Chapter 358: Return to Pallet Town
~Third POV~
[Kanto Region, Next Day, Pallet Town – Oak's Lab]
The gentle morning sun, still low enough to cast long, stretching shadows across the research facility and the scattering of homes, brought a vibrant, hopeful glow to Pallet Town. Bird Pokémon sang their melodic greetings from the eaves, and the salty scent of the nearby ocean mingled with the earthy fragrance of blooming wildflowers.
It was a picturesque scene, yet a certain quiet hung in the air, a subtle shift from the usual bustling energy that accompanied Professor Oak's presence. Azure Sky, along with his steadfast companions Pikachu and Eevee, had departed yesterday alongside Green, the two trainers heading towards Vermilion City.
There, Green anticipated a long-awaited reunion with her parents, a meeting Azure would be present for. Currently, however, Pallet Town's tranquility was punctuated by a different kind of youthful enthusiasm.
A group of children, all barely into their double digits, had cornered a wild Nidorino near the town's outskirts. Its purple hide bristled, its horn sharp and ready. A boy with a Poke Ball yelled out, "Go, Poke Ball!"
The Nidorino, a seasoned veteran of its own territory, merely snorted, a low growl rumbling in its chest. Its horn glowed faintly, and with a swift, powerful lunge, it knocked the incoming Poké Ball – now released and rolling uselessly on the ground – spinning away into a patch of tall grass.
*Smack*
The boy groaned, his shoulders slumping, "Aw, man! I failed!"
Just then, a calm, steady voice cut through the children's frustrated murmurs, "Hahaha! That's because you threw the Poke Ball first. You have to fight the Pokémon before you can try to catch it."
The children turned, their eyes widening as they recognized the speaker. Standing a short distance away, silhouetted against the rising sun, was a young man with a familiar shock of black hair, a determined glint in his eyes, and a confident stance that spoke of countless battles won.
Beside him, a quiet, lean figure with spiky brown hair observed the scene with a cool, assessing gaze. The boy gasped, his face lighting up, "Fire Red! It's Red, the Viridian City Gym Leader!"
Red offered a small, reassuring smile as he continued to explain, "Hey, it looks like you have a Powerful Gengar! Bring it out to fight for you – come on! Its Ghost-typing would make it immune to Normal and Fighting moves, and its Special Attack could be a game-changer against Nidorino's physical bulk."
The boy's eyes brightened with understanding. He grabbed Gengar's Poke Ball, declaring loudly, "My Gengar! Of course! Go, Gengar!"
*Pop*
With a ripple of dark energy, the Shadow Pokémon materialized, its sinister grin wide, its red eyes glowing. The Nidorino, sensing a different kind of threat, tensed, its growl deepening. Red instructed, his voice clear and authoritative, "Gengar, use Shadow Ball!"
*CRACKLE*
The Gengar cackled, a dark orb of spectral energy forming between its hands. It hurled the Shadow Ball with precision, striking the Nidorino squarely.
The Nidorino cried out, stumbling back, visibly dazed. Red continued, "Now, Hypnosis! Put it to sleep!"
*Shiii*
Gengar's eyes glowed, and a wave of psychic energy washed over the Nidorino. Its struggles lessened, its stance softened, and with a final, sleepy sigh, it collapsed onto the grass, soundly asleep.
Red encouraged the boy, stating calmly, "Now's your chance. A sleeping Pokémon is much easier to catch."
Nodding vigorously, the boy grabbed another Poké Ball, his hand much steadier this time. He threw it, a hopeful arc through the air. The ball struck the Nidorino, shimmered once, twice, three times, and then clicked shut, a soft chime announcing a successful capture for the boy.
*BON*
The boy cheered, clutching the Poké Ball to his chest, "I caught it! I caught a Nidorino!"
The other children crowded around, their excitement infectious. Red chuckled, a genuine warmth in his smile as he said, "Good job. Always think about type advantages and strategy, not just brute force."
As the children dispersed, eager to show off their new Pokémon, Red and his companion, Blue, began to walk towards Professor Oak's laboratory.
Blue, who had remained silent throughout the encounter, finally spoke, a smirk playing on his lips, and said calmly, "Still playing hero, Red? Some things never change."
Red shrugged, a familiar glint of friendly rivalry in his eyes as he said coolly, "Someone has to teach these kids the basics. Besides, it's good to be back in Pallet Town. Hasn't changed much, has it?"
He gazed around, taking in the familiar landscape, the quiet homes, the distant glint of the ocean. Red chuckled lightly, recalling the past, and uttered fondly, "Feels like yesterday we were starting our own journeys right here."
Blue nodded, a rare softening in his typically sharp features as he said calmly, "No, not much has changed. The salt air, the quiet… almost makes you nostalgic."
He then scoffed dismissively as he added on, "Almost. I prefer the thrill of a Gym battle to chasing after wild Pokémon with a bunch of rugrats."
They walked in comfortable silence for a moment, the sounds of their footsteps rustling the grass. Red's Pikachu, perched on his shoulder, let out a soft "Pika," observing the surroundings with keen, intelligent eyes.
Blue's Charizard, walking majestically beside him, seemed to share its trainer's air of quiet confidence. Upon entering Professor Oak's lab, however, the familiar, comforting atmosphere was noticeably absent.
The lab was usually a hive of activity, filled with the hum of machinery, the rustle of papers, and the Professor's booming voice. Today, it was eerily silent, the main research area starkly empty. Red called out, his voice echoing slightly in the stillness, "Professor Oak?"
Pikachu twitched its ears, sensing the unusual quiet, and cried out, "Pika! (You hear you crazy old coot! Hello!!)"
Blue walked further in, his brow furrowing as he murmured curiously, "That's odd. He's never been away from his lab this long, especially without leaving a note. And where's his usual lab assistant?"
They scanned the room, noticing three sleek, metallic devices arranged neatly on a polished wooden table in the center of the lab. Each device had an envelope tucked beside it.
Red's name was clearly visible on one, Blue's on another, and Green's on the third. Red mumbled, picking up his, "Letters? In this day and age with Rotom Phones?"
Blue already had his open, scanning the contents. Blue commented, a hint of impatience in his tone, "Mysterious, as always. Same old grandpa, always with the dramatics."
Red quickly opened his letter. His eyes darted across the elegant script as he read aloud, then looked at Blue, "It just says… Vermilion City? Yours too?"
Blue nodded. He glanced at Green's unopened letter as he stated, "Professor said there's something important he needs to discuss with us there. And Green, too, by the looks of it. Guess she went ahead."
*KRASH*
Before they could delve deeper into the cryptic messages, a sudden commotion erupted outside. A sharp cry of pain, unmistakably from a Pokémon, followed by a series of frantic yelps, pierced the lab's silence.
Red exclaimed, his hand instinctively going to the Poké Balls at his belt, prepared for trouble, "What was that?"
*ZIP*
They rushed to the lab's open door, peering out into the backyard where Professor Oak's carefully tended Pokémon often frolicked. What they saw sent a chill down their spines. Several of Oak's Pokémon – a tranquilizer-dazed Porygon, a frightened Doduo, and a panicking Tauros – were being attacked by an unseen force.
There were flashes of light, streaks of energy, and the clear sounds of impacts, but no visible attacker. Red cried, his Pikachu leaping from his shoulder, its fur bristling, "Whoa! What's going on?"
Blue shouted, already sending out his Charizard, "It's invisible! Charizard, use Flamethrower! Aim for where those attacks are coming from!"
*Sssss*
Charizard let loose a torrent of fire, searing the air where a Porygon had just been knocked back. But the flames met nothing but empty space.
Red deployed his Saur, a powerful Venusaur, as he commanded, "Saur, Vine Whip! Try to ensnare it!"
*WHIP*
Saur's thick vines lashed out, whipping through the air, trying to grab hold of the elusive foe. But the attacks kept coming, swift and silent, knocking the Pokémon off balance.
Red yelled, frantically trying to scan the empty air for the invisible attacker, "My Pokédex isn't registering anything!"
The device merely blinked, displaying an error message. Red growled as he uttered, "It's too fast, or some kind of cloaking ability?"
*Zoooom*
A blur, almost imperceptible, zipped past Charizard's nose, prompting a frustrated growl from the Fire-type. Then, with a sudden, impossible burst of speed, the invisible opponent shot upwards, leaving a faint, shimmering trail in the air.
*WOOOOOSH*
In a matter of seconds, it was a mere speck, then gone, vanishing into the vast sky as quickly as it had appeared. Red and Blue stood breathless, their Pokémon panting, some recovering from minor injuries.
The unsettling feeling of facing an enemy they couldn't see, couldn't identify, lingered in the air. Red whispered, his voice tinged with awe and concern, "What in the world was that? I've never seen anything like it. It moved like lightning, attacking with precision, then just… vanished."
Blue mused, recalling Charizard's eyes hardening as he replied cautiously, "It's clearly something advanced. Beyond anything we've encountered before. And it seems to have a particular interest in attacking Pokémon. This whole situation is getting weirder by the minute."
He glanced back at the lab as Blue added, "Professor Oak has to be involved in this."
Red nodded, his expression grim. He started to turn back towards the lab, a new sense of urgency in his stride as he said calmly, "He's not here, and something like that just attacked his Pokémon. There has to be a reason he's gone. We need to find him."
But Blue, ever the pragmatic one, had his attention fixed elsewhere. He was examining the metallic devices on the table again, specifically the one that held his letter.
He picked up the device next to his name as he said calmly, "Hold on, Red. These aren't just for letters. There's a slot here… and it looks like it's designed for a Pokédex."
*Click*
He then pressed a small, unmarked button on the side. The Fame Checker let out a hum, hearing Prof. Oak's voice as he stated, "Dear Pokedex holders, listen carefully. I'm going to take away your Pokedexes! The computer on my desk is connected to the storage system. I want you to place your Pokedexes in there."
The words hung in the air, a cold, disbelieving declaration. Red stared at the recording, his mouth agape as he spoke in a stunned tone, "Take… our Pokédexes? What… what is he talking about?"
He quickly grabbed his own device, pressing the play button again, hoping it was some kind of error, a pre-recorded message from a different context. But Professor Oak's voice went on, repeating the same message, word for word. "…I'm going to take away your Pokédexes..."
Red rewound it and played it again. And again.
Each time, the Professor's grave voice echoed the same damning statement. A wave of distress washed over Red. The Pokédex wasn't just a tool; it was a symbol of his journey, his accomplishments, the very foundation of his identity as a Pokémon Trainer.
To have it taken away by the very man who entrusted it to him… it felt like a betrayal, or at least a profound misunderstanding. Red said, his voice a low, strained whisper, his eyes wide with a mixture of confusion and hurt, "No matter how many times I play it, it just says the same thing. Take our Pokédexes? Why? After all we've done with them?"
Blue, though clearly surprised, showed none of Red's visible anguish. He simply walked with a steady stride towards the device on the table, a thoughtful frown creasing his brow as he listened to his grandpa's words.
Without a word, he unclipped his Pokédex from his belt, a sleek, blue model that mirrored Red's red one. He slotted it into the designated capsule on the device. A soft click, and the capsule glowed with an ethereal blue light, pulsating gently.
Blue then stepped back, his gaze unwavering. Red asked, bewildered, "Blue? What are you doing?"
Blue simply gestured towards the device, then to Red's Pokédex as he stated, "He said he intends to take them. We may not understand why yet, but I trust his judgment. He gave them to us in the first place."
Red hesitated, his hand clutching his red Pokédex, feelings of attachment and confusion warring within him. It was a part of him. But then he remembered Professor Oak's words in the recording, his unwavering resolve.
He remembered the invisible attacker, the strange letters, the whole unprecedented mystery. If Professor Oak, the visionary researcher who had started them on their journeys, felt this was necessary, there had to be a reason. A big reason.
With a deep, shaky breath, Red made his decision. He unclipped his Pokédex, its familiar weight feeling suddenly heavier in his hand. He walked over to the device and, with a pang of reluctant resignation, placed it into the empty slot.
*Click*
As Red's Pokédex clicked into place, the capsule pulsed with a vivid red light, mirroring Blue's. The two lights intertwined, growing brighter, until a blinding flash of pure white light erupted from the device, momentarily forcing Red and Blue to shield their eyes.
*WZZZZ*
When their vision cleared, the device hummed softly, and the capsules were empty. The Pokédexes were gone, vanished without a trace, leaving only the lingering scent of ozone in the air.
Silence fell, a heavy, expectant quiet. Red and Blue looked at each other, then back at the now inert device.
The physical absence of their most crucial tools was palpable. Blue said calmly, breaking the silence, his voice now back to its usual composed tone, "Well… that was… conclusive. We still don't know why, but that's why we're going to Vermilion City. Professor Oak will explain. Until then, we trust him."
Red slowly nodded, the initial shock giving way to a new kind of resolve. He replied, calming down, "Yeah. You're right. Professor Oak wouldn't do something like this without a good reason. Something big is happening if he needs to take our Pokédexes."
He looked out the lab door, towards the horizon, as he said resolutely, "We need to get to Vermilion. Fast."
Red reached for a Poké Ball. Red hurled it out, declaring, "Aero, let's fly!"
*Pop*
With a flash of light, his mighty Aerodactyl roared to life, its ancient wings effortlessly unfurling. Red swung himself onto its back, Pikachu scrambling to a secure spot on his shoulder.
Blue, meanwhile, had already gotten on top of Charizard's back. The majestic Fire/Flying Pokémon let out a powerful cry, its tail flame flickering vigorously. Blue expertly mounted his long-time partner.
As they prepared to take off, Red glanced back at the wooden table. Green's letter, still unopened, lay beside its device. Red said quickly, holding up a hand, "Wait. Green's letter. Let me get it real quick!"
Red quickly dismounted, getting Green's letter. Red secured it carefully in an inner pocket as he said calmly, "She'll need this. Whatever's going on, she's probably involved too, being a Pallet Town trainer."
With the last piece of the puzzle secured, for now, Red and Blue exchanged a final look, a shared understanding of the gravity of their situation passing between them. The unseen attacker, the missing Professor, the confiscated Pokédexes – all pointed to an unfolding crisis far greater than any they had faced before.
Blue said, his voice firm, "Vermilion City it is. Let's go, Charizard!"
*FLAP*
*FLAP*
With powerful beats of their wings, Charizard and Aerodactyl ascended into the clear Pallet Town sky, leaving the quiet lab and its unsettling mysteries behind, carrying their trainers towards a destination that promised answers, but also hinted at dangers yet unknown…
/////
A/N: Reach the goal of 200 PS to get a Bonus Chapter! Also, sidenote the Rotations and Boxes have been updated!