The beginning

(A/N Soooo this is awkward. I was supposed to write step bro but I got stuck so to unwind I decided to write an old idea of mine but I couldn't stop until I finished the chapter so here it is. A pokemon fanfic that is more on travelling the world and character interactions than pokemon battling which may be strange but I wanted to write something different and not another "I'll catch my team and challenge the gyms until I'll be the champion" so please give it a chance as this is 6.5k words of my hard work.)

(3rd's pov)

Life is not fair to everyone. Some are born stronger. Some are born richer, and some are born healthier.

Ruby Ethan Dane was unlucky in the health department. For as long as he could remember, he had always been living in the hospital. Ruby was diagnosed with an unknown illness, so he was stuck in bed. It was boring, and there was nothing to do there. 

At least that was the case until his father brought him a Game Boy Advance with one game coming with it, Pokemon Emerald.

The game instantly captivated Ruby, and he did as much as it was humanly possible in that game. Be it defeating every NPC, collecting all possible Pokemons, or conquering Battle Frontier.

Ruby's parents were overjoyed seeing their son happy for the first time in a very long time, so they did everything they could to keep his mood up as long as possible so he could forget about being in hospital.

From that point onwards, Ruby consumed all Pokemon content he could. Games, manga, anime, spin-offs. If it was widely available, Ruby probably have seen it, but the content was limited, so he did various fan-made challenges, which satisfied him for a while. Nuzlocks, Romhacks, and even a living Pokedex weren't off-limits for him. He completed them all. He did all of it until generation 7 of Pokemon games. Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, to be exact. They were the last games he could update his living pokedex and upload all of his Pokemon to Pokemon Bank. He was very proud of that achievement, even more so because some of the Pokemon came from Gen 3 games.

This ended with Pokemon Sword and Shield, however, with National dex cut. Ruby couldn't continue his living Pokedex anymore, but he still played the games, and despite their many flaws, he still enjoyed them enormously.

Speaking of Ruby, there's a fun fact about his name. Not only is he aware that his name matches the name of one of the games, but his initial spells out Red, the protagonist of the first Pokemon games, and as an inside joke in the family, his parents call him Red on several occasions to Ruby's joy.

Red is Ruby's favorite protagonist. He is mainly depicted as a silent and mysterious character and one of the most powerful trainers in the entire series, but Ruby sees it differently.

Another but less fun fact about Ruby is that he's got a severe case of social anxiety, and being in the hospital with minimal contact with other people doesn't help him solve this problem. That is the reason why Ruby sees Red as someone with the same problem as him. While nervous, Ruby freezes and doesn't change his expression without saying a word, while his mind goes into overdrive thinking about how to proceed with the incoming human interaction. He scared a few newly hired nurses that way.

Ruby also believes that Red's face is often hidden behind his cap because he tries to avoid eye contact to the extreme.

In short, Ruby projects himself into Red.

All that said, it's only about games Red as Red in manga and spin-offs that behave entirely differently and, most importantly, are not silent.

Returning to the original Red, Ruby admired him for one more reason. Despite (in his mind) Red's social anxiety and his problem with human interactions, he still traveled around with his Pokemon and became the very best like no one ever was. He became a legend.

It would be easier to just stay home and avoid humans, but Red didn't do it. He challenged the world and came on top.

Ruby would love to do the same, even if it would be difficult. One of his dreams for that reason is to travel around the world and photograph all the different places he would visit. It would probably stay the dream until he dies in the hospital room, but if given the chance, he would hop on that chance and never let it go.

To be honest, it was a miracle that Ruby lived up to the age of 21, but he could feel his time coming to an end. It wasn't a life he desired, but it wasn't completely bad either. He had 3 regrets as his pulse was starting to slow down. 

The first was that he couldn't say goodbyes to his parents. They were currently working hard to pay his medical bills and hobby. His other regret was that he wouldn't be able to enjoy any more Pokemon games, and just as a new game was announced called Pokemon Legends: Arceus. Real shame.

And finally, his last regret is that his dream will stay a dream.

With these thoughts, Ruby Ethan Dane closed his eyes and died as he lived... in the hospital bed.

---

Ruby felt strange. At first, he felt nothing, but slowly, he regained feeling in his body. Furthermore, he felt better than ever, but he still didn't know. Maybe it was just how being dead felt like.

This changed when Ruby felt a light shining at his closed eyes, forcing him to open and cover them immediately after.

The young man became confused, seeing his surroundings. No longer was he in a hospital bed. He wasn't even near any building at all, as far as he could see. Ruby was surrounded by nature, and he was sitting on the ground while leaning on a tree. 

Laying on the ground next to Ruby was a backpack. Not seeing anyone around, the temptation won, and he decided to search it for any clues on what had just happened.

The first thing that caught his eye was a name tag on said backpack. This backpack apparently belonged to... Red.

This made Ruby's heart beat faster. Did someone leave it to him? But if he did, where is that person, and why did he use Ruby's initials instead of his name.

To Ruby's surprise, it was empty. The young man didn't even know what he expected to find. In his frustration at his situation, he tried to rub his hair, but they were blocked by something. To find out what it was, he took off his head the mysterious item that turned out to not be so mysterious in the end. It was an ordinary cap, but after further inspection, Ruby realized that it was a mostly red hat with a white front. An identical copy of Red's hat that is synonymous with him and is rarely seen without it. After the examination, Ruby put the hat back on his head.

Excitement started to rise again in Ruby. Was he in heaven?

Ruby pinched himself, and feeling pain, he shook his head.

He wasn't in heaven unless God was a sadist and allowed pain even after death.

Now, with nothing else to check with the backpack and his hat, it was turn for his clothes, his pockets to be exact.

The first pocket he checked was the right one in his pants, and there he found a mobile phone. It wasn't his as he didn't even recognize a model of this device. When he turned it on, his eyes met a number of apps, but the one that drew his attention was a Pokemon Bank app or PokeBank for short. 

Without much thought, Ruby opened it and was greeted with his account with all his Pokemon in there, which included all Pokemon up to Gen 7. He knew it was his account because of a few Pokemon levels and nicknames that he randomly remembered.

Feeling a bit curious and adventurous at the same time, he clicked on one of his favorite Pokemon to check its stats. He chose Mewtwo. A bit basic, but one can never go wrong with a classic. Not to mention, he could somehow resonate with the man-made Pokemon. Before he freed himself, Mewtwo was also living in a lab his whole life, just like Ruby spent all of his life in a hospital.

When Ruby clicked the icon of the Pokemon, instead of showing all the details, it vanished from the screen, leaving an empty square.

This puzzled Ruby, but before he could question what had just happened, a Pokeball appeared out of nowhere in front of the young man. It levitated for a short while as if wanting to be caught, but Ruby's reflexes weren't the greatest after a lifetime of illness, and it just dropped to the ground. Coincidently, it fell in a way that when it hit the ground, the button in the middle opened the Pokeball.

Ruby didn't know if he should feel excited or scared. On the one hand, he is going to see a Pokemon in real life with his very own eyes, but on the other hand, it is a legendary Pokemon. Ruby couldn't possibly know if it would recognize him for some reason and, if not, how it would behave. If it was his second chance at life, it has a high possibility of ending it very quickly.

The Pokemon in question was towering Ruby. It was about 2 meters long, if not slightly more. Its body was primarily gray, with the only exception being its long purple tail. If that wasn't enough to intimidate the unprepared, socially anxious Ruby, Mewtwo was releasing an unimaginable amount of pressure, probably the work of his ability.

Ruby was rightfully worried. Most of Mewtwo's pokedex entries told about how this Pokemon was created for the sole purpose of battling and its savage heart. The previously sick man was prepared to say goodbye to his new life, but instead of attacking, he saw a worried expression on Mewtwo's face as pressure vanished instantly.

"*Red!? What's wrong!? Why are you shaking!? Where are the enemies!?*"

Mewtwo wasn't speaking using his voice. He was using telepathy to talk directly to Ruby's mind, but the voice was somehow masculine.

"*You don't usually call me unless the situation is really dire, but I can't sense any human or strong Pokemon in a 100-meter radius.*"

Ruby wanted to say something he really wanted. Ask why he called him Red. Try to somehow explain the situation, but he couldn't utter a single word. His social anxiety always kicks in the worst of times... meaning whenever he talked to someone who wasn't his family or hospital staff that he had known for a long time.

"*Red?*"

Nevertheless, Mewtwo seemed worried about him and slowly levitated towards Ruby, getting uncomfortable close to him. Mewtwo moved his hand and put it gently on top of Ruby's hat, and the young man felt calmness spread through his body.

Ruby looked up to Mewtwo and noticed a gentle smile on Pokemon's face.

"*Should I say thank you? Maybe I should bow my head, or is Mewtwo not accustomed to that culture. Am I quiet for too long? Would it be strange if I said something now, or is it too late?*"

Ruby went into a spiral of thoughts, but unfortunately for him, he was heard by the Pokemon in front of him.

"*No, it would not be strange, and you don't need to do anything. You are welcome.*"

Mewtwo tried to be understanding, but it didn't help Ruby at all, and his thoughts sped up even more and started spiraling into a strange direction.

"*Calm down, Red. You don't need to worry about anything. Just try to imagine yourself speaking out loud if you want me to hear what you try to say.*"

Following Mewtwo's instructions, Ruby forcibly calmed himself enough to at least talk telepathically with the powerful Pokemon.

"*Okay... First... thank you for your help, Mewtwo.*" Mewtwo happily nodded, acknowledging Ruby's gratitude. "*I guess I have some questions... if you don't mind, of course. Why are you calling me Red?*"

That question astonished Mewtwo.

"*What do you mean? I call you Red because you are Red. You look the same, have the same psychic signature, and even the same brainwaves.*"

He looked the same? While flattering, Ruby wasn't even slightly similar to Red. He didn't have the same hair color, eye color, or even physique, but something told him that he should check his appearance immediately. Just to be sure.

"*Mewtwo, can you create water so I could take a look at my face?*"

Mewtwo smirked.

"*I'll do you better.*"

In Mewtwo's hand, a spoon started forming and changed its shape to be more flat and wide. It was made in a way that it would be easier to see reflection in it.

"*Is it to your satisfaction?*"

Ruby, for the first time in a long time, stood up using his own legs. It was a strange sensation after such a long time, and he needed to use the tree to support himself until he stood up fully. It was... amazing. A dream came true, but Ruby didn't have much time to admire his newfound strength as he took a look at his reflection.

Mewtwo looked proud of himself for creating the spoon, but Ruby was in shock yet another time. His face... wasn't his face anymore. To be sure that it was his reflection, he touched parts of his face to feel it out, but no matter what he did, it didn't change the fact that he was looking at a face that looked like Red, but it was his face.

Medium black hair that was coming from under the hat. Red/scarlet eyes. Investigating later, he noticed that his clothes were also different. Ruby didn't notice it until now. He wore a black T-shirt with white short sleeves and a red vest. To finish all up, he wore an ordinary pair of jeans with a belt around his waist.

While the initial shock was great, it vanished pretty quickly. Ruby was already suspecting that he died. He was prepared for it. He didn't expect to be reincarnated, but if he was, it wasn't strange that he didn't keep his old look. What Ruby didn't know was that Mewtwo helped him calm down once again.

"*Red, you were in a great distress. What happened?*"

Ruby tried to think what to say. He wanted to be honest with Mewtwo. The Pokemon was helpful if nothing else, but first, he wanted to make sure of something.

"*Mewtwo, what is the last thing you remember?*"

The psychic Pokemon started thinking as he put his hand under his chin.

"We were in Alola if I remember correctly. As usual, you tried to catch every new Pokemon you saw, and that made you jump into numerous wormholes in search of Ultra Beasts. At some point, you were so fed up with otherworldly Pokemons that you brought Godslayer, F.E.A.R, and The Mighty One with you and defeated them while laughing maniacally.*"

Ruby was ready to hide his head deep into the ground to hide his embarrassment. Mewtwo was one of his favorite Pokemon, so he was transferring him all the way from Pokemon Fire Red and Leaf Green all the way to Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, and after beating the main story, he transferred Mewtwo to his save and rarely threw him into the box.

The main reason for Ruby's embarrassment is because what Mewtwo described actually happened. He couldn't catch one of the Ultra Beasts, and it was making him go insane. Fully asleep with 1 hp using every possible Pokeball, but it still didn't want to stay in the ball! So Ruby, in the moment of weakness, loaded back a save before he attempted the catch and brought the Godslayer, a Pokemon he used to defeat most of the legendaries. After that, he used the F.E.A.R tactic on it, and in the end, The Mighty One finished the trilogy. It was therapeutic, but Ruby didn't expect that Mewtwo could remember him laughing.

Despite the shame Ruby was feeling, he was able to confirm that the Mewtwo in front of him was his Mewtwo. As a Pokemon fan, he knew that the most essential trait for a trainer is trust between the trainer and the Pokemon. It may be naive thinking, but Ruby wasn't the most emotionally mature person despite being a young adult. He didn't have a chance to mature.

"*Mewtwo, are you able to look into my memories?" Ruby asked a bit uncertainly, but simultaneously, there was a certain conviction in his eyes.

"Indeed, I possess such ability. However, I don't use it very often. Are you suggesting that I should look into your memories?*" Mewtwo asked with a raised eyebrow, at which Ruby nodded.

"*It would be... difficult to explain everything properly. And seeing my memories gives everything a creditability.*"

"*Not that I would expect you to lie to me, but if you wish for it, I'll comply.*"

With that said, Mewtwo once more put his hand on Ruby's head, and his eyes glowed mystically.

For the next few moments, Mewtwo's expression changed a few times. From shock to anger, then sadness and shock again. It was a surprise how quickly Mewtwo was able to go through Ruby's memories, but it was expected from the most powerful psychic-type Pokemon.

After it was done, Mewtwo went silent. He didn't know what to say. It was outside his expertise, but somehow, he found words appropriate for the moment.

"* You've... got a second chance, Red. Just like you've given me a second chance all these years ago and helped me after I escaped Team Rocket and let me see many other regions. This time, it's my turn to do the same for you. So I ask you, what do you wish to do now that you got that chance.*"

Ruby thought deeply about what Mewtwo just said. It's true that he got a second chance, unlike many people (probably, there is no way of knowing), so he should make the most out of it.

"*I... want to travel the world. It has been my dream for a long time, and I want to see this world with my eyes and, if possible, take photos of all these places.*" Ruby started uncertainly, but as he continued speaking, more confidence was showing. In the end, though, it reverted back as Ruby realized something. "*But I don't have any idea where we are. I have no money, supplies, or anything needed for traveling...*"

"*Before you start worrying, you should check other apps on your phone. Maybe there will be answers to your issues.*" 

Mewtwo advised, and Ruby realized that he hadn't checked everything just yet, but first, he had to ask one more question.

"*Hey Mewtwo. When you first arrived here, you said that you didn't sense any strong Pokemon nearby. Does that mean that there are weak ones?*"

"Correct. There is the abandonment of Caterpies, Weedles, Pidgies, Ratatas, and so on. Nothing out of the ordinary. All these Pokemon are Kantonian, though, so we can assume that we are somewhere in Kanto.*"

The Pokemon gave his analysis, which was greatly appreciated by Ruby.

"*At least there are Pokemon here, so it won't be strange for me to have my own team while I travel.*"

"*We can focus on your team later. Let's check the rest of your phone's content.*"

Mewtwo was pushing to look at Ruby's phone, which the young man realized, but believing that his Pokemon (he felt giggle thinking about his Pokemon) seen something through his memories that Ruby had missed, so Ruby did as he was told.

Besides the PokeBank, the only other apps that seemed like they didn't belong on the phone were the Pokedex app and an inventory icon.

Clicking on the inventory showed a long list of items, which included a lot of items coming from different games that Ruby collected, like items connected to Mega Evolution and all Mega stones, a lot of berries with different effects, Z crystals, fishing rods of varying quality and a lot more but few items caught Ruby's attention. It was a trainer's ID/Trainer Card.

Ruby clicked on it, and just like Pokeball, it appeared in front of him, but this time, he managed to catch it before it started falling.

Inspecting it closer, Ruby could clearly see that it belonged to Red, or rather him now. There was even a picture of him on said card. When he turned it around to see how it looked on the back, there was a small form of instructions.

To summarise it even more, it said that this card is your identification and works in all regions working with the Pokemon Association and that this card works as a credit card connected to your bank account. It even showed how much money you had at the moment and updated it as soon as you used it.

Ruby had... 999.999.999 poke dollars. He didn't know how it worked and to what account his card was connected, but it's better not to think about it. It was even over the games' money limit, so he didn't know how he had this much. Once again, better not to think about it for now. Ruby didn't put the card back into the inventory but put it in the backpack. It would be needed on his travels, so ID being on hand would be necessary.

"*It looks like your worries about funds are resolved, not to mention all the supplies that you now possess. Without these worries, I believe it is time for you to choose a team you'll be mainly traveling with. I believe you don't need my help to do it.*"

While it's true that Ruby had an idea for his team, he still took some time to think through his options. 

"*I need at least 5 other Pokemon for my party then...You, Mewtwo, are, without question, first on the roster. We are in it together and are partners, after all.*" Ruby said with an earnest smile that made Mewtwo's eyes widen. Not because he was necessarily shocked but because the sincerity that Ruby was radiating was much more than what the psychic Pokemon was used to.

"*Do you truly believe that I deserve that place?*" It wasn't that Mewtwo didn't believe in his worthiness, but he wanted to see Ruby's reasoning and determination.

"*If you don't, I don't know what other Pokemon do.*"

Mewtwo smiled.

"Then I'll humbly accept your offer.*"

"*Before we begin our brainstorming, I should probably make myself clear about my name.*" Ruby started. "*You keep calling me Red while I was going by Ruby all of my life.*"

"*If it bothers you, I'll call you Ruby from now on.*" Mewtwo interrupted Ruby.

"*No, no, no! There's no need for that. I was going to say that Ruby has died, so I thought I would change my name to get rid of all my regrets. You know, new life, new me, new name... kind of. I was called Red at times. It's silly, I know.*" 

"No, it is not. If you believe that it will help you in any kind, then it is not silly in any way.*"

The man and the Pokemon may not have known each other for a long time, but it felt like they were long-lived friends.

"*Then from today onwards, I'm Red.*" Red nodded, satisfied with himself but slightly embarrassed by using the name of the legendary Pokemon trainer and his childhood idol.

"*Now that we are clear with that, let's go over our options.*" Ruby continued.

"*I would advise you against taking any more legendaries. Maybe one of the weaker ones at most.*" Mewtwo suggested.

"*Then how about Suicune? You can never go wrong with a bulky water type. It also has many strong ice moves as well as a repertoire of supporting moves. It is legendary but not Legendary. He also can purify water if needed or make us disappear in a mist if we want to avoid people or Pokemon.*"

"*Good choice, Red. Suicune is an honorable, stoic, and very intelligent Pokemon. He will be a great asset on this journey.*"

Red nodded, navigated his phone, and clicked on the Suicune icon. Just like with Mewtwo, a Pokeball appeared in front of Red to be caught in the man's hand. With a light but giggity throw, the ball flew and opened.

With a deafening roar, a beast appeared. It was primarily blue with a purple mane and some white spots. It released pressure similarly to how Mewtwo did it, but it disappeared much quicker than Mewtwo's as the two legendary Pokemon communicated telepathically, as seen by Mewtwo's glowing eyes.

After the short talk, Suicune turned to Red and moved his head at Mewtwo, telling him to let him talk with Red. The psychic Pokemon obliged without any protest and connected Suicune's mind with Red's.

"*It's a pleasure to see you in good health, Red. Mewtwo filled me in a little but said that you should be the one to explain finer details.*"

The only word that could describe Suicune's voice was noble, but one could hear respect for his trainer. It somehow made Red feel shy, like a child in front of an adult. He looked at Mewtwo, who gave him an encouraging nod, and it worked for Red.

"*You see, Suicune, I'm planning to travel the world, and I hoped that you would accompany me... if you don't mind, of course.*" Red quickly added at the end.

Suicune tilted his head curiously.

"*Put your hand out.*" The pokemon requested.

Red wasn't sure where the Johto legendary was planning, but he listened regardless. He didn't feel any danger coming from the water Pokemon.

As he did that, Suicune walked closer to Red until he was centimeters away from Red's hand. Then the Pokemon lowered himself with closed eyes and put his head in Red's palm.

"*When we first met, I thought you were just like other humans, looking for me for my power, to use me as you please, so I played your game and fought, then ran, then fought again. It was entertaining seeing you becoming more and more frustrated. It was also enjoyable to see you grow. Each time I met you, you were stronger until you finally managed to catch me. I believed my time as a free Pokemon has come to an end, so I accepted it but was planning to make your life harder if I could. However, during our travels, I've seen that while you had a tendency to catch all new Pokemon you came across, you were just as happy catching an ordinary Spinarak as you were when you caught me. I then realized. You didn't see me as a Legendary Pokemon but just as Suicune. I confirmed my suspicions when the same thing occurred when you battled and defeated my brothers and Master. I acknowledged you as my trainer just as they and our Master did. Whatever you wish I do, I'm at your service.*"

With all of that said, Suicune lowered himself even more and took a knee like a knight before his Master.

"*T-then... can I pet your mane?*"

Suicune was perplexed by such an ordinary request, but it just smiled as this was another example of Red seeing him just as a Pokemon.

"*Do as you please.*"

Red's mood increased threefold as he heard the okay, and his finger went straight for the purple mane. The feeling was literally otherworldly, and it would take a lot of self-control to not bury your head in it. A self-control that Red didn't possess. He lost himself in his own world until he was reminded of what he was doing by Mewtwo.

"*Ekhm.*"

"* ...Sorry.*" Red apologised timidly.

"*I do not mind. If it pleases you, it pleases me, but I do agree that we have more important issues at hand. Mewtwo, let me know that you are choosing a team. You know, have two of the six or more for now. Do you have other Pokemons in mind?*"

"*In fact, I do. Arcanine is a powerful fire type, and while rare, it won't cause a ruckus as you two would in public. Are there any objections?*"

Red asked, just to be sure. He cared about his Pokemon opinion. 

Not getting any refusals, he repeated the process of getting Pokeball of a Pokemon out of PokeBank and opened it. Before Red could even start appreciating Arcanine's beauty, he was tackled by the big fire dog Pokemon and was assaulted by his enormous tongue.

"*That's enough, Arcanine. Let Red breathe a little, or you'll get splashed by water.*" 

Arcanine stood up and rolled his eyes at Suicune's small threat, then looked at the legendary water-type challenging and, gave one last fast lick at Red's face and smirked smugly.

It irked Suicune, and he was ready to shoot a weak water attack. Arcanine was about to reciprocate, but they were stopped by Mewtwo.

"*Enough, you two! We are a team from now on, and we are not to fight among ourselves.*" Psychic master turned to Suicune. "*I expected more from you. You should understand that Arcanine is very attached to Red, so allow him to showcase that.*" Arcanine snickered behind Mewtwo but immediately stopped as the feline-like Pokemon turned to him with a glare. "*You aren't without fault either. Stop taunting Suicune like that. Just because both of you are water and fire type respectively doesn't mean that you need to act like these elements too.*"

Both of the Beasts lowered their heads in shame, but it wouldn't stop them from butting heads in the future. Pure water and pure fire usually have problems getting along with each other, even more so when they are powerful Pokemon. It looked like Mewtwo will need to play babysitter in the future as well.

"*Red, it looks like Arcanine will go with you at the end of the world.*" Arcanine nodded vigorously. 

Red nodded, understanding that asking Arcanine wasn't needed, so he started thinking about the next member candidate. He already had excellent firepower with Mewtwo and Arcanine, and while Suicune is more defensive, he wasn't weak either, but maybe it would be good to have a real defensive wall of a Pokemon.

"*I think Steelix would be a good choice.*" Red announced and once again was met with agreement, at least from the two legendaries. Arcanine didn't care, as he would agree with anything Red said.

"*Before we begin, I have a request for you, Red.*" Mewtwo stopped Red before he could open his phone.

"*What is it, Mewtwo?*"

"*I ask you that you try speaking out loud, at least, to your Pokemon. Do not mistake that I request it because I do not wish to aid you, but you don't need to feel shy around your Pokemon. You don't need to speak much, and I will assist you whenever you require it.*"

Red thought about that for a moment, and he showed a determined expression. It was true. He needed to show that he was trying to be a good trainer, and showing trust in his Pokemon by talking out loud to them would be a good beginning.

"I-I'll try."

Mewtwo nodded, proud of his trainer.

After a short repetition of tapping the icons later, a behemoth of a Pokemon being over 10 meters long appeared in the forest, scaring pidgeys from the trees. His skin was made of metal and looked sturdy. His head was much bigger than the rest of his snake-like body, but the Pokemon didn't seem to have any problem moving it. He was confused by his surroundings until he noticed his trainer.

"H-hey Steelix... D-do you recognize m-me?" Red had trouble speaking with his own voice. It felt unnatural to talk out loud to someone he just met, but he tried his best for his Pokemon.

Steelix, of course, recognized Red, and overjoyed, he laid his whole body on the ground with his head in front of the only human in the area. This action caused the ground to shake a little as at least over 400 kg of a giant steel snake dropped. The Pokemon, of course, didn't do it on purpose. He just forgot to control his strength in his happiness. 

A normal person would maybe get mad at the recklessness of the giant Pokemon, but Red wasn't normal. He was a bit of a scary cat, shy around people, and loved Pokemon. The last reason was why he wasn't freaking out so much seeing a beast taller than him. The legendaries were the exceptions as their ability Pressure allowed them to release... well, pressure. It made Red shiver, remembering that feeling. But otherwise, seeing a Pokemon in real life was a novel experience that made him forget the fear that he should be feeling.

Not living in society can make a person have a different view of the world.

Besides, the puppy eyes that Steelix was giving would melt anyone's heart, and he looked like he was expecting headpats, so Red gave him exactly that as he smiled.

"I-I guess that means that you do. So would you go on another adventure with me? W-what do you say?" The only answer he got was a happy tail wagging and a few slams on the ground. "So I guess that this is the yes. Welcome t-to the team then!"

Steelix moved his body nearer the other Pokemons, giving his respect to his teammates. He was one of the more gentle Pokemons despite his enormous size.

"*You are doing great, Red.*" Mewtwo praised Red as the young beamed at the praise, happy that he didn't disappoint his 'first' Pokemon. Now feeling a bit more confident, he went straight to choosing the next companion or rather companions.

"T-thanks, Mewtwo. N-now that leaves two Pokemon left to choose from, and I believe I have a great duo in mind. F-first is Lopunny. She helped me a lot before, and she was with me since s-she was a Buneary until I defeated the Sinnoh champion."

There have been no objections so far, although Arcanine didn't look as thrilled about the idea as the others.

"The other of the d-duo would be Gardevoir. S-she would have a similar role to Mewtwo but with Fairy type on top of it. She also has a few healing moves if we are in need of any immediate healing without any Pokemon Centers nearby."

Hearing the name of the Pokemon Red just mentioned, the whole group stiffened and looked at each other as if deciding if they should say something and, if they do, who should do it. In the end, it was without surprise, Mewtwo.

"*Red, I don't think-*"

But he was too late. Red, with his new coincidence, already took out the needed Pokeballs and threw them.

From the light, two figures appeared. The shorter one of the two was about 1,5m long, which was a bit higher than the average of her species. She had brown fur with a lighter shade on her ears, legs, and wrist. It was Lopunny keeping her hands near her face.

The other one was slightly taller at about 1,6m with something resembling a flowing gown. There is also a red fin-like horn extending from her chest. The unusual part of this Pokemon is that all the parts of her body that should be green were blue instead. It was Red's shiny Gardevoir.

Both of the Pokemon looked around, confused as all the others before them. First, they noticed Mewtwo, Suicune, Arcanine, and Steelix. It was strange for them. Red never was the one to let them out without much reason, and they couldn't see a powerful enemy, and even if there was, they couldn't see Godslayer, F.E.A.R, or The Mighty One.

Turning around, they finally see the man who is their trainer.

"*Red!!!*" The Gardevoir exclaimed, rushed towards her trainer, and hugged him tightly.

Red didn't know how to react to sudden affection, so he stood there awkwardly with his arms in the air.

Lopunny saw that and rolled her eyes as she made her way toward the duo of her trainer and a fellow Pokemon.

When she was within the range of the two, Lopunny grabbed Gardevoir by the shoulder, pulled her away from the hug, and threw as far as she could with that movement earning a glare from the fellow female Pokemon, but she didn't pay her any mind as she closed even more distance between Red and herself. She then nuzzled her head into his shoulder. 

Once again, Red didn't know how to react, but he didn't need to as Lopunny was pulled by an invisible force. The cause of this was, of course, Gardevoir, who had a dangerous gleam in her eyes and a crazy smile that could send shivers down people's spine. The fight was ready to start.

Thankfully, both of the Pokemon were stopped before anything could escalate. Mewtwo played that role again and was holding both of them in the air using his psychic powers.

"*Can both of you calm down already. It is not the time to fight.*" Mewtwo made sure to make eye contact with both of them. Not at the same time, of course.

Lopunny was more understanding of the two as she looked between the two psychic Pokemons and just nodded dismissively. She knew that she didn't stand a chance against Mewtwo and didn't try to fight him. She didn't even have anything against the legendary Pokemon.

Gardevoir wasn't as nice as Lopunny and glared at Mewtwo.

"*Give me one reason why I should listen to you.*" She demanded and tried to intimidate her captor. Without any success, one may add.

"*I can give you two. For one, you couldn't free yourself even if you wanted to. You aren't strong enough.*" The glare intensified. "*But the main reason why you should behave is for Red. If you don't get along with everyone, it will make him sad, and maybe, just maybe, he will be forced to swap you with other Pokemon. Oh, how sad he would be. Red was quite excited to get you out as well, so it would be devastating to do. We will be traveling, and a group that isn't united would be a problem.*"

The whole conversation was made telepathically, and no one besides the two heard it, which was for a good reason. Mewtwo was aware of Gardevoir... obsessiveness over Red, but he wanted to keep it to a minimum around his trainer if possible, and if little emotional manipulation is what was needed for that to happen, then Mewtwo would use it to its fullest.

Gardevoir thought through what Mewtwo just shared with her, and she didn't like the idea of getting replaced. Not to mention, her rival, Lupunny, would have a lot of time with their trainer while she wouldn't. She couldn't let that happen, so the only option for her was to place nice... at least in front of Red.

Seeing Gardevoir nodding, Mewtwo gently dropped both Pokemon on the ground. The embrace Pokemon dusted off her dress while Lopunny cleaned her ears.

The team was ready, and Red was ready to depart, but first, he returned all Pokemon to their Pokeballs, which mysteriously returned to Red's belt after he threw them. 

Now, the real challenge was to find the civilization, but hopefully, Red would figure it out, and if not, he'd get the help of his Pokemon that he could count on.

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END

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