” [BattleMan: …] [BattleMan: @TheNurturer] [TheNurturer: If you have something to say, then say it.
What’s with your weird habit of sending nothing but ellipses all the time?] [BattleMan: What do you think Brother Gray wants from us?
I sent him a private message, but he didn’t reply.] [Healer: Um…
Big Brother Gray might be busy…] [EvolutionSage: Impossible.
He’s obviously just too lazy to respond to us!] [TheNurturer: Gather at the research institute.
I called and asked.
He really does have something for us.] [BattleMan: ?] [EvolutionSage: Wait a second!
During the six months he disappeared, why were you the only one who could still contact him?] [Healer: Let’s gather first…
It’s rare for Big Brother Gray to ask us for help…] The group chat suddenly fell silent.
Half an hour later.
Professor Oak’s Pokémon Research Laboratory.
BattleMan.
TheNurturer.
EvolutionSage.
Healer.
Red, Blue, Green, and Yellow.
These were the titles Professor Oak had bestowed upon them, each representing the unique ability they possessed.
The first-generation Pokémon Adventures protagonists had officially assembled.
For a moment, the four simply stared at one another.
Finally, Red broke the silence.
Pointing at the game cartridge Blue had just taken out, he asked: “You’re saying…” “Brother Gray turned my adventure into a game?” “And he wants me to test whether it’s fun to play?” “To be precise, not just you.” Blue glanced at him.
“Me, Green, Yellow, Grandpa, all the Gym Leaders…” “Even Brother Gray himself.” “And basically everything we’ve experienced together.” “All of it was put into this game.” As he spoke, Blue inserted the cartridge into Red’s customized Pokédex.
He then connected an external display screen with practiced efficiency.
“There.” “Now we can all watch.” “Go ahead, protagonist.” Red scratched his head.
Accepting the Pokédex, he sat down in front of the screen while the other three gathered around him.
Taking a deep breath, he pressed the start button.
Bzzzt— The pitch-black screen lit up.
A crude pixelated shooting star streaked across the darkness.
Simple yet strangely familiar electronic background music began to play.
The scene shifted to a lush green forest.
Two Pokémon stood facing each other.
A Nidoking?
No.
A Nidorino.
And opposite it.
A Gengar.
“That’s the old man’s Nidorino…” Blue recognized his grandfather’s Pokémon instantly.
But when his gaze shifted toward the Gengar, the corner of his mouth twitched.
If Grandpa’s Pokémon was here, then this scene clearly involved Grandpa.
And if that was the case…
The identity of the Gengar was obvious.
It belonged to Agatha, the Ghost-type member of the Kanto Elite Four.
Her ace Pokémon.
Everyone knew there was a rather embarrassing history between those two elders.
Blue silently prayed that his grandfather’s blood pressure would remain stable if he ever saw this scene.
On-screen, Gengar and Nidorino engaged in an incredibly skillful battle.
Moves flew back and forth.
Attacks were exchanged.
Neither side gave ground.
The four viewers watched without blinking.
Just as the two Pokémon prepared to unleash their finishing moves— The screen suddenly went black.
Then the title music officially began.
It was rough around the edges.
Simple.
Yet unmistakably memorable.
The background image slowly unfolded.
Three silhouettes appeared.
Red.
Blue.
Green.
The three stood in a triangular standoff.
Behind them towered the mighty figures of Charizard, Blastoise, and Venusaur.
Then enormous title letters appeared across the screen.
Pokémon: FireRed / LeafGreen “When did the three of us ever stand around like that?” Red looked genuinely confused.
“And isn’t my Pokémon supposed to be Venusaur…?” Green immediately rolled her eyes.
She did not even bother responding.
Blue sighed.
“Idiot.” “It’s called artistic adaptation.” “The three of us obviously represent Fire, Water, and Grass.” “Oh.” Red nodded.
Although judging from his expression, he clearly only half understood.
He pressed Confirm.
The basic settings and application information appeared.
Red skipped through everything at lightning speed.
Who had the patience to read all that?
Amid the soothing background music, Professor Oak appeared on the screen.
Then came the opening speech.
The one they had heard so many times their ears were practically calloused.
[Now then, tell me.
Are you a boy or a girl?] As Professor Oak finished speaking, two options appeared.
[Boy] [Girl] Behind each option was a character illustration.
One depicted a mysterious boy wearing a red-and-white cap, shown only from behind.
The other depicted a confident girl standing with her hands on her hips beneath a wide-brimmed sun hat.
“Is that me and Green?” Red blinked while looking at his own portrait.
“Pretty handsome…” “Pick me!
Pick me!” Green became so excited she nearly threw herself onto the Pokédex.
“That outfit is amazing!” “Looks like Brother Gray actually has pretty good taste!” Red remained as steady as a mountain.
Without the slightest hesitation, he selected: [Boy] [What is your name?] Red immediately entered: Red He let out a sigh of relief.
Surely that was the end of character creation.
Then Professor Oak spoke again.
[This is my grandson.] [You grew up together.] [You are friends.] [And rivals.] [Now then…
what is his name?] The screen changed.
A brown-haired teenager with spiky hair appeared.
His hands were shoved casually into his pockets as he looked arrogantly toward the player.
Red had been wondering why Blue had not shown up yet.
Then he realized something.
The game was actually asking him to choose Blue’s name.
Immediately, a mischievous grin spread across his face.
Well then.
You can’t blame me for this.
Maintaining a completely serious expression, he began typing.
However, the instant the first character appeared— A chopping hand descended from above.
Whoosh!
Thwack!
“Ow!” Red clutched his head.
“What was that for?!” “Want to fight?!” Blue glared at him.
“Enter a normal name.” Without even looking at Red, Blue kept his eyes fixed on the screen.
Meanwhile, he muttered internally: As if I would ever be that flashy.
Honestly, Brother Gray…
Rubbing the painful spot on his head, Red reluctantly complied under Blue’s death stare.
He entered: Blue Hmph.
It wasn’t that he was afraid.
It was just that Yellow was watching.
He had to maintain his image.
The screen flashed.
Little Red appeared inside a cozy bedroom.
For the first time, Red was seeing “himself” from a third-person perspective.
The experience felt incredibly novel.
Even though this was not actually his house, that did nothing to diminish his curiosity.
First target.
The game console sitting nearby.
He walked over and interacted with it.
[Red is playing a game console…] [Alright!
Let’s begin!] He interacted again.
Nothing happened.
Alright then.
Time to check something else.
Red walked toward the bed.
[The sun is shining brightly.
Would you like to rest?] Of course not.
He had only just started playing.
Why would he go to sleep?
“Red.” Yellow quietly leaned closer.
“Maybe check the computer?” “I have a feeling there might be something there.” “Sure.” Red immediately moved Little Red toward the computer and selected it.
[Red turned on the computer.
What would you like to do?] Two options appeared.
[Item Storage] [Mailbox] Red selected Item Storage.
Inside was an actual Potion.
“There’s really something here!” The joy of discovering a hidden reward instantly hooked him.
The feeling was unexpectedly satisfying.
“Alright, stop wasting time.” Blue crossed his arms impatiently.
“Hurry up and go downstairs.” Unlike Red, he was not particularly interested in hidden details.
What he wanted to see was the larger world Brother Gray had created.
Little Red headed downstairs.
The first floor was larger and brighter.
There was more furniture as well.
A gentle and elegant woman sat on the sofa in front of the television.
Little Red approached and interacted.
[Mom: …Well, I suppose it’s true.] [Mom: The television said so.] [Mom: Every boy eventually reaches the day he leaves home.] [Mom: Oh, right.] [Mom: Professor Oak next door is looking for you.] “Looks like we’ve triggered the first story event.” Blue folded his arms.
His tone was filled with certainty.
“Let’s go.” “Find the old man.” “I’m guessing we’re about to get our starter Pokémon.” “Hold on!” Green immediately stopped Red’s eager hand.
“This room is huge!” “There has to be more stuff hidden around here!” “The upstairs computer already had a Potion hidden inside!” Red thought about it.
That actually made sense.
So he guided Little Red over to the television.
Click.
Interaction.
Text appeared.
[A movie is playing on the television.] [Four boys are walking along a railway track.] [They begin a journey together.] A brief pause followed.
Then another line appeared.
[…I should be going too.] The moment those words appeared on screen, the room fell strangely silent.
For some reason, those simple words carried an indescribable feeling.
A yearning.
An anticipation.
A desire to step beyond the familiar and begin a journey of one’s own.
Even though it was only a line of dialogue from a game.
Even though the graphics were crude.
Even though the music was simple.
At that moment, all four of them felt a faint stirring in their hearts.
As though they had suddenly been transported back to the day when they first set out on their adventures.
Back to the moment when everything began.
(End of Chapter) TN: I originally removed the brother in there when they refer to Gray but I later returned it since it keep bothering me and to put age difference between them.
Also, I was gonna change Green’s name to Leaf like in the game but since the author is following the Pokemon Adventures in the story I retracted it and keep as it is.