When we last left off, Red was helping Professor Oak recapture all the Pokémon he accidentally let loose. After chasing them all the way to Viridian City, they found Bulbasaur running into the city's closed Gym, where they were attacked by a wild Machoke.
As Machoke brought its fist down on Red, it ceased its attack due to the vine now holding its arm in place.
"Prof! Did you see that?! What's Bulbasaur's best attack?!" He realised he wasn't getting an answer when he noticed Oak unconscious and foaming at the mouth.
"Oh, great... what next? Wait, if it's got a bulb..."
Red began thinking hard about plants and what could help. He was so lost in thought, he failed to notice how Machoke got its arm free. What he didn't fail to notice was the arm slaming into where he had been knocked from.
"What? There's no way!" He backed into the blinds, causing a small ray of light.
"Wait, what if...?" Without another word, he slid the blinds open and shone the sun's rays onto the Grass Pokémon's bulb.
With no time to waste, Bulbasaur absorbed what light it could and shot a half-powered Solar Beam into the Machoke's face.
Writhing in pain, and seeing the starter building up for another attack, it decided to leave while it could.
"You knew about the Bulbasaur's Solar Beam?" inquired Oak who saw the end of the battle.
"Naw. But I figured, you know, plants turn sunlight into energy. And this guy has a plant on its back, so..."
"You just... figured it out?!" At the complete absurdity of the situation, Oak couldn't help but laugh at the world.
"The Bulbasaur is yours." He handed Red the Poké Ball with the starter in, and noticed a calmness that it hasn't been seen with for ages. "Seems he's taken a liking to you."
"Y-you mean... Really? Cool! But first, I gotta clear something up. I did not break into your Pokémon lab to steal Pokémon. Y'see, yesterday-"
Red recounted how he witnessed a strange, glowing Pokémon that easily knocked out his Poliwhirl, and his intention to catch it. So he visited Oak's lab in the hopes of learning how to become a great Trainer.
"... I see. But do you know what it takes to be great?"
Red was confused, not sure why he was being asked.
"Knowing a lot of clever tricks? Having a Pokémon power house in your arsenal? Is that what you think makes a great Pokémon Trainer? If you do, you're wrong. What counts is in your heart! That connection with the Bulbasaur, that feeling from deep within, that's the key to becoming a great Pokémon Trainer."
"What's your name, son?" As he asked, he reached into his coat for something.
"Red, sir."
"Here, Red." He handed him the device that marked him for greatness.
"This is a Pokédex. An encyclopedia of Pokémon. Whenever you meet and learn about new Pokémon, enter you data here. By the time you've input the data on all the Pokémon, you may have become one of the truly great Trainer. However, if you expect to input any valuable data into that Pokédex, you can't stay here. You have to expand your territory.
Why not start with Viridian Forest, north of the city? You're bound to find Pokémon there that you've never seen before. Besides, that happens to be where..." he stopped himself mid sentence, deciding it would be better is they met more by chance.
"Never mind. Now, I have to return to my research, and you have a journey to start." With that, Oak escorted Red out of the empty building and made his way back to Pallet.
Red, meanwhile, stared at Viridian Forest, excited to become what he's always dreamed.
"Oh crap! I was in such a hurry, I didn't bring many Poké Balls!" He checked his pockets to find he only had about a dozen. "Oh well, they'll have to do."
As he put them back, he reached for his Pokémon when he felt something in his back pocket. In all the running around, he completely forgot about the Pokéflute he found when they recaptured Meowth.
"I'll try it later." He looked at Poliwhirl and Bulbasaur, who were staring back at him from their containers. "I don't know what kind of Pokémon we'll meet, but I'm sure the three of us will catch 'em all!"
Bringing them out, he headed towards the forest. Facing his future with his friends by his side.
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