It's been a week now since Green left Viridian City.

Daisy and Professor Oak would continue on contacting Green once in a while, yet, they would only receive the same response.

"I'm not coming back." Green would retort at them, especially at Professor Oak. "After all, you prefer Red than me, right? What's the use of going back?"

Daisy and Professor Oak would just look at each other, wearing worried faces.

"This'll take some time" Professor Oak sighed.

"What if his memories don't completely come back?" Daisy asked. "Not that I'm jumping to the worst case scenario"

"Let's just see how things go" Professor Oak said in reply. "It's only a matter of time "

()

Lately, Red, instead of locking himself in his room like a lovesick teenage girl, he had been training his Pokémon at the edge of Pallet Town near the sea where no one can see him train.

After all, Red is not fond of people, especially the media. He was contented staying at Pallet Town where no one camera would follow his every move, though it has been years, people would be surprised if they see the Champion Red out of nowhere.

But, there are times that his mom would ask if he had been keeping in touch with Green lately and Red would just brush off the question by saying that they're cool, he's just busy or he would just ask something about the T.V. shows his mom anticipates. Yet, without letting anyone know, he plans on going back to Mt. Silver where he thinks no one would dare come after him up there. He knew that there's no chance of him and Green being in good ways after Green texted him to never show his face. Though heartbroken, Red thought that there's no point going after something that doesn't want you.

()

The whole town was now covered by a honey coloured hue. The sun was already setting and Red was running back home with his Pikachu running alongside of him. On his way home, he saw Daisy outside of their house. He was about to wave at her when he noticed that Daisy was at the phone and she seemed worried with the person she's talking to.

"Really? Red's mom was there?" Daisy said

Red didn't hear a thing from Daisy as he was running back home until he stopped when his xtransreceiver vibrated.

"1 New Message(s)" it showed on the screen.

"Come see me tonight at 7pm,

at the Cerulean Cape

-Green"

()

Red couldn't believe his feet are walking up the high stairway up the Cerulean Cape. His heart was beating fast but not as fast when his Charizard was still flying him to Cerulean City. Though he knew that the Cerulean Cape is famous as a dating spot, he felt that things might not go well. This time he wore the necklace Green gave him, looked at it and hid the jewel under his red vest.

With his heart continuing to pound even more after every step, Red stopped midway on the stairway.

"Pika?" Pikachu looked at Red.

Red couldn't continue walking up, as if he's paralyzed or something. He just felt his legs numbing but not of nervousness. He shut his eyes hard and when he opened them, he couldn't move a muscle then all of a sudden the sea overlooking the cape turned into dark goo and then started flooding the whole place.

He tried to shout for help but he can't move his mouth, he tried looking at Pikachu but it just stood there, lifeless. The dark goo reached the lower part of the stairway and began rushing to him.

()

Red's face was sweating from what's about to happen. With the dark goo nearing his position, he tried to move his legs. Barely able to take a step, Red tried to limp up to Green. With only seconds left before the dark goo swallows him whole, he saw Green walk to him.

"G-G-G-Green...! H-H-H-Help..." Red stuttered

Green slowly arched its body to Red and while slowly nearing Red, his body started to darken and melt.

"G-G-G-Green...?" Red frustratingly muttered.

Green's eyes started to glow scarily red and his whole form turned into a clump of goo. Then when it was only a few inches before Red, its mouth started to curve like it's smiling ghastly at Red. The dark figure before him began to rise and as it grows taller, it seems to be laughing at a low tone, like it's a monster laughing at him.

With this monstrosity in front of him and dark goo flooding behind him, there was nothing for Red to do. Pikachu was completely swallowed by the thick substance and Red's legs were completely immobilized by it. The figure before him started to stretch its body and when it was stretched enough, enough to cover Red by its whole body, it screeched at Red and its whole form turning to strands of goo, began to engulf Red .

()

Darkness, Red was completely surrounded by it. He can't breathe; suffocating it was, like it's compressing his lungs.

"Green... What now?" Red thought to himself "I need you here..."

The pendant began to glow and whatever darkness that gets lit began to crack. The pendant shined even brighter, blinding Red. Then all of a sudden, the darkness began to break like glass shattering all over the place. The pendant shined even more and completely destroyed the darkness surrounding Red.

()

With a big gasp for air, Red accidentally slipped off the step.

"Pika!" The yellow rodent exclaimed.

Within a split second, a hand hurriedly stretched out to Red. Red's vision shook and blurred

"Ow..." The emerald-eyed boy muttered who apparently landed on his butt.

Red was clutching tightly on Green's shoulders, his fingers trembling, eyes shut, his body seating on Green's lap.

"Are you alright?" Green asked "You were almost a goner there."

Red just sat there, his face under his cap.

"Red?" Green worriedly asked

With a faint sob, a tear ran down Red's face and without hesitation, Red wrapped his arms around Green's wide body.

"Green..." Red muttered, his face hidden on Green's chest, "I was... Scared..." Red even sobbed more.

"It's... It's okay now..." Green muttered and hugged Red back, the moon shining on them.

()

The both of them stood at the Cerulean Cape, overlooking the sea.

"You see, your mom came over to talk to me" Green said

Red just gave off a surprised look.

"She told me that we managed to be in good terms even after what has happened" Green said "We were... We are best friends after all, right?" he added.

"Maybe I was only over reacting?" Green said.

Red looked at Green, feeling relieved, he nodded and smiled at him.

()

It's a quarter before 8 when they decided to head home.

"First thing in the morning, I'll be heading back to Pallet Town and I'll apologize to everyone" Green said. "Also, I have a favour to ask you, Red"

Red tilted his head and anticipated for Green to respond

"Um... You see... Lately..." Green muttered

Red nodded, gesturing for Green to continue.

"I think I've been really fond of Lucas lately and this might sound weird but, can you help me get into him" Green said "I think I really like him..." he chuckled.

Red couldn't believe a word coming out from Green's mouth.

"What...?" Red thought to himself.

"You see, if we work together, I might have a chance" Green said

"Pika? Pika pi?!" Pikachu confusingly said.

Green gave Pikachu a pat and smiled at it.

"See? Even Pikachu wants to help" Green said.

"Pika! Pika pi!" Pikachu shook its head.

Green then ran off to the stairs, stopped and looked at Red.

"Promise me, you'll help me out, okay?" Green said "After all, were best friends right, Red?" he added.

Red couldn't utter a word or say anything; he felt a heavy pressure on his chest, like it's choking him for real.

"Hey Red, you okay?" Green inquired and started walking to Red.

Red can't get his thoughts together. He hid his face under his cap, bit his lip, and clenched his fists.

"Red?" Green muttered and continued walking to Red.

With only a few feet away from Green, Red couldn't think of anything to do. Then all of a sudden, Red raised his arm, raised his thumb and tried to smile genuinely.

"Yep! Anything... Anything for my best friend!" Red exclaimed cheerfully.

Green smiled widely.

"Thanks Red, I'm counting on it" Green said

"Promise." Red said, still continuing to wear a smiling face.

"Ok then, Smell ya later!" Green exclaimed and ran off.

()

"I haven't heard that catch phrase for some time now" Red thought to himself.

Red fell down on his knees and Pikachu tried to shake his master's arms.

"Pika?" It said with a low tone.

Red stroked Pikachu's cheeks.

"I'll be fine... I think I just need something to cheer me up..." Red muttered.

Red took Charizard out of its Pokeball and commanded it to fly to Vermillion City.

()

When Red got to Vermillion City, he went to this famous shaved ice store and bought 2 apple flavoured shaved ice, for him and for the little rodent of course, especially that it really likes apples.

While eating, Red looked at the mountain-shaped shaved ice and remembered Mt. Silver. He thought of getting on with his plan on going back there, secluding himself from people.

After enjoying the treat, Red and Pikachu got off the store and started strolling around the pier, the lights from the fancy bulbs reminded him of Green of that time they went to a festival when they were still little. He also saw two kids playing with water and that too reminded him of Green when they would play on the edge of Pallet Town.

Red just shook his head and noticed it started to rain. He and Pikachu ran off to a shed and took shelter there. There was a monitor attached to ceiling of the shed and Red watched an advertisement.

"The S.S. Aqua, a luxurious ship bound to Olivine City tonight!" a woman in a swimsuit and a floral necklace said as she shows the wonderful view and tourists spot of what Olivine City can offer

Red looked at to his left and saw the S.S. Aqua from a distance. He then made up his mind.

()

Red went to a souvenir shop and bought a pair of fake eyeglasses. He put his cap in his backpack and combed back his hair and with that as his disguise from prissy, rich, and foreign people, he bought himself a ticket.

"You must be the last passenger" a sailor man said, "We'll be leaving shortly."

Red went inside the ship and looked at his ticket.

"Room 220"

Without hesitation, he went up the flight of stairs, with Pikachu alongside of him, they searched for room 220. Walking along the hallway, with fancy red carpet flooring they looked at every door.

202, 204, 206, 208...220

Red swiped his card key on the door and opened up to a regular room he asked for. Though it was for one person, it looked luxurious. For Red though, he wasn't into this kind of stuff, he just threw his backpack on the bed, went to the bathroom and soaked himself in the tub with Pikachu.

()

After taking a bath, Red got dressed with just a plain sky blue oversized polo shirt that he uses as pyjamas and plain black shorts. He opened the door leading to the veranda and saw the Kanto Region drifting away like a speck of lights from afar.

"No turning back now..." Red muttered.

Pikachu dozed off the bed and Red noticed the champagne in the bucket of ice by the side table. He grabbed it and looked at it.

"Why... Not?" Red thought to himself.

He then poured some on the wine glass, filling three-fourths of the glass and drank it within only a few seconds.

"Whooo!" Red exclaimed.

He never had an alcoholic beverage before; after all, he's only 16. Yet, he continued refilling the wine glass, consuming its content one after another until he drank directly from the bottle.

()

Red devoured the whole bottle and threw it on the floor, letting it roll all over the place. He lied down on bed and stared blankly on the ceiling. With the lights closed, he can barely see anything of the sky painting on the ceiling. He just shut his eyes hard and furrowed his eye brows. Then all of a sudden, he sobbed.

He cupped his mouth, fingers trembling, and arched his back, he tried to stop any sound coming out from his mouth but he just can't control it anymore. With tears streaming down to the side of his face, he started to wail like a dying Pokémon. He can barely breathe, his lungs barely able to gasp for air.

"Green... Green... Green..." That name subconsciously swimming in his thoughts.

The rain started to pour even more and Red knew it was going to be a long night for him. An avalanche of feelings started to bury him deep.