by Blue's hostility. "Blue... okay...!"

Blue turned away, thinking he had lost Red's voice. That was not the case.

"Hey, Blue! I'm not losing to you!!" Red shouted. Blue cringed at his sudden loud voice.

"Y'hear me, Blue?! I'm gonna win!"

In the far side of the field, Professor Oak was watching them. "Ha ha ha! My grandson and my new discovery... The path to becoming the greatest Pokémon Trainer suddenly grows steeper.

"Good luck to you both."