if you're going into the woods tonight...

[red_berry]

TURNBLOOM CITY

Today, you might see Red on one of his rare visits to the city. He's sitting around on a plastic chair somebody's dragged into the street, but what may draw your eye more is the poster on the wall next to him. It's a large white paper with large, clumsy lettering in multicolored crayon. The poster reads: "LECTRIC TYPES HAT HIM! WHO IS THIS MAN? TELL RED" and has a shaky drawing that may be somehow recognizable as Attila if you squint. Near Red, you can also see a Charizard and a Venusaur, surrounded by scattered crayons. The Charizard seems to be drawing on a piece of paper, lying on his stomach on the street, while the Venusaur watches with his legs tucked in underneath him, making quiet comments. ...They might be blocking your way.

SHROUDED WOODS

Another day, you'll find Red in the wilderness, his more natural habitat. If you stumble into the right part of the woods near Route 1, you'll see him sitting on the moss, clutching his ankle. He'll look at you when you approach, and if you've met him before you may be surprised by the pain on his usually unexpressive face.

"Help," he hisses out.

(Alternately, WILDCARD! Give me another scenario for meeting Red! He's usually in the woods, the tunnel or somewhere else in the wilderness!)

Comments

Shrouded Woods

[domeinion]

[Red will actually see a weird-looking Slaking first, wearing a winter hat and a jet pack and lugging logs down the path. The Pokémon stops, makes a concerned noise, drops the wood, and lumbers off into the jungle.

It isn't long before it's back, and Alice is running a few steps behind him with what looks like a first aid kit.]

Red? What happened out here? Let me see that.

[red_berry]

That is an odd-looking Pokemon. The size of it has Red worried, but he knows the Pokemon around this forest are generally friendly, and any bigger ones are probably owned by trainers. The fact it dropped what it was carrying to run off while Red was clearly injured means it probably wasn't escaping, but going to get help, so Red is unconcerned as he waits.

And then Alice shows up, which is a welcome sight.

"...Fell," Red says with a strained voice, pointing up at the tree next to him.

He also takes his hands off his ankle so Alice can see it better. It isn't broken, fortunately, just twisted.

[domeinion]

[Alice winces and kneels beside him. She brushes dirt off and checks him over, then takes out an elastic bandage and starts wrapping it up.]

We're going to need to get you a cold pack or ice. DJ, do you mind carrying him?

[The Slaking, apparently named DJ, makes a noise of affirmation and looks questioningly at Red to see if he's okay with being lifted. Apparently this is a much less lazy Slaking than the usual type, but given Alice's other Pokémon, that might not be a surprise.]

The lab's not finished yet, so I don't have a freezer, but ice should be easy enough to get in town. You're lucky, I was just about to go on another supply run. DJ can get you back to -- well, what I have of a place so far.

[red_berry]

Red winces just slightly as Alice starts wrapping his ankle, but holds still.

He nods at the question, then gives DJ a thumbs-up at the questioning look. He'd have his own Pokemon help, but all of his bigger ones ended up fainting after a run-in with some local Dunsparce. (Okay, so maybe it was a whole outbreak of Dunsparce and maybe he intentionally went after them when his Pokemon were looking for a battle.) Red's familiar with Slaking, but assumes this is a regional variant. Still a normal-type, he deduces after looking DJ over. He should keep this variant in mind for the Slaking fan he knows, it seems like it could be powerful.

"Lab?" Red asks, curious. Alice was building a lab? That was interesting. He definitely wants to see it. If only the circumstances were better, but at least it's a distraction from the pain. "Let's go."

[domeinion]

Well, it's not much of one. Just someplace I can do some fieldwork from.

[DJ lifts Red up to walk down the path, and Alice closes up the kit and lets out Hyperbug. With a few instructions and some money, the Masquerain flies off through the canopy.]

There, he'll be back with the ice in no time. It's efficient when half your team knows Fly and you can count on them to do some of the errands!

[They come upon a simple log building with an open section of wall -- apparently what DJ had been getting materials for. Alice opens the door and DJ hovers up to the loft above a wall of bookshelves and sets Red down on the bed. There's not much up in the living area -- apparently most of Alice's efforts have gone towards the books, study notes, and computer lab -- save for Alice's backpack and bike folded up in the corner and a reused water bottle filled with some of the weird fossil sand from Turnbloom's beach.

Alice herself climbs up a rope to get up to the loft.]

Not everything's set up yet, but I've got the important stuff. Mostly shelves of research.

[red_berry]

Red makes an interested noise, then tries his best to keep his ankle still and unmoving when he's lifted.

"Hm," Red muses. Half of his team are flying-types, though only two of them can learn Fly. (And then there's Pikachu, but Red's not sure if the mythical Flying Pikachu actually exist or not.) He's always valued a varied spread and tried not to have repeated moves, but it does seem useful outside of battle.

The lab-in-progress looks very cozy, and Red looks around as he's brought there. Alice really built all this herself? That's amazing. But when DJ hovers, Red's interest is drawn there, and he tries to lean around to see how the jetpack works, before hissing in pain, having stretched his ankle unnecessarily. Right. Better to stay still and let DJ set him on the bed. But a flying Slaking... He should take a picture at least.

"Ah... Research," Red says with an understanding nod, then tries to take his phone out of his pocket without moving his leg and fails utterly, then just lies back down on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

Turnbloom

[monologing]

Somehow or another Red was lost! Absolutely lost, in a city of all places, with his fat Pikachu, Hammy on top of his head. Thankfully he wasn't the type to ignore any signs even if they were clumsily written. He gave pause, turned fully to look over the poster.

"....?" He crossed his arms with a puzzled look on his face. Red glanced up to Hammy who tilted his head.

"Pi?" It seemed Hammy also had no clue what the poster was about. He does give a sniff, with his tail happily waving. He recognized that scent anywhere! "Pikka!"

[red_berry]

Red looks up from his phone at the sound of a Pikachu. His eyes widen slightly, practically sparkling at the sight of Hammy. What a cute fat Pikachu!

Oh, but that trainer... Red stares at him curiously. He sure resembles... Red himself, when he was little. That's odd. Oh, is this one of those alternate world things?

"Hi," he says. His Charizard looks up at the sound, but then goes back to drawing.

[monologing]

Red was trying to decipher Hammy's excitement over the poster. Was it the picture? Maybe the crayons smelled nice. Hammy's still wagging his tail back and forth pretty delighted.

Upon hearing Red, he turned to face him. Oh, huh. This person looked familiar! Did he know him? He's staring and looking over to both Charizard and Venusaur. He wanted to pet them-

"Pikka!" Hammy cheered, snapping him back to his thoughts. Adjusting the brim of his cap carefully, so as not to make direct eye contact Red smiled.

"Hi!" He then points to the poster. "This yours?"

[red_berry]

"Mm," Red replies with a nod, then points at the Charizard. "His." This may seem like a contradiction, but Red himself thinks it makes perfect sense.

Red has absolutely no problem staring at the younger Red intensely, analyzing him. More expressive than himself, avoids eye contact for some reason - Ah, because some people take eye contact for a challenge. Makes sense. His Pikachu also looked different from Red's own. A lot more outgoing and excitable. ...Red wants to pet him. Maybe the little Red too.

[monologing]

His...? Red peered over to Charizard, and back to the poster and back to Charizard. The gears are turning in his head. That Charizard did have the crayons on him... and he was drawing on the paper...

Red's moving closer to be his nosy self. His eyes light up in absolute delight, as he's squatting down to get a better look. Hammy meanwhile moved down from a top Red's head and onto his shoulders, still curious about the older trainer. Unlike his own trainer who remained oblivious, he could recognize who the older Red was. Wow, he's so much bigger than Red is now!

Hopping off of his trainer knowing how he tended to go into his own world, Hammy made his way to approach Red.

"Pikka!" He greeted rather cheerfully.

[red_berry]

The Charizard's drawing what looks like pictures of the colorful windwheels all around Turnwheel City. The crayon is wider than the average crayon, but it's still hard for him to hold in his claw. He's managing somehow, but it looks awkward, and he's pressing the crayon on the paper pretty hard.

The Venusaur spots the younger Red first, peering at him, then startling with a gasp, his flower twitching. The Charizard looks up at little Red too, blinking, then his mouth drops open.

"Char?" "Venu?!" they exclaim in unison. Did their trainer shrink?!

Meanwhile, their trainer looks at the approaching Hammy and raises a hand to wave at him.

"Pikka," he repeats the Pikachu's greeting flatly. Huh, even the other Pikachu's voice is different from his own. He'd wondered if other Reds had the same Pikachu as him, but it seems not.

[radleyslittleevie]

"Oh no!" Evie runs over. "What happened?!"

(assuming this is for shrouded woods)

[red_berry]

Oh no, not the sweet little Eevee. That's the last person Red wanted to see him hurt.

"Fell," Red hisses, pointing up at the tree. "Hurt." And he points at his ankle.

Oops, yeah. I had it on there at first, but posted with the wrong account. Sigh.

[radleyslittleevie]

Evie looks at his ankle. She's no good at figuring out how bad injuries are.

"I can go for help!" she says.

it happens! ^^

[red_berry]

"Thanks," Red hisses out, then has an idea. He takes out one of his Pokeballs. "Rowina," he says. Out pops a Fearow.

"(I see. I'll help you out,)" Rowina caws coolly. "(Carrying Red now might hurt him more, but with the both of us we'll get help faster. Here, on my back.)" Wasting no time, she turns around and lowers her back to allow Evie to climb on easier.

Yep, lol. The account I keep accidentally posting with is Evie's beloved Radley.

[radleyslittleevie]

"Thank you!" Evie hops on. "We'll be back soon!"

[red_berry]

Red nods. He'll be fine out here, he's still got Pokemon left.

"(Don't fall,)" Rowina says, and takes flight. She does try her best to keep her flight even and her back straight so Evie won't have a hard time. Once they're above the woods, flying is easier and smoother, so she speaks up again.

"(You heard my name already, but I'm Rowina. Good to meet you, Evie.)"

WILDCARD!!! - Turnterrace Tunnel

[goingallout]

A long time ago, he remembered hearing rumors of a so-called "Mystery Dungeon" that's been discovered in Turnterrace Tunnel. He hadn't gotten a chance to see what it's about, that is until now...

And so Ash and Pikachu ventured through the darkened tunnel, relying on the lights set up by the townspeople to guide their way.

"Hmm, it should be around here somewhere." Ash mulled, "Do you see anything, Pikachu?"

Pikachu craned his head up slightly and raised his ears, trying to pick up any strange noises in the tunnel. While he wasn't exactly looking for the entrance, if he could pick up the sounds of Pokemon gathered somewhere, that should lead them the way to the Mystery Dungeon...

[red_berry]

You hear footsteps. From a darker path outside the reach of torchlight, a tall, thin figure moves slowly closer. You can barely see the fluttering of white cloth...

And then you hear a "Pika?"

Red steps into the light. In his arms is a Pikachu, who's hugging a Thunderstone so tightly you'd think he'd have evolved by now. They stare at Ash and Pikachu, surprised to encounter somebody here.

[goingallout]

"Pika!" Pikachu immediately responded to the footsteps, turning his head to Red's direction. And when Ash followed suit, he spotted Red under the light. He squinted for a second, making sure he wasn't seeing things, but his expression shifted to that of delight the moment he saw his face.

"Red, Ulsai!" he called out and waved, "What are you doing here?"

It's when he decided to approach him and noticed he looked a bit different. A bit... older? Not only that, but the Pikachu in Red's arms...

And he looked at Red with a confused expression.

"Uh, wait. You're really Red, right?"

[red_berry]

A bit older, and a lot taller. Red blinks at his name being called, but nods in greeting. He'd wave back, but his arms are full of Pikachu. He doesn't know who this person talking to him is, but maybe it's just somebody he's forgotten he met.

"Mm," he responds to the question with a nod. He is Red, after all.

His Pikachu, however, realizes there's a case of a mistaken identity going on, looking between Red and Ash, then tries to get Ash's Pikachu's attention with a wave.

"(Uhh, I think your trainer's got the wrong Red...)" he communicates in Pikachu language, following it with a small nervous laugh.

1/2

[goingallout]

"(I figured... There's something different about his scent.)" Pikachu sighed, and then decided to let Ash know as well. "Pikapi, Pika-pika Pikachu Pi-ka."

And as Ash glanced at his partner, and immediately the look on his face showed it's as if he understood every word he said. It might have helped that Pikachu also made a cross-like gesture with his little arms.

"Wait, you're saying he's a different Red?" And Pikachu nodded.

2/2

[goingallout]

"Sorry, I know a friend who looks and shares the same name as yours!" he admitted, "Though... he's not as old as you are."

Now that's been cleared up to Ash, he let out a soft laugh. He still wondered what Red was doing in this part of the tunnel, but then he quickly remembered why they were here in the first place.

"Ah, are you maybe... looking for the Mystery Dungeon in this tunnel?"

[red_berry]

Pika watches in awe how easily Ash understands Pikachu.

"(Wow, he really understood!)" Pika says. "(I mean, I think Red understands me pretty well too, but... His face is hard to read.)" Even after so many years...

"Ah," Red says with a nod. He thinks he knows who Ash is talking about. Unless there's yet another Red out here.

Mystery Dungeon? Red tilts his head slightly. He'd just been exploring the tunnel, visiting the cave a bit off to the side with all the glowing rocks. He wasn't really looking for anything in particular. So he shakes his head.