Red's POV

'Did you do it ?'. Bugsy dashed towards Lyra, whose clothes were soaked in water. She was lying on the ground next to me. Bugsy helped her getting up. Then he grabbed my hand and pulled me to sit on the dry forest floor.

'We did', I gasped. 'Team Rocket could've caught us. I'm not doing any of that again'. I unzipped my bag and pulled out a towel. I offered it to Lyra.

'I have one, don't worry'. Lyra managed to sit straight, she looked tired. And for some reason, we both were very exhausted.

'How did it go ?'. Bugsy's curiosity could be seen in his voice. I was sure if it was not for Lyra, he would've been my partner in the time travel adventure.

'Everything went as planned. I gave Eevee to the man, and the hard drive is back in Giovanni's office. No one knows'.

'Hm. That's unusual', said Bugsy.

I looked around I felt a lack of presence of Ethan. For a second, I was happy he was not there. But then, I was worried.

'Where is Ethan ?', I asked, rubbing the towel on my hair.

'Ethan ?', asked Bugsy, as if he didn't even knew who he was. 'You mean the kid with the Quilava ?'.

'Why are you acting like that ?'. Lyra stood up and put her bag back on.

'Behaving like what ?', asked Bugsy.

'Like you don't know him', I said. 'Bugsy, this isn't funny'.

'I swear, I just battled him in Azalea, in the gym. I don't know anything more', said Bugsy. He scratched his head and walked here and there. 'Wait'.

'What ?', asked Lyra, confused.

'Did you change anything back there ?', asked Bugsy. 'Anything that you want me to know'.

'Uh-', Lyra started. 'Yes'.

Bugsy flinched.

'But it was a small change', I corrected. 'It wouldn't make a difference would it ?'.

'Well, yes. It did. I don't know Ethan', said Bugsy. 'Now tell me what all happened with Ethan in the other...other...timeline'.

'Uh, Ethan was with us since Violet City, then you joined in Ruins. And...uh...Ethan's Houndour originally belonged to Butch'.

'Okay, I know who Butch is. But not Ethan', said Bugsy, he took a deep breathe. 'Okay. Maybe it didn't change anything else'.

'Guess so', said Lyra. 'But we need to confirm it'.

'First, we will see Team Rocket's information. That's more important. I had put the memory card in Eevee's Pokeball, right ?', asked Bugsy.

'Yes !', I exclaimed.

'So that didn't change. Now, give me the Pokeball', said Bugsy.

'Here you go', I said, clipping off Jolteon's Pokeball and handing it to Bugsy, happily.

'Lets see what's inside', said Bugsy. 'Go Eevee'.

'Eevee ?', I whispered to myself. Eevee came out of the Pokeball. 'Wait, something isn't right'.

'What ?', asked Bugsy.

'Jolteon is now Eevee', said Lyra. My heart sank, I didn't know a small thing will make such a huge difference. My Jolteon was no more Jolteon. He didn't even evolve.

'Red, I need explanation', said Bugsy.

'I messed up, okay ? The box filled with evolution stones which fell on Eevee did not fall because I changed that. So Eevee never evolved', I said. 'Why didn't I ever think of that ?'.

'That's the ripple effect of the timeline', said Bugsy. He turned on his laptop and walked to a tree. He sat beneath it and put the memory card in the laptop. 'Don't tell me anything about the other timeline, I'm happy this way. Now come on, let's see what were Team Rocket's plans'.

'Guys, I think we should find a Pokecentre first. All our Pokemon are near fainted', said Lyra.

'Lyra, this must be the key to all our answers. Silver told us that Giovanni is working under someone, and he is still bad even after he told Red that he is against Team Rocket', said Bugsy. 'Sit here, silently. And I don't wanna hear a single word'.

'What has happened to you ?', asked Lyra.

'What ?', asked Bugsy, he rubbed his eyes. 'Don't tell me it has changed me too'.

Bugsy clicked something on his laptop. 'Never mind. Here are the details. Oh boy'.

Lyra hurried to see the information. 'This is bad, really bad'.

'What ?', I asked.

'It says - to be executed on April 19. That's 12 days from now', said Lyra. 'Oops, did we change that too ?'.

I banged my head on the tree. 'I am really sorry. I did this. I'm checking if I changed my team too'. I pulled up my Pokedex and checked which Pokemon I had. 'Hm. Bulbasaur didn't evolve'.

'Good thing you're still second', said Bugsy.

'Second ? In what ?', I asked.

'Red. Please don't joke about this too. I always tease you with that', said Bugsy.

'Really. Second in what ?', I asked, worried.

'Indigo League, obviously', said Bugsy.

I fell to my knees. Tears came out of my eyes. 'How can I make such a mistake ? Can't I fix this ?'.

'Uh, that's a risk', said Lyra. 'You know if we go back we'll be at the exact location from where we left. That means, in a room where Team Rocket is about to enter'.

'It's better of we just give the GS Ball to Oak', I cried. 'He knows everything about it. I can't believe I'm not the Champion anymore'.

'Wait, what ? You were Kanto Champion ?', asked Bugsy. 'How is that possible ? Your last Pokemon was Eevee, he could never have defeated Blastoise'.

'You're forgetting that Eevee never evolved in this timeline. Eevee couldn't defeat Blastoise but Jolteon could', I said.

'Crap. I hate time travel. And why does Oak knows everything about it ?', asked Bugsy.

'Because we consulted him when we went back', said Lyra.

'Okay. Let's go to the Pokecentre', I said, walking away.

'The nearest Pokecentre is in Azalea. And if you want to move forward instead of backwards, the next Pokecentre is in Goldenrod City. Which would take us at least 10 days to reach', said Bugsy. 'Better option, I have a Pokeball transferring machine that my dad just bought me. It's only available to Pokecentres and Gym Leaders. So, you could just change your team for now'.

'Good idea', I said.

'What about me ? I only have Marill, who is not fainted', said Lyra, looking at the sleeping Marill.

'You didn't use Togepi in the gym battle. So she is too, not fainted', said Bugsy.

'Togepi ?', asked Lyra. 'Red, I'm going to kill you. Why did you had to do that ?'.

'I am going to kill myself. I hate time travel. Time travel sucks', I said.

I felt really miserable. Like I had destroyed my own life, which I did. And yet, I felt like everything was okay. Time travel did this, not me. I could simply go back and fix everything.

'I am going back', I said, picking up the GS Ball.

'Red, you heard Lyra. You'll go back in a room with Team Rocket, who will probably put you captive. It's really not safe', said Bugsy. 'Better thing, we could just see what Giovanni's plans are about'.

'Red, listen to him. Don't do it', said Lyra.

'You too ?', I asked, losing my hopes. 'I guess I'm over thinking. If I go back, maybe I could make things worse'.

I threw the GS Ball towards Bugsy and he caught it. 'I think we should just send the ball to Oak using my machine. That's a better option'.

'Okay', Lyra and I nodded.

Bugsy pulled out a small box, it was like a Pizza box. He attached a wire sticking out of it to his laptop and pushed a button on the machine.

Then, he did something on his laptop and put the GS Ball on the machine, and pushed another button. The ball glowed and I realised something.

'Stop !', I shouted. But the GS Ball vanished.

Bugsy and Lyra both looked at me in confusion. I felt more miserable.

'I forgot to tell. Kurt said that Team Rocket was tracking the Transferring System. If they know what's inside, they will hack it and get it', I said.

'No, my system is private. It directly connects to Oak's system, so, nobody can hack it. That's why I bought it'. Bugsy packed his transferring machine and put it back inside.

'Are you sure ?', asked Lyra.

'Of course I am', said Bugsy.

'You know, Ethan, he used to say that everything works out for me. But it turned out to be not so true. I'm now a loser', I said. 'And you forgot that I had to change my team'.

'Sorry', said Bugsy, unpacking the transferring machine and plugging it again. 'Here it shows many Pokemon, which all would you like to switch ?

'Uh, I only have Eevee who is in good health. The rest are... fainted'.

'Okay', said Bugsy. 'Just look at the list yourself. And select the Pokemon you want. All are yours don't be shy'.

'Okay', I said.

'Wait. You have an Articuno ? Hey, select that, please', said Bugsy.

'Yeah, I do', I said. 'But, he's not with Oak. I set him free, but he is still mine, it's not like I've abandoned him'.

'Oh, okay', said Bugsy. 'You know legendaries are genderless'.

'I know. I would want Nidoking, Hitmonlee, Kabutops, Gyarados and Lapras', I said.

Lyra gave me a look. 'You know all of them are water types'.

'No, uh, almost. Okay change it. Nidoking, Hitmonlee, Gyarados, Snorlax and Pidgeotto', I said. 'Yeah, that's it'.

'Dude', said Bugsy, making a weird face. 'You are not at a restaurant'.

'Just, do it', I said, handing him every Pokeball except for Eevee's. I really missed Jolteon. But this Eevee was now the one who had travelled Kanto with me and not the Eevee I met a month ago. This Eevee had memories of Jolteon. No, he was Jolteon who never evolved.

Okay, time travel sucks. That's it.

'I am doing it', said Bugsy, irritated. 'Give me a few minutes. Hey, your Ditto is okay. I'm not sending it'.

'Wait, what ? Oh, right. Yes, yes, yes', I said. 'Don't send him then'.

'Okay', said Bugsy. 'Which one do you want me to stop then ?'.

'Uh, Snorlax', I said.

'Okay', said Bugsy. He pushed a few more buttons and the Pokeballs flashed blue and vanished. Then appeared once more.

'There you go', said Bugsy, handing me the Pokeballs back.

I took a deep breath in and attached them back to my belt. Even if I knew I had my Kanto team with me, I was afraid of sending them out right now. I felt a lack of confidence now.

Suddenly, I had a severe headache and I again fell to my knees, holding whatever was left on my head. The nausea could've overwhelmed me and led to some vomit, but no, this was different. Everything seemed dizzy and I had visions of something.

'Red !', shouted a voice, distorted. 'Red !'.

I looked around, shouting. The visions seemed real. I saw Lyra, drinking her cola drink, Pitt Cola. I was next to her in a dark corridor with a fractional amount of light entering it.

In a distance was a huge hall, with a device in the centre. The device looked like a giant ring through which ten people could easily walk, side by side. There were Team Rocket grunts standing in the centre and some scientists working on the device.

There was a 4 feet pole with a red button too, just next to the device.

A guy walked to us and pointed a gun towards me and I fell to the ground, unconscious.

'Red !', shouted Bugsy. 'Lyra !'.

My eyes opened slowly with the headache gone, wiped out of existence.

Lyra was lying next to me, holding her head. Her eyes were closed and I could tell with the look of her face that she was seeing the same visions. But they were not visions.

They were memories.

'What happened ?', asked Bugsy. 'Why are you two having a headache at the same time ? Is it because of time travel or something ?'.

'They are not', I said, calmly. 'I think I just remembered something'.

'What ?', asked Bugsy.

I began, 'Team Rocket is building some device. And their plan would be executed in Goldenrod'.

'How do you know that ?', asked Bugsy.

'I will explain this later, we need to reach Goldenrod as soon as possible', I said.

______________________

Whoa. Now Red has to deal with the fact that he is not the Kanto Champion anymore.

They have every piece of information regarding Giovanni's grand plan. And Red has his memories back about the device he saw in Team Rocket's Johto base. (Chapter - Rupture)

With the crisis coming, they need to be ready for it.

Any questions about the plot can be answered here itself. Ask it !