COMPLETE: Red to Blue [One shot]

[Gama]

Ok, my last exam is the 23rd May, and I already have the new series that I want to write then in mind. (I'm going to discontinue both Dragon Days and Silph's Escape - it's been too long, and the new story incorporates some of the major details of the future plots of both anyway.)

In the mean time, so you don't all forget about me, here is a one shot.

(NOTE: It's not in the Rival's Story continuity, so forget that.)

Red to Blue

Dear Blue,

It has been a long time since we saw each other last. Over three years, in fact. Can you believe it has been so long?

Our battle at the Pokémon League seems like it was only yesterday... and yet it feels like a million years ago. Does that make sense to you? You’re probably wondering why my Charizard (your Charizard) has given you this letter all of a sudden. Well, I suppose I owe you an explanation. I’ll start at the start.

Do you remember our days travelling Kanto together? I do. They are some of the most vivid memories of my life. I know we never actually travelled alongside one another... I’m talking about the battles. I’ve never felt more alive than when I was battling you, Blue. I know I won most of the time, but honestly (I can’t believe I’m admitting this! A real sign that times have changed!) I often felt like it was you who deserved to win. Sometimes it just came down to luck, and sometimes it was so close that it seemed harsh for you to have to walk away a loser. (Only sometimes though! Don’t get cocky!) Anyway, eventually, you managed to get to the Pokémon League ahead of me, and beat the Elite Four, becoming the Champion. Needless to say, I was furious. I was so hot on your heels that I managed to challenge and defeat you before your granddad even got there to congratulate you.

I didn’t think that would be our last battle. Every day that I was Champion, I expected to see you come through those doors, and take your title back. I really believed it would end up being a back and forth between us. Honestly, I was surprised that you didn’t come back that same day, and beat me. I was terrified of you doing to me exactly what I had done to you. A few challengers managed to beat the Elite Four, and challenge me, but none of them won. I knew none of them would win too – they had nothing on you.

I wanted to come see you, I really did, but I thought you were angry with me. I thought you never wanted to see me again. I thought I’d just been playing the game... you know, we battle each other, we beat each other... That’s what we did back then. Anyway, when you didn’t come I was worried. Your granddad told me you were really upset. I thought I’d give you some space... some time to yourself. Time kind of ran away with itself, I kept telling myself I’d come and see you, but I kept thinking that maybe I should wait just one more day to see if you’d come and see me. It was never meant to be three years.

I grew restless as Champion. I thought it was because the challengers were too weak, I wanted a stronger opponent. I asked your granddad when you’d be willing to fight me again, but he said I should ask you myself. I wish I had, but I didn’t. After some time, he recommended I went to Mt. Silver. He said that’s where the strongest wild Pokémon in the world are, and if I wanted a challenge, I should try living and training up there. He also told me that if I wanted to find a strong trainer to battle, the most likely place to bump into them would be there. That’s the place that someone wanting a challenge, like me, would go. He said if he met someone as strong as me who wanted a battle, he would send them to Mt. Silver to find me. I thought he was talking about you... Maybe he was.

I was there for three years, Blue. I didn’t see another human being my whole time there. Just my Pokémon. I made them train against wild Pokémon constantly, every day hoping that that would be the day you’d come and challenge me. I didn’t enjoy life in Mt. Silver. I just wanted to be prepared for my battle against you. I was sure you would come. Then one day, someone arrived. Even when he walked right up to me, and got out a Poké Ball, I thought it must be you, just with a different look.

The battle was a fierce one. Just as fierce as my battles with you used to be, Blue, but somehow not the same. It was then I realised that it wasn’t the challenge of the battle that I had been missing. I couldn’t understand it. This battle was definitely as challenging as my battles against you had been, but it somehow wasn’t enough. I lost the battle, but that wasn’t the problem. There was something missing. At that moment, I thought I had changed somehow, and I would never be satisfied like I was when me and you used to battle.

After my battle with Gold (that was his name), I ran as fast as I could. I wasn’t wearing a winter jacket of any kind, just the thin sleeveless one that I usually wear. I released my Pokémon one by one, and made them leave me. I don’t know how long it has been since my battle with Gold. My head wasn’t quite right over that period. I think the cold and the stress got to me. I don’t have a clear picture of what happened. I wandered the snowy tops of the mountains all by myself, without my Pokémon to protect me or keep me warm. I’m lucky I survived. I’m sure I must have come close to being killed by wild Pokémon or freezing to death on more than one occasion. My suspicion is that my Pokémon kept an eye on me the entire time.

Eventually, I encountered them again. One by one. They made me capture them again. I don’t have a clear picture of capturing the first one, Pikachu, but I remember having him by my side when I caught the others. Each time I caught one, I swear I could hear them talk. I can’t believe it happened, but I can remember it as clearly as daylight. Each of them told me that there was a Pokémon that they wanted to battle, and do you know what those Pokémon were? They were your Pokémon, Blue.

That was when I realised that it wasn’t the challenge of a battle that I had missed all this time. It was the challenge of a battle against you. It was the feeling of pure bloody hatred and loathing that rose up in my guts every time we faced off. It was that feeling that this battle was more important than anything else in the world because to lose would be to admit that I was worse than you, which was a fate worse than death. I didn’t care about losing to Gold. That battle was insignificant. Who was he that I should care whether I beat him or not?

I have decided that I want to have that feeling again. I have heard you’re the Leader of Viridian Gym now. Congratulations. I am making my way to your Gym as you are reading this letter. I am going to battle you again, then I am going to take you with me to Mt. Silver where the two of us will do nothing, but battle one another for the rest of our lives. I know this is what you want too. I have sent Charizard ahead so you can get your team ready. I don’t want to be disappointed.

Remember the rivalry, Blue, remember the hatred.

Yours,

Red

 

[Flaze]

The burning passion between two rivals can't be matched xD though I was I a little bit surprised by Red's proposition to "battle everyday" maybe it's just me but innuendos are easy to spot xD

I liked the oneshot cause it literally read like a letter and it gave us some exposition as to what happened to Red after Gold beat him. Though we should've had Blue turn away from the letter to see that Red was already by the door xD

 

[Pride]

I really liked this story. It feels like a good letter, and the thing that made me sad was the length. I wanted to read so much more, but then I realized it wouldn't be the same, because it wouldn't have that letter feel.

All in all, amazing. Can't wait to read your new series!!

 

[Safe]

Wow, I got goosebumps as I read the end of it.

You really captured the emotion in red; from a silent trainer to a passionate one.

Great one-shot!

 

[Lugion]

I can't help but think of Goku and Vegeta from Dragon Ball while reading this.

By the way, is this canon to Rival's Story? It kinda feels like it.

(Oh, and, in case you forgot or never heard, April Fools, this is Lugion)

 

[Flaze]

I can't help but think of Goku and Vegeta from Dragon Ball while reading this.

If so then who's Gold? xD

 

[Chimchar98]

I gotta say, I'm actually quite relieved after reading this. Especially seeing as I just beat Red for the first time ever today myself. A lot of people when they write G/S/C/HG/SS Red, portray him as either two things:

1. A heartless monster who is willing to KILL you if you beat him, just because you took away that oh-so-important title of Champion away from him.

or 2. A restless ghost who died up on Mt. Silver long ago, who will "see the light" after you beat him instead of going back to the Pokemon Center like he should.

Or a mixture of both. And for once, I see a Red that has a mission: to battle forevermore. I see a Red with a passion for battling, but not suicidal or tormented, he just want to have a little fun with an old friend.

Thank you.

 

[Flaze]

a little fun with an old friend.

Wink wink xD

 

[SuperTrainStationH]

This was brilliant because it sort of makes people who played Gen 1 and then Gen 2 sort of re-live their emotional experience from the perspective both of Red and Gold.

It's also a testament to how much imagination plays a role in what's shown in the games, even with the limited "development" demonstrated by the characters even in the modern Pokémon games, with an active imagination you get get a lot of extra enjoyment out of it, even if it doesn't result in fanwork such as this.

The idea of Red releasing, and then having to re-challenge all his Pokémon was especially neat.

 

[beastmode953]

Cool I found a fic from you. Im actually writing a fic featuring red so this fits well. I absolutely love his hunger for a challenge. I lnow exactly how it feels to rival another person in a field you know you've mastered and for sure know that their existence in that very field pushes you to be better so you can win again. I love this oneshot. I can't wait to search for more of your works.

 

[Gama]

Thanks for reading everyone, and I'm really glad you enjoyed!

Though we should've had Blue turn away from the letter to see that Red was already by the door xD

The only problem with something like that is that it wouldn't have really worked as a letter any more, and I would've had to frame the letter within normal narration, which I didn't really want to do.

By the way, is this canon to Rival's Story? It kinda feels like it.

It sort of... half is. In terms of characterisation it is, and they're both indicated to have the same starters that they had in Rival's Story, as well as Red having Blue's Charizard, but Red also says that he hasn't seen Blue since he beat him at the Indigo Plateu, whereas in Rival's Story, they worked together with Giovanni after that. That might seem like a fairly minor detail, but I think it's quite important that the whole Giovanni/Mewtwo arc of Rival's Story didn't happen within the canon of this story, because they kind of made some amends during that arc, and I think it's important that they don't get the opportunity to do that before this letter is written.

I gotta say, I'm actually quite relieved after reading this. Especially seeing as I just beat Red for the first time ever today myself. A lot of people when they write G/S/C/HG/SS Red, portray him as either two things:

1. A heartless monster who is willing to KILL you if you beat him, just because you took away that oh-so-important title of Champion away from him.

or 2. A restless ghost who died up on Mt. Silver long ago, who will "see the light" after you beat him instead of going back to the Pokemon Center like he should.

Or a mixture of both. And for once, I see a Red that has a mission: to battle forevermore. I see a Red with a passion for battling, but not suicidal or tormented, he just want to have a little fun with an old friend.

Thank you.

Well I'm delighted to have been of service, and glad you enjoyed xD

It's also a testament to how much imagination plays a role in what's shown in the games, even with the limited "development" demonstrated by the characters even in the modern Pokémon games, with an active imagination you get get a lot of extra enjoyment out of it, even if it doesn't result in fanwork such as this.

This is precisely why I enjoy writing Pokemon fanfiction based on the gameverse, particularly the earlier generations. When I play those games (and even the later ones, though less so with every passing generation), I feel like they were designed for you to exercise your creativity. There's so many credible theories about Generation I (Blue's Raticate dying, the whole war thing) that it's clear there's just an infinite amount of room for creativity within an already awesome framework!

 

[Dragonite Orbs]

Ohmygod GaMa, this was amazing!

I love the passion! It felt like Red wrote this in his own blood!

Please let me be the first to read your next story! You are a truly spectacular mother-of-gas!

DO xxx

 

[Alolan Ninetales]

Wow, I love this! You can feel the anger and hatred in Red's writing. I think that if it was any longer, it wouldn't exactly have that letter feel, in my opinion. I got a few goosebumps just as I read this.

Great work!

 

[Gama]

Ohmygod GaMa, this was amazing!

I love the passion! It felt like Red wrote this in his own blood!

Please let me be the first to read your next story! You are a truly spectacular mother-of-gas!

DO xxx

I'm glad you enjoyed it, Orbs! Since you asked so nicely, I'll give you the esteemed position of beta reader for when I begin my new fic (circa 23rd May)

Wow, I love this! You can feel the anger and hatred in Red's writing. I think that if it was any longer, it wouldn't exactly have that letter feel, in my opinion. I got a few goosebumps just as I read this.

Great work!

Thanks, Octy! I'm glad that came across. At first I was worried that it would come out a bit too Pallet shippy, but I tried hard to express the love-hatred of Red's feelings. Always good to hear people get goosebumps reading my stories! xD

 

[Necrozma]

I wish there's something different I could say, but I really can't - this was simply one delightful read. It's amazing how you've accomplished to integrate so much passion, rivalry and emotions in one single letter, in this short amount of text.

I never looked at their rivalry this way but I'm glad to say that your one-shot left a big impression on me. Once again you've proven why you're one of the best writers in here.

Keep it up!

 

[Gama]

I wish there's something different I could say, but I really can't - this was simply one delightful read. It's amazing how you've accomplished to integrate so much passion, rivalry and emotions in one single letter, in this short amount of text.

I never looked at their rivalry this way but I'm glad to say that your one-shot left a big impression on me. Once again you've proven why you're one of the best writers in here.

Keep it up!

Thanks for reading, Tsu, I'm glad you enjoyed it! A massive compliment coming from someone who is himself one of the WW's biggest writers!

 

[RaiThunder]

This is such a good letter. It game me chills towards the end, when Red was remembering re-capturing his Pokemon and about the fierce rival-hatred he and Blue shared. This letter presents a great explanation for why Red stayed at Mount. Silver for so many years.

 

[Gama]

This is such a good letter. It game me chills towards the end, when Red was remembering re-capturing his Pokemon and about the fierce rival-hatred he and Blue shared. This letter presents a great explanation for why Red stayed at Mount. Silver for so many years.

Thanks for reading, I'm really glad you enjoyed it!

Also, a massive thank you to everyone who nominated this for Best Expansion Fic! Means a lot, you guys!

Now I've just got to get through the judging phase! *crosses fingers*

 

[Shadow Victini]

Nicely done and written. Red wrote very passionately.
In other words, great job Gastly's Mama! A better version of G/S/C/HG/SS Red than most I've seen.

 

[StePK]

I heard about you from my friend that directed me to the forums, GM. And for the first half of the one-shot I was thinking "This... is just another redxblue fic."

And then it suddenly wasn't. I liked this. I'll certainly have to go through and read Rival's Story when I have the time.

Keep writing!