Because the suspects were the infamous Team Rocket, the response from the Pewter City police was swift. Before Red could grow impatient, the familiar wail of sirens echoed through the forest. The captured grunts sighed in resignation; it was over. Only Yagawa, the newly promoted squad leader, gnashed his teeth, his face a mask of regret and burning resentment toward the boy who had ruined everything.
"Thank you for your contribution to the Pokémon League," Officer Jenny said, extending a hand to Red in a friendly, professional manner. He shook it silently. "You and your brother are quite the righteous new trainers! My cousin in Viridian City told me all about Ash's little adventure."
"We just did what any trainer should," Red replied, his gaze shifting away. A flash of memory—the image of the Viridian Pokémon Center reduced to smoldering ruins—made him feel a twinge of secondhand embarrassment. He was proud of his brother, but sometimes Ash's "extraordinary performances" were a bit much.
"A Shiny Pokémon!" one of the other officers exclaimed, pointing at the azure Scyther. Its unique coloring was far more eye-catching than the quiet, unassuming power of the Beedrill standing beside it. Scyther met the officer's gawking with a look of pure disdain; it cared nothing for such hollow fame. To avoid any further commotion, Red had already recalled his colossal Onix.
"You just wait! The boss won't let you get away with this!" Yagawa threatened as he was being led away in cuffs. He caught himself just in time, swallowing Giovanni's name. If he had exposed his leader's identity here, Team Rocket's internal assassins would have "cleaned him up" long before he ever saw a League prison.
With the incident resolved, Red accepted Officer Jenny's offer of a ride to Pewter City. He insisted on sitting in the passenger seat to avoid looking like a prisoner, and as the police car sped along the highway, he closed his eyes and rested, the faint, pleasant fragrance from the driver's seat a calming presence. Traveling by car was a comfortable change of pace, but he knew he couldn't rely on it too much; to do so would defeat the purpose of the journey. Moderation was key.
Here, he couldn't help but think of Gary, who likely sped from city to city in his flashy convertible, missing the real growth that came from walking the path yourself.
His first stop in Pewter City was the Pokémon Center. He handed his team over to Nurse Joy for a full check-up. Although his new Power of Viridian could heal them, the Pokémon Center's medical technology was still superior. Besides, overusing his own power would take a toll on his body.
As was his habit, he called home to let Delia know he was safe, then dialed Professor Oak to report his findings on the experimental liquid.
"This is undoubtedly the work of Dr. Fenris, the Pokémon researcher who vanished years ago!" Professor Oak said, his voice grim. The two had been rivals, their ideals on Pokémon research fundamentally opposed. "The liquid is a powerful stimulant, but it's been horribly corrupted. It's designed to devolve a Pokémon into a mindless fighting beast. It's a formula explicitly forbidden by the League, and yet he still created it!"
Professor Oak was furious. A man who would so wantonly modify Pokémon was unworthy of the title of "Doctor."
"When I was in Viridian Forest, I also encountered a second experiment," Red explained. "An Eevee that could freely shift between its Fire, Water, and Electric evolutions." He hadn't seen it become a Vaporeon, but he had noticed three distinct, colored stripes between its eyebrows—red, blue, and yellow—a clear sign of its unique, tri-form potential.
"What a deranged man," Oak muttered in disgust. "As for your Gyarados, I will do my best to develop an antidote for any lingering effects. I believe you'll be able to pick it up at the Cerulean City Pokémon Center when you arrive."
"I don't know what happened to that Eevee," Red said softly. "I think it has completely lost hope in humanity." He remembered the look of pure despair in its eyes when he first saw it, mistaking him for another Team Rocket agent.
"By the way," the Professor asked, changing the subject, "where is Ash? Why isn't he with you?"
"Ash has his own journey to walk," Red replied. "Traveling with me might not be what's best for him. Our styles are too different."
"I see..." Professor Oak nodded, agreeing. "Still, while you're taking the elite route, you should consider catching more Pokémon! Even Gary has caught over twenty already. A larger team allows for more strategic flexibility in the League tournament."
"Don't worry, Professor. I won't limit myself to just six," Red said confidently. "I believe I'll encounter more unique Pokémon on my journey."
After his call, a voice announced that his Pokémon were ready. As he stepped out of the Pokémon Center, a stubble-faced man immediately tried to sell him a handful of polished rocks.
"Don't go, kid! These stones can be used to make tea! Or mix with your food!" the man pleaded, but Red ignored him. He knew this was Flint, Brock's long-absent father.
Seeing Red heading toward the Pewter Gym, Flint's demeanor changed. "Are you a challenger?" he asked, his voice suddenly serious. "I advise you to give up. A new trainer like you can't defeat Brock."
"And why is that?" Red asked.
"Brock is strong," Flint explained, a world of regret in his voice. "He has dreams, but he's trapped here. His irresponsible father left to become a Pokémon Master and never came back. His mother left, too. Brock had to give up everything to raise his siblings and take over the gym."
"In my opinion," Red said quietly, his words holding a weight Flint couldn't yet understand, "children don't need their father to be great. They just need him to be there."
Without waiting for a reaction, Red waved goodbye and walked toward the gym. Intrigued, Flint decided to follow and watch this strange boy's challenge for himself.
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