Chapter 1: Changing Fate

"What the hell are we even doing here anyway?"

Kanaya the Butterfree sat on the side of Rt. 2's northern half, above Veridian City. Her trainer was off in the tall grass training Strider, his Pidgeotto. Impatient as ever, Kanaya decided to use her downtime to complain to Karkat. Karkat was busy though, inspecting his newly evolved Charmeleon physique.

"Master says we have to level up before we face Brock. You heard him."

"I know, but grinding is just so BORING."

"Right," Karkat replied, "Coming from the Pokemon that leveled up twice in a matter of hours. And on that note, how did you even do that? I'm having a hard time getting used to ONE new body."

"Ugh, but I wanna go FIGHT something, ya know? Something besides a level 4 Caterpie."

"I repeat: A few hours ago YOU WERE A LEVEL 4 CATERPIE. And that's not the point! If Master thinks we need to get stronger, then we get stronger. That's the way it works. End of story. Besides, Brock has Rock Pokemon. All 3 of us are going to have a tough time against them."

"Pfft. By the time he lets us face the first Gym our levels will be twice as high as his PokeOHMYGOD OUCH WHAT THE HELL."

Kanaya was unaware that her trainer had taken a quick walk to Pewter City to grab a few potions. Strider had snuck up behind her and tauntingly used gust (a super effective flying attack) on the poor bug Pokemon.

"DAMMIT WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU STRIDER."

"So I see you like my new move. Relax, we're all going down to the Pokemon Center in a few minutes anyway."

Kanaya grumbled. She knew that arguing with him would lead nowhere, so instead she sat down on the (short) grassy side of the road and looked up at the sky. Watching all the the free-flying Spearow and Pidgey reminded her that it wasn't long ago when she was free herself. But as a Caterpie, the dense flora of Viridian forest can be quite intimidating. And if it wasn't for her capture, she wouldn't be sitting in this spot with wings on her back and two allies on her side. Something had been bugging her, though.

"Why is he like that."

Karkat turned around. "Master?" Kanaya nodded.

"To be honest, I don't know. He seemed... troubled... the first time I met him. Not like this, but still at unease."

Strider stuck his beak into the conversation. "You're right. But after what happened on Rt. 22, whatever it was got worse. He was hesitant to even set foot near there, like he knew what was coming."

"What happened on Rt. 22?"

"Some dick named Green ran into Master and challenged him out of the blue... he didn't even make eye contact. The two had met back in the lab, when Master chose me. And then Green... he chose..." Karkat choked up a bit. Something was wrong. Strider's keen eye picked up on this and finished the story. Strider's serious side was something kanaya had yet to see in their short time together.

"Anyway, there were four of us back then. He caught Tavros, a Rattata, and Jack Noir, a Spearow. But during the battle, Tavros was crippled. His face when Tavros died... there were tears falling, but no emotion whatsoever. It was blank. Then Jack Noir was grounded by Green's Squirtle." Karkat twitched, and rapidly changed the subject.

"But then we won the battle. Green ran, leaving Master, Strider, and I. He grabbed us, and with the same expression that Strider described, told us we did a nice job. But he was still hurt. The Pokemon Center healed us, but not him."

Strider wrapped the story up. "So then we went into the forest, where we met you."

"So... neither of you know what happened before he chose you, Karkat?"

"No. But I will admit, I am concerned for him. Whatever happened, it couldn't be good."



"You're right, Karkat." A silhouette had appeared behind the trio while they were psychoanalyzing their master.

"GAH. Master... I'm sorry. I didn't see you there. We were just talking about..."

Kanaya interjected. "Why are you like this, huh? Something's wrong with you, and you won't even let your own team know? It's like you don't even trust us!"

Strider swooped down toward Kanaya and held her mouth shut with his wing. "Are you CONFUSED or something? WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?"

Then he spoke up. "Strider, let go of her this instant. So you want to know what happened to me?" Kanaya nodded. Strider and Karkat nodded subtly along with her.

"Last night, before I set out to the lab in the morning, I had a dream. In it I was walking down Rt. 22 when I was ambushed by... by him. My party wasn't prepared for his higher leveled Pokemon. Even though there were more of us, he was still stronger. One by one, my party fell. Then, as I was forced to send out my weakened Charmander, with no Potions to heal him with, I prayed. I prayed for a critical hit. but it didn't come."

Tears fell, but his face didn't move and his voice didn't shake.

"I held him, there in my arms. He died in my arms. It hadn't even been an hour or so since I got him, and now my first and last Pokemon died there, looking at me with empty eyes. Disappointed eyes. an innocent Pokemon who had been kept in a Pokeball for who knows how long, was given his first taste of freedom, only to have it taken away from him. My tears doused the ember left on his tail. Then, I whited out. I woke up. I chose Charmander in the lab. I caught the same Pokemon along the way to Rt. 22. But even though I prepared, half of my team died at the same spot. But I didn't let it all happen again. Strider and Karkat made it out. They're okay. I didn't let what happened happen again. I won't let it happen. I won't let anything happen to any of you, I promise." Karkat was crying.

"Master, don't... I..."

"I told you Karkat..."





"...Call me Red."