Chapter 6:

5/31 The Viridian Forest

Route 2, Viridian Forest

The gate to Route Two stood before them, the four had stalled at their exit. Beyond was some sort of a large house or something but other than that, everything was covered in thick vegetation. The cries of wild Pokemon drifted toward them. The sound was enticing and terrifying all at once. Of course, they wanted to catch new Pokemon but they also knew that many trainers from Pallet Town had met their end here in the Viridian Forest. Some had come home so beaten, unable to ever reach the other side, others had never come home at all, were never heard from again.

"Just on the other side of that forest is Pewter City. Pewter City is home to the Rock-type Gym Leader Brock," Blue told them. He knew that if he didn't motivate them soon they might lose their nerve. Only he of the four of them had traveled far outside of Pallet Town. He had gone as far as Johto.

"My first Gym Badge," Red whispered in awe.

"If you can beat him," Blue snorted derisively. Blue had found the best way to motivate Red was to challenge him.

"Rock-type, you said?" Red asked.

"Brock, yes, don't you know all the Gym Leaders of Kanto?" Blue was astonished at that. "How do you not know that?"

"My mom wouldn't let me talk about that stuff, and she limited my television, I wasn't allowed to watch anything having to do with training."

"Oh wow, so was there anything you could watch?" Green interjected. "I mean if you couldn't watch anything to do with training that leaves like two toddler puppet programs and well . . ."

"This Sturdy Home," Red said at the same time as Blue. "Believe me, I know."

"Maaannn," Blue mumbled to himself. Still, if someone would have tried to control him like that he wouldn't have let it happen. Red was weak for letting his mom hold him back from his dreams.

"Wow, I missed this place so much," Yellow said more to herself than anyone else. "Wonder if we'll run into any old friends, Pikachu."

"You're from Viridian Forest?" Blue asked disbelievingly. "Like, you lived in Viridian Forest?"

Yellow nodded absently. "It's where my parents raised me until they died that is. I couldn't bear to leave it."

"So, you're telling us that you grew up like Tarzan, a wild girl of the forest? Give me a break," Green shook her head.

"I wasn't some wild girl," Yellow turned annoyed to face Green. "I lived in the cabin my dad had built with his Machop."

"Oh, really?" Green looked like she was far from convinced. "So where's this Machop now?"

"He died in the landslide, along with my parents," Yellow told her somberly.

Even Green didn't seem to want to press her, Green was just making herself look like a heartless jerk. Maybe she was, but she didn't want to be known for it. She choked back another retort and turned back toward the forest.

"So, are we going or what?" Green snarled and walked forward without her traveling companions.

Blue followed her without another word. Red stared after Green's back, a look of disbelief on his face. He turned toward Yellow with a sympathetic expression but Yellow simply shook her head as if it didn't matter and started forward. Red followed. They were definitely a dysfunctional little group.

As Red stepped into the forest he was surprised how gloomy it was, the tall trees grew so thick that it was hard to see the sky above them. Shadows loomed in every cranny and the calls of wild Pokemon grew louder with each step he took. When he was younger he remembered his dad taking him to the woods just outside of Pallet Town but they had been nothing like this forest.

Red looked at Blue and could tell that even his rival was on edge. His father had told him long ago that the Viridian Forest was much friendlier than it looked. As Red glanced around he swore he saw movement out of the corner of his eye but when he wheeled about to look there was nothing there. His skin prickled with fear and anticipation. Something was nearby, he was sure of it.

"Did anyone else see that?" Red asked.

"See what?" Green asked, obviously trying to mask the tremors of fear in her voice.

"Oh, he's just trying to psych you out," Blue told Green dismissively but Red noticed Blue's eyes were darting from side to side.

"No," Red shook his head. "I swear I saw something move in the bushes. I'm hoping it was a Pokemon I can catch."

"Let's just keep moving," Blue said.

"I don't want to miss a chance to catch a Pokemon," Red refused.

"It's the Viridian Forest," Blue rolled his eyes. "You'll have plenty of chances to catch Pokemon."

"He's right," Yellow whispered at Red so only he could hear. She would hate for Blue to hear that she had agreed with him. "I grew up here, there are so many Pokemon we're bound to run into several just by pure accident."

"What if it's a rare one?" Red asked.

"Nothing that rare lives here," Blue told him. "It's Mount Moon that I am looking forward to. Now there's a place with some rare Pokemon."

Red looked at Yellow for confirmation but she only shrugged. Red couldn't fault her, he didn't even know what kind of Pokemon were found near his home town. Whenever he started to feel bad for fighting with his mom before he left, all he had to do was remember how she had tried to take his dreams from him. The anger would rise up to the surface, boiling under his skin like lava fresh from a volcano, the pain felt fresh. He scowled, he was going to show her. He was going to become an amazing Pokemon trainer. He was going to live his dream no matter what she said.

"You okay?" Yellow poked him in the arm gently, bringing him out of his reverie. "You look pissed."

"I'm fine," Red didn't explain any further.

"Okay," Yellow sounded doubtful.

"Aha!" All four of them jumped as a loud voice suddenly erupted next to them. A boy about their age burst from the bushes, an excited look on his face. "Now that I have shown myself one of you must battle me!"

Blue smirked and folded his arms. Red, on the other hand, needed a way to release the nervous energy that had been building inside him since remembering his mother.

"You're on!"

"Oh this ought to be good," Blue's voice dripped with sarcasm. Green giggled.

"And who are you?" Yellow asked before the two eager trainers could pull out their Pokemon.

"My name is Doug," the boy stated proudly. "I am determined to become the first Bug-type Gym Leader in all of Kanto!"

"Oh yeah?"

Red for some reason almost felt threatened by Doug's sense of ambition. He was no older than any of them and here he was already planning on becoming a Gym Leader. Only one in a million trainers actually became Gym Leaders, first, they had to collect at least eight Gym Badges then win at least an official Pokemon tourney. While that technically qualified them to be able to be Gym Leaders almost no one had ever become a Gym Leader without being a true Pokemon Champion, winner of Kanto's greatest tournament, the Indigo League. How could Doug believe in himself that much?

"I'm going to be the best Pokemon Ranger in all of Kanto," Red asserted, though once he said it out loud it didn't seem like much of a dream, not like Doug's.

"How about a two on two?" Doug asked, pulling out a pair of Pokeballs.

"Sounds good to me," Red agreed, reaching immediately for Charmander's Pokeball. There was no way he was going to fight this big dreamer without his best Pokemon. Doug grabbed a Pokeball that he had attached to his belt and let it fly. There was a flash of light and then standing before them was a green little bug-type Pokemon, Caterpie. Blue snorted, some of the knots in Red's stomach loosened.

"Charmander, go!" Red shouted. Charmander did his best roar as he emerged from his Pokeball, Red grinned widely.

"Tackle!" Doug shouted.

Red was shocked by the speed at which the foot-long Caterpie attacked. It leaped right at Charmander's stomach.

Charmander spewed a quick stream of fire, but it was too late, Caterpie was already colliding with him. Another shock as Red watched Charmander double over at the impact, whining, the fire fading from his maw. There was no way that little worm-thing was that strong. It was then Red became determined to get a Caterpie for himself.

"Show him what you've got, Charmander," Red shouted. The lizard-like Pokemon growled deeply. Caterpie fell back slightly. It was all the chance Charmander needed he swiped his claws in a furious Scratch move. The Caterpie cried out in surprise and pain and went tumbling away.

"Way to go Charmander!" Red was so emotional he almost choked on his words. That surprised him. He was surprised yet again to see Caterpie recover its little pod feet and squeak angrily at Charmander. The scratches that Charmander had made were visible on its right side. A little green ichor was oozing from the wounds.

"Don't let him recover!" Red shouted just as Doug shouted at his Caterpie. "Don't give him time to rest!"

Caterpie launched some sort of string-like substance from its odd little mouth. Charmander opened and fired another blast. The string lit up in flame and Charmander's ember blast collided with the already injured bug Pokemon. The singed Caterpie leaped up again and raised its strange red antennae high.

"Oh, Caterpie, no!" Doug called out. It was too late.

A horrific stench emanated from the little Pokemon, it was something like a mix between skunk odor and rotten eggs. Red gagged. So did everyone else. Charmander shook his head at the incredible stench. He sneezed, trying to rid himself of the smell. It didn't work. In frustration, Charmander unleashed a massive wave of fire at the determined little Caterpie. Yellow, Blue, and Green ran away from the stench, grabbing at their noses in desperation. Only the two young combatants remained near the two battling Pokemon.

This time Charmander's Ember blast worked. The Caterpie wavered then fell over, obviously unable to battle anymore. In a flash of light, Doug recalled his exhausted Pokemon, but just as fast the Caterpie was replaced with another bug-type Pokemon, a Weedle. It was another larva-type Pokemon like Caterpie but this one had a sharp two-inch stinger on its head, and another tipped its tail.

"Watch out for its stingers!" Red called out, his heart rate racing with the sight of poisonous weapons.

Hearing the nervousness in Red's voice Doug seemed to regain some of his confidence, the hints of a smile played across his face. "Weedle, slow him down so you can sting him."

The Weedle unleashed a sticky string shot just like the Caterpie had. "Don't let it touch you, Charmander!"

Charmander, still catching his breathing from his last Ember, dodged to the side. Too slowly. The string connected with his leg and soon began to spread across his body. With an alarmed cry, Charmander let loose a weak Ember, burning Weedle's String Shot but barely making the bug Pokemon flinch. His body was still covered in the sticky substance and his movements were impaired.

"Weedle!" Doug sounded almost as confident as he had before they battled. "Poison Sting, now!"

The Weedle launched itself at Charmander. It was even faster than the Caterpie had been. Charmander tried to dodge the attack but his movements were just too slow. The Weedle's stinger gleamed angrily, Charmander cried out in pain.

"Charmander!" Red gasped. "That's it, I'm taking you out. Return!" The Charmander's shoulder was already swelling up where Weedle had punctured it. Red would take care of him but first, he had to finish his battle. "Pidgey!"

Red's Pidgey appeared with a great gust of wind. "Kaw!" it's rough cry filled the clearing. Thanks to Pidgey's wind gust the stench of Caterpie began to fade and the spectators slowly began to return to Red's side.

"Weedle, don't be intimidated just because he is a flying type!" Doug instructed. "Hit him with a String Shot!"

Pidgey had other ideas. It flapped its wings strongly, sending the String Shot right back in Weedle's face. Pidgey dove. Weedle jumped aside but Pidgey swung its taloned feet wide and scratched the Weedle's retreating back in a Quick Attack. Weedle made a funny noise and tumbled end over end.

"Weedle, get back up, quick!" Doug called, losing his grin.

"Don't let him recover!" Red ordered. "Gust!"

Pidgey cried in agreement and began flapping its wings so hard that a mighty wind lifted the bug Pokemon right off the ground just as it had regained its pod feet. In alarm, the Weedle tried to fire another String Shot but it just blew right back in its face.

"Weedle!" Doug cried in alarm. Finally, the larva tumbled out of Pidgey's gust and fell to the forest floor. Weedle squirmed to right itself but Red's Pidgey was just too fast and dove in for a Tackle. The Weedle made a strange sound and fell again to the forest floor, this time he didn't get back up.

"Match, over!" Blue pronounced loudly. Though from the tone of his voice he wasn't happy with the final results. "Red has won."

"Weedle are you alright?" Doug raced to his Pokemon's side. The Weedle lifted its head and made a cooing type of noise to reassure his trainer.

"Is he okay?" Red asked. He pulled Charmander's ball back out and let his Pokemon free. But Charmander wasn't looking well, the swelling was already much worse. The wound was over an inch wide and was taking over all of Charmander's upper arm.

"You better hit him with an antidote," Doug nodded at Charmander.

"I . . . I don't have an antidote," Red looked worriedly at his now quiet Pokemon. Charmander curled himself into a ball, his fiery ended tail protecting his poisoned wound.

"I do," Blue said.

"Can I have it to heal Charmander?" Red asked.

"Yeah, that'll be twenty dollars," Blue held out an empty hand. "I paid that much for it."

"Blue," Red sounded worried. "You know very well that I left home without hardly any money since my mom didn't want me to go. I'll owe you, I can pay you back after I win an official match. Please, I gotta make Charmander better."

"Then you'll pay twenty dollars."

"Come on."

In response, Blue simply motioned with his hand for Red to pay up.

"You can have one of mine," Doug handed an antidote to Red. "I'd definitely get some as soon as you can afford them."

"Thank you," Red immediately started spraying Charmander's wound with the antidote. He shot Blue a dirty look. Blue just rolled his eyes.

Almost immediately Charmander began to look better. His wound had grown purple and the swelling had started to stretch his skin. Now the poisonous wound slowly went down, almost like a controlled deflation of a balloon. The color changed from an angry purple to an irritated red on its way to becoming a healthy orange.

"You're such a jerk," Yellow growled at Blue as she brushed by him to join Red at Charmander's side.

"Nobody that gets life handed to them ever learns anything," Blue retorted. "He'll never learn to be a good trainer if people just keep giving him stuff and helping him and solving all of his problems for him."

Green nodded in agreement.

"It looks to me like he already is a good trainer," Doug spoke up, to everyone's surprise. "He beat me and his second Pokemon didn't even get touched."

"He's just lucky he captured such a strong Pidgey."

Doug looked up at Blue for a moment then shook his head and went back to tending to his Weedle with a Potion. Blue glared at him before turning and joining Green's side a few paces away.

"You're the grandson of Professor Oak, and your parents are rich," Yellow retorted. "Talk about getting life handed to you."

Blue heard her but he pretended he hadn't.

"If he's Professor Oak's grandson does that mean you guys are from Pallet Town?" Doug asked.

"Yeah," Red affirmed but Yellow shook her head negatively. "Well, at least most of us are. Where did you start your journey?"

"Viridian City," Doug blushed. "I haven't gotten very far."

"Well, in some ways you've gotten a lot further than me," Yellow volunteered. "I live about a mile Northeast of here." She pointed in the general direction of her cabin. Doug looked a little less embarrassed and Yellow smiled.

"I think I am going to take my Pokemon back to the Poke-Center," Doug said. "You exhausted them, Red."

"My Charmander is pretty wiped out too," Red shook Doug's hand as the bug trainer gathered his things and started back down the path to Viridian City. They waved at him one more time before rejoining Blue and Green further up the trail.

"You made friends fast," Blue commented as they resumed their journey. From the tone of his voice, it obviously wasn't meant as a compliment.

"I think Doug's a cool guy."

"You would."

"I like that he wants to be the first Kanto Bug-type Gym Leader," Red countered.

"It's stupid. Most Bug-types are too weak for any decent Gym Leader to use, there's a reason there hasn't been a Bug Gym Leader."

"Any dream that isn't yours is stupid to you."

"Not when they're reasonable. As I said, there's a reason there hasn't been a Bug Gym Leader. It's unreasonable just like yours."

"My dad was a great Ranger, what makes my dream so impossible?"

"Your dad was raised with Pokemon, they were around him all the time his whole life and he loved them. You, you don't even know who all the Gym Leaders are. You have barely even seen a wild Pokemon until now. No, your dream is definitely unrealistic, you should be grateful if you get to be a Ranger at all. You'll never be the best."

"You think you know me, but you don't know a thing about me," Red said angrily, his face beginning to match his name. "You'll see, I'll be a great Pokemon Ranger, just like my dad."

Blue shook his head but declined to argue and fell silent as the sounds of the forest grew louder around them and shadows deepened.

The forest was growing thicker, and if it weren't for Route 2 being cut through it Red doubted he could have made his way through the forest. It was no wonder this place was supposedly thick with wild Pokemon, there were all sorts of places for them to live and hide. Berries grew abundantly wherever Red could see. Red shuddered instinctively at the sound of rustling coming from just a few feet away from the trail. Safety was the only reason he still put up with Blue's jerkface.

Red knew that if he were alone, especially with Charmander in his current condition, there was little chance he could survive. The dark thoughts inside his head made the world around him seem all the more frightening. A wild Pokemon could leap out at them at any time, a menacing bullying trainer could emerge and beat them before taking whatever he wanted. Then there was Team Rocket to consider. Red tried to ignore the knot that clenched tightly in his belly whenever he thought of Team Rocket. They had almost taken away his future before he'd even had a chance to live it.

It wasn't long before something happened. "I challenge you!" the voice wasn't that dissimilar to Doug's. Another young trainer emerged from the bushes. He kinda looked like Doug too.

"I, Bug Catcher Sammy, challenge one of you to a duel!"

"Have fun, Red," Green said dryly.

"I'm letting Charmander rest," Red shook his head. "Someone else will have to answer his challenge."

"Fiiiiine," Green rolled her eyes but withdrew a Pokeball from the belt at her waist. "You okay with that, Sammy?" The way she drew out her words was obviously mocking his juvenile name, talking to him like she would someone ten years her junior.

"If you think you can handle me," Sammy puffed out his scrawny chest. Red hoped Sammy would win. Green laughed.

"You shouldn't have told me you were a bug catcher," Green told him. "Now I know just the Pokemon to use." In a flash, her fierce-looking Spearow emerged from its Pokeball. It spread its wings and screeched like an eagle.

"How clever of you," Sammy said, pulling out a Pokeball. Red couldn't tell if Sammy was mocking or serious. In another flash of light, Sammy revealed his first Pokemon, a male Nidoran. "Just because I am a Bug Catcher doesn't mean I can't have other types of Pokemon."

The look on Green's face was one of genuine surprise. Sammy's Nidoran male was a fierce-looking purple Pokemon. It was covered with poisonous barbs and horns, most of its body was covered by armored plates, its gleaming eyes stared out fiercely from underneath almost bat-like ears that were also covered in thick plating.

"Poison Sting!" Sammy cried out.

"Get out of there, Spearow!" Green cried. With a fluttering of wings, Spearow launched itself into the air. The Nidoran skidded to a halt right where Spearow had been standing, its head down and ready for a sting.

"Don't let him recover!" Green shouted to Spearow. The fierce bird-like Pokemon screeched in reply and let loose with a gust attack. The Nidoran stamped in the ground and weathered the gust attack easily.

"Horn attack!" Sammy shouted. To everyone's surprise, the Nidoran launched a horn from its body like a missile. Caught by surprise Green's Spearow barely dove to the side in time, the flying horn clipped a few feathers from its tail.

"Are you gonna take that from him?" Green shouted angrily. "Peck him!"

The Spearow wheeled in mid-air and dove for the Nidoran who was surprised by the maneuver. Because they were covered in poisonous barbs and horns it was rare that Nidoran were ever attacked with a physical attack. Spearow pecked the Nidoran hard as it flew over him. The Poison-type Pokemon cried out in shock and pain.

Spearow wheeled about and dove down for another Peck attack. In an unexpected maneuver, Nidoran spun and kicked up its hind legs, clobbering Spearow right in the face. The Spearow tumbled and fell from the air.

"Don't give up!" Green called out in desperation, she didn't know what else to tell it to do. She needn't have worried. Spearow launched itself right back into the air and dove for Nidoran once more. The Nidoran spun so it could kick its opponent again but at the last second Spearow dove to the left and hit Nidoran with a succession of furious pecks that knocked the armored Pokemon tumbling across the grass.

"Yes!" Green shouted out.

The battle wasn't over yet. Nidoran jumped back onto its feet. It made a growling sound and let loose with another flying Horn Attack. Again Spearow barely dodged it. Nidoran stood on its hind legs to get a better shot at Spearow.

"Gust, now!" Green shrieked excitedly. Spearow was quick to follow orders, a blast of wind flew from the Spearow and blasted the Nidoran, sending it tumbling end over end into the trunk of a tree. The Nidoran fell to the ground in a heap.

"Nidoran!" Sammy ran over to his Pokemon.

"Is that it or do you have another?" Green demanded in a tone that caught everyone off guard. She sounded fierce.

"I have another but I'm not battling you anymore!" Sammy said as he pulled out a potion and started spraying his Nidoran.

"He fought well," Red told Sammy as he came over to see the Nidoran.

"Thanks," Sammy sounded sulky.

"If I can ask, where did you get him?"

"I caught him, right here in the forest. There aren't very many, especially compared to all the bug Pokemon, so I got really lucky."

"Wow!" Red said. "I'll say you did. So did we."

"Red, let's get going before it gets dark out," Blue barked. Red turned and joined his little group. He was surprised to find that so many trainers were confident enough to be out exploring on their own.

"None of those loners are gonna make it far," Blue said as if reading Red's mind.

"The tradition in Viridian City is for them to go into the forest alone on their first day then go back to town. On the second day, they start forming their groups and leaving, some don't leave for a week."

"So those were the kids that were too scared to leave on the second day? It figures, no wonder you won, Red." Blue laughed at his own joke. No one else did, not even Green.

"Aha!" a voice suddenly came from the bushes. "So you think you are better than us? Prepare to prove it in battle!"

Yet another teen their same age, this one wearing a headband, emerged from the thick foliage. Blue rolled his eyes and turned to Green.

"Don't look at me, I just had a battle."

"I'm still letting Charmander rest," Red refused.

"Fine," Blue groaned but grabbed a Pokeball. "If you wanna end your day with a loss then it's my pleasure to provide one for you."

"We'll see!" the teen grabbed a Pokeball of his own.

Several hours and many many Pokemon battles later the four exhausted trainers stumbled along Route 2. The forest had shown no signs of thinning. While the sun had not yet set the sky had darkened and the shadows of the forest had grown longer and deeper. If it had been difficult to see for any distance before it was now impossible.

"Let's make camp," Green groaned.

"Yeah," Red agreed. "I'm exhausted."

"You only beat two trainers, the rest of us had to battle four or more," Blue snapped.

"I can't believe none of us lost, not even once," Yellow tried to stop the argument before it began.

"Speak for yourself," Blue said self-assuredly.

"I think I see a clear spot over there," Green pointed, for once even she was too tired to argue. They followed her to a little area just off the beaten path and immediately set to work setting up camp.

Red kicked aside a few fallen branches and small stones that stood in his way and pulled out his tent. He staked it to the moist loamy soil underneath and within a minute he had his individual tent set up and turned to Blue already working on making a pit for a fire. A circle of rocks had already been formed. Red and Blue tossed a few sticks and larger pieces of wood into the circle of stone.

"Can that Charmander of yours conjure up flames or is it too exhausted?" Blue asked irritably.

"Charmander, make us a fire, please," Red called out his fire-type Pokemon. Charmander, though obviously tired, looked quite recovered from his ordeal earlier in the day. With little effort, the Pokemon lit up their little pile of wood. "Thanks, buddy."

"Mmmmm, I love a good fire on a dark and chilly night," Yellow smiled as she joined them next to the blaze.

"I love a good batch on a dark and chilly night," Green groaned. "Does anyone know how much longer until we're out of these darn woods?"

"If we make good time we should be able to get out of Viridian Forest by tomorrow evening," Blue said.

"I hope so. I can't wait to see civilization again."

"Are you sure you want to be a Pokemon trainer?" Red asked Green. "Half the fun of it is all the camping out."

"I will be a breeder someday and I can leave all the camping to you crazy trainers," Green advised.

A long loud strange cry echoed through the forest. Red looked up futilely into the dark night sky, what little of it he could see of it through the thick branches overhead. A few stars filtered through but he could see nothing else.

"Ugh." Green shivered and wrapped her arms around herself, despite the warm fire. "Just another reason I hate camping."

"I love it!" Yellow declared. "That reminded me of a story my dad used to tell me whenever I heard a Pokemon he couldn't identify."

"He must have told that story a lot," Red heard Blue mumble under his breath, Red shot him a dirty look. Thankfully, it didn't seem like Yellow had noticed.

"Once the world was nothing more than solid rock, there were no oceans, no rivers and no lakes, just some ice at the North and South poles. No humans and no Pokemon lived here. Then, three titans of the elements appeared. They were three great birds, with wingspans that dwarf all other Pokemon. Articuno, the titan of ice, spread its great wings and flew over the world causing the first blizzard, it used its powerful breath to breathe ice all over the world. Then it found a great mountain and rested. Next, Moltres, the titan of fire, flapped its great wings and flew over the Earth, breathing an inferno over the ice. The ice melted and formed the first oceans, lakes, and rivers. What were once mountains became islands. Moltres also found itself a mountain and rested. It was then that Zapdos rose up on his wings and flew over the reborn earth. Lightning danced from his body and struck the newly formed oceans and the newly formed continents. Thus the ocean and land gained new life, and the ocean currents were set into motion. Then Zapdos too found itself a mountain and rested. From time to time the titans awaken to observe their creation and see what has become of it. When you hear a strange cry that echoes loudly in your ears, look up, for it may be one of the titans."

"Cool," Red breathed.

"So if there was no life then where did these three titans come from?" Blue asked.

"Some say that they were brought here by an even more powerful Pokemon to give the world life. Some say that he created them after finding our world. But really it is just a legend and nobody even knows if it has any truth to it." Yellow shrugged.

"That didn't make me feel any better," Green added. "But it was a pretty good distraction."

"I'd never heard that before," Red added, tossing another sour look in Blue's direction. "Do people believe that?"

"Some people-" Yellow began.

"Only idiots believe that stuff," Blue interrupted.

"My dad told me that people used to tell each other legends to try and explain a big scary world that they didn't understand yet." Yellow continued on as if Blue hadn't said a word. "Those birds might actually have existed, but I'm sure that the story didn't happen as there was no one to witness it."

"Do you think there are Pokemon we don't know about?" Red asked.

"I'm sure of it," Yellow said. Blue rolled his eyes but didn't say anything.

"It would be amazing to discover a new Pokemon!"

"Who knows, maybe you will someday," Yellow smiled.

"Whatever," Blue groaned. "I'm going to bed, you two have fun staring into each other's eyes."

Red opened his mouth to retort but Yellow just shook her head and he fell silent. It wasn't long before they were all asleep.