Red watched his Snorlax fall to the ground in defeat. The trainer across from him had used a brilliant strategy with his umbreon. As he returned snorlax to its pokeball, a sudden sour taste invaded his tongue. "Alright I won!" The trainer cheered hugging his umbreon and returning it to its pokeball. The trainer suddenly looked at him with a confused look "Hey, are you ok?" He knew this taste from somewhere but where? Red began mentally wracking his brain in an attempt to remember. "Uh, hello?" The trainer yelled. Then it hit Red.

Defeat.

He once had a similar experience he battled Blue when they both got they're first Pokemon. Red, his pikachu and Blue with his eevee. They had battled for what seemed like hours before pikachu finally took its first and only loss. Now, here on MT. Silver, where he trained with his most trusted partners for three long years, once again….he had lost.

"What a weird guy." The annoyed trainer muttered before running off.

A few hours later, Red found himself walking down the snowy mountain. Why? He had no idea. His leg's, for some reason, felt like they were moving on their own. It just felt….right. It seemed like a great burden had been lifted from his shoulders. For the first time in three years, he felt he could relax. After a few more hours of walking, a beam of sunlight hit his eyes. Sunlight….he had forgotten what it felt like. All there was at the top of the mountain was snow storm after snow storm, not that he really minded. The harsh, unforgiving weather helped sharpen both his Pokemon and his own skills. Looking around, he quickly identified the red roofed building nearby as a Pokemon center and burst into a quick jog.

"Welcome! How can-" The nurse's polite greeting was quickly cut short as she identified the trainer entering the building. Everyone in the vicinity turned to see what was such a big deal and found Red walking in carrying six pokeballs. Many jaws dropped open. "Take care of them." Was all Red said as he handed the tray of pokeballs to the nurse. As she quickly composed herself and grabbed the tray, Red immediately moved to the nearby PC and grabbed the phone.

XX

"He still isn't back yet?" Red's mother shook her head sadly at the girl sitting across from her at the table. The girl muttered a few curses before sighing "It's been three years already! The Pokemon league is still waiting for his reply to appear at the pre-league exhibition match against the current champ! Where the heck is he!" Red's mother simply shrugged "Red's always been a bit of a loner, even as a toddler he preferred to play by himself. Just give him time Green." Green rolled her eyes sarcastically "I've given him three freaking-" The phone on the nearby wall suddenly rang loudly cancelling whatever Green wanted to say. "Who would be calling this early in the morning?" Red's mother quickly stepped up and snatched the phone "Hello?" Green sighed and made her way to the kitchen fridge and opened it hoping for a rogue water bottle she may have missed.

"RED!"

Greens head instantly thumped against one of the trays above her head. "Ouch…" Green began nursing the bump on the back of her head as she turned and ran over to Red's mother.

XX

"WHAT! IS THAT RED!" Red chuckled at the familiar shrill voice of his girlfriend Green "Hey Leaf Green. Been a while." He and many other patrons of the Pokemon center winced as the shrill voice once again came from the phone "OH YEAH A WHILE! HOW ABOUT THREE FREAKING YEARS! YOU HAVE A LOT OF EXPLAINING TO DO FIRE RED!" "Uh mom? Any chance of silencing her for a second?" A few thumps and a cry of "what the- HEY!" Came from the other side followed by twenty seconds of silence "Mom?"

"Oh don't worry dear; I just locked her in your room. I'm so happy to hear from you again! Profesor Oak will be glad to hear that you're ok. When are you coming home?" Red scratched his head and laughed nervously "Actually….about that…"

XX

Green cackled as the door clicked and swung open "There isn't a locked door in existence that can hold me for longer than 10 seconds!" She than quietly crept down the stairs just in time to hear Mrs. Fire ask "You're doing what dear?" Green felt a lump in her throat as silence echoed through the room for a few seconds when suddenly…..

"WHAT! HOENN!"

Mrs. Fire felt a tug and found herself being thrown behind an angry teenager "WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT RED! HOENN IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD!"

XX

Red covered the bottom of the phone and chuckled nervously at the patrons behind him "This might take a while…" "I'm going on a journey in the Hoenn region Green."

"When and/or how did you suddenly decide to travel to the other side of the world so suddenly!" Red rolled his eyes "How is this sudden? I haven't seen nor spoken to anyone for three years!" "Well it's sudden for me and your mother!" Green snarled "What about all your friends here in kanto? The Pokemon league wants you to stage an exhibition match with the current champion to open the tournament!"

Red slapped his forehead in frustration. How would Green like it if everywhere she went, people would gasp and point and yell "Hey look! It's Green! The world's strongest trainer!" Hence, the move to MT. Silver.

"Tell them I'm taking a vacation!" Red finally yelled into the phone surprising many patrons of the Pokemon center. Green, as usual, would not listen. "Oh no you don't, Fire Red! You will, at the very least, accept the exhibition match! You don't have to stay and watch the entire tournament; just…make sure everyone knows you're still alive!" Red sighed. Once again, like many of their arguments on their journey, Green had won again. Logic ownage.

With a heavy sigh, Red smiled "Fine, but right after the match…and the entrance orientation, I'm leaving for Hoenn." Green grinned and gave the thumbs up sign to Mrs. Fire. "The league begins in two days!" As she watched his mother dash off to clean the kitchen, Green turned and whispered to the phone "And Red?"

"Yeah Green?"

"….Welcome back. We all missed you." As the words left her mouth, she quickly blushed and slammed the phone onto the receiver. Red chuckled quietly and nodded before hanging up. Though they would never admit it, face to face, the two were in love with each other. Journeying with a childhood friend for a few years would do that to you.

"Thanks for waiting! Your Pokemon are fully healed!" Red smiled and nodded to the bowing nurse "We hope to see you again in the future!" "You know it!" Red said grinning before dashing out of the center.

XX

Prof. Oak sighed as he glanced through his email inbox in his laboratory. "Looks like Red will be a no-show again this year…" He sighed again, closed his email and got up to stretch. "I wonder how he's doing?" He randomly said aloud. His computer screen suddenly began beeping loudly, startling many of the researchers who were studying in concentration.

"YOU GOT MAIL!"

"This early?" He moved back to his computer and opened the flashing envelope on his screen.

Sender: Fire Red

Re: See you in two days.

Message: *blank*

Oak rubbed his eyes, making damn sure that he wasn't seeing things. The message itself was blank but the email subject told the whole story. "He's coming back…." Oak whispered to himself. One of the researchers came up behind him and tapped his shoulder "Prof. Oak?" Oak suddenly turned, grinning, and pumped both fists into the air "HE'S BACK!" He then quickly blazed out of the lab, leaving many researchers confused.

XX

"Oh my goodness. My little boy is coming home! I-I-I don't know what I should say when we see him!" Green patted a sympathetic hand on Mrs. Fire's back and laughed "Well how about we pack first? Then we can worry about what to say." That appeared to calm the worrying mother down as she smiled and walked up the stairs to her room. Inside, however, Green was dancing. YES! She mentally squealed I can't wait! She then ran to her house to pack.

XX

Just in front of the Johto/Kanto gate.

Red looked up at the looming gate and sighed "Has it really been three years?"

"I don't believe it! Red!" Red watched as the gate's doors swung open and the duo of Misty and Erika came running out. Misty immediately tackled him to the ground in a bear hug. "M-Misty…grip on life…fading…"

"Misty! He's losing air!" Erika shrieked and began trying to tear Misty from the poor trainer. "I can't believe it! It's been so long!" Misty almost squealed while blushing as she slowly tore herself away from him. Erika simply walked up and bowed politely "It is good to see you again. I hope the last three years have been good to you." Red sighed and scratched his head innocently "Yeah but more importantly…" He pointed to the duo "You two have changed! A LOT!"

"US? WHAT ABOUT YOU RED?" Misty suddenly shouted. "You never called! Never sent a letter! Not even a trace of you remained after you left for Mt. Silver!" "I had to isolate myself and my Pokemon in order to maximize the training. By the way, little known fact: the top of the mountain is a giant hailstorm." Erika simply smiled while Misty stared at the grinning trainer as if he was crazy "You were training at the very top of the mountain? FOR THREE YEARS?"

"Is it that hard to believe? By the way, I never managed to ask. Who is the new viridian gym leader?" Misty wanted to do a large number of things to Red at that moment, many involved loss of teeth or internal bleeding. She quickly shook those thought's away "After team rocket disbanded, Giovanni went missing around a month after you left. Two years later, some kid named Blue became the new gym leader." Now it was Red's turn to look as if SHE was crazy "Blue? Was I up there THAT LONG?" "Duh!" Misty and Erika said in unison, Red slapped his forehead and groaned "I just know he's gonna brag about it later…."

XX

Two days later. *time skip~*

Pokemon league tournament grounds *stadium seating*

"Do you see Red anywhere?" Green laughed as she watched Mrs. Fire glance left and right in search of her son "No worries ma'am! Red promised to be here! He ALWAYS keeps his promises!"

"Hmph, Indeed."

"Awww. Are you STILL angry at Red for leaving? Grow up Blue!" Green said grinning at the orange haired boy sitting next to her left. "I'm not angry! I'm just frustrated that he left without settling things!" Green sweatdropped and facepalmmed "That's called being angry you know…" "Details." He retorted weakly. "Oh! It's starting!"

The stadium suddenly darkened and a figure stepped out onto the field. A single beam of light shone on the figure.

"Welcome one and all! To the umpteenth Pokemon championship! Like every year. Before the main event's, there is an exhibition match between the last champ and the current champion!"

"That's my cue." Blue sighed standing up. "Good luck Blue!" Green giggled sending a shiver down his spine. Hate it when she does that!

"I am proud to say that this year; the former champ has finally agreed to participate in the match! Hailing all the way from Pallet town. Weighing in at something, something pounds! The former Kanto league champion!"

The lights and centered towards one of the entrance tunnels.

"FIRE RED!"

XX

Red shook his head chuckling "Was my weight really necessary?"

"FIRE RED!"

Red turned to the electric mouse sitting on his shoulder "That's our cue! Ready to kick some ass?" "Chu Pi Pika!" Pikachu cheered pretending to throw a few punches. Red laughed and proceeded through the tunnel and out onto the field waving.

The stadium instantly erupted in cheers and whistles as he stepped out.

"And in the Blue corner! Hailing also from Pallet town! Weighting in at something, something pounds! The current Pokemon league champion three years in a row! WATER BLUE!"

Red laughed as he watched Blue come storming out of the tunnel with a large fiery canine trialing behind him. "He still has that Arcanine huh? He clearly looks like he doesn't want to be here." And he was right.

"I so hate crowds." Blue said to himself as he waved to the roaring crowd.

"COME ON RED!" Green and Mrs. Fire screamed in unison.

"You all know the rules! The following contest is a single 6 Pokemon team battle! Let the battle begin!"

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Just something I had off the top of my head. Like it or hate it. Read and review.