(Fanart in media by madcat65)

I'm not sure how much time passed after that day, maybe a few weeks. Maybe a few months. The ongoing journey became lucid as I traced my way across the region, capturing pokemon, battling gyms, facing off with Blue now and then. Little by little, I started to care about my pokemon, but I'd never know how much until later. It all passed so quickly. Before I knew it, I was already at the tropical Cinnabar Island, taking a day of rest before facing the pyro-master, Blaine.

I don't want to bore you all with what happened between Cerulean and Cinnabar, none of that was important to what happened the days after. And all the events came down like dominos, first starting on that day off.

I wore a leaf green bikini tied behind my neck, with an oversized white shirt thrown over for modesty's sake, as I lay sprawled out on a white and blue sun chair. My skin was covered in a greasy, reflective, coat of sweat. Supposedly, sweat was secreted to cool your body from the heat and protect from sun damage. But currently, I felt like my bodily fluid was a marinade on the ham I am. I still wore my cloud white hat which now sagged in my face while my greasy hair was tied into a pony tail underneath.

The outdoors was the oven.

The salt water crashed against the crimson sanded shore, only a couple yards away. The sea breeze had barely soothed the feeling of being baked, a few droplets spritzed against my skin. The only reason I could tell that it wasn't sweat was because it was colder. The tropical vacation pamphlet that the ship woman handed out to deporting passengers became a paper hand fan.

Which really didn't do much but fan the steamy air back into my face, but I continued to fan anyways with vain hopes.

The sunglasses I had bought were no help as they slipped down to the fat tip of my nose. I groaned inwardly and watched my pokemon frolic along the coastline. My Venusaur had dragged herself to the point that water was splooshing up into her ivy belly. Her ginormous white spotted flower was stretching out it's petals to take in the beating sun rays. Her face was relaxed, as with each push and pull of the waves she grew sleepier.

There's someone who is able to flourish in this atmosphere... I huffed in a sort of envy watching my starter.

A companion I was greatly thankful for, Pidgeot, carelessly flapped around in his own area of water. With each bat of its staggering 18 ft. wingspan would kick up splashes of water that would glitter brightly in the daylight. His tawny feathers would sometimes flutter out and into the air, the water, Pidgeot's own face. The gold and pink streaks that ran from the top of his head to his tail base were tossed askew in the air as he used the ocean as a bird bath. Simple joy was all I could read from the giant bird's expression.

I couldn't help but smile, what a child...

Off by the rocky cliffs beside the ocean, a pokemon I received from the dojo was sparing the boulders. Since, when I was playing as Red, I had chosen Hitmonlee as my prize from the dojo I was now gifted the final option left for defeating the dojo. Hitmonchan. His ruby boxing-glove fists would constantly create a banging sound, chips of rock flying around the vicinity.

Beside him was my not-so-lonely Marowak throwing her bone club into the rocks. Her ivory skull that her skin had grown around showed no sign of perspiration, but I could see though the eye holes sweat soaking her. She still held her ground, her latte skin gaining a red tint from the mineral dust that she seemed to be absorbing.

"You're going to get heat stroke if you keep doing that, Hitmonchan and Marowak!" I called out over their ruckus. "Come on over, I have some lemonade to cool you two down with!"

Marowak's head flung around with sparkling eyes that begged for rest, comical anime tears forming at them. Though, Hitmonchan never lost concentration with his never moving opponent, "Mon." He grunted shortly, rejecting a break.

Marowak's face dropped slightly before pounding the wall again with her bone, "Wak." She echoed her training partner's tone.

I rolled my eyes as I snapped open a soda pop, the fizzy bubbles rising to the top just to burst when they reached the air, "Fine, fine. I'm make sure no one else drinks them." I let the caffeinated liquid trickle down my parched throat happily before pausing to take a breath. I stole another glance at my two pokemon training their butts off and smiled, I wonder when Hitmonchan will notice how much admiration and affection Marowak has for him...

Finally, swimming back and forth in the water was the only key that I had to winning at this fire-type gym in Cinnabar Island. The pale blue skinned pokemon gracefully zigged and zagged around the water, his rubbery skin taking no sensation to the heat that sweltered around. His cone like fins on the back of his neck flatted down to his shoulder blades every time he went into the depths of the ocean. Like a show off, the eeveelution would occasionally leap from the water surface and like suspended animation, water would follow up his mermaid tail to his hind legs. The Vaporeon's black eyes glittered with a superiority complex.

That little show off... I growled to myself with an irritated smile pulling at my plump lips. Ever since I got the pokemon as an Eevee, all he ever did was flaunt his attributes. He was also a very intellectual little guy. Which really pulled at my nerves seeing that he often rivaled my decisions.

Even though I had no way of comprehending pokemon words, I could get the gist of his meaning. I'd give him an order, then he would look back at me and give a little mew of discontent and second-guessing. Like he was saying, "Are you sure about that move?" With a raise of his brow following that!

I have no clue for how long I sat on that beach chair before I felt miserable enough in the heat to slip off my shirt. So, like a normal person, I rose from my chair and removed the white cover shirt that clunk to my sweat. As I chucked the drenched shirt to the sandy area across from my bag, I heard the most obnoxious sound my ears have ever caught.

Wolf whistling.

My entire team froze. In sync, the six of us sent venomous glares to the carved in stairs from the cliff side to lead to the offside beach. Two teenage boys were waving with pink tinted cheeks. Then, one of them made the decision to speak, "Take it all off!" He sang in a flirtatious tone.

I smiled sweetly and reached my right hand over my shoulder, making it seem I was reaching for the halter tie of my bikini top. Slowly I made gestures with my hand to catch Venusaur's attention. Once I heard the heavy sploshes of her facing me I jolted my hand forward into an accusing finger at the boys, "Leaf Storm!"

In perfect understanding, a flurry of razor sharp leaves surged forward toward the two boys, sand meters away was kicked up from the pressure the horizontal swirling column of leaves. I could see the boys from where I stood begin to make a rushed, clumsy and panicked climb back up to the main area of Cinnabar Island.

Just in time too, the leaves exploded against the cliff side and left a dent roughly around 5 yards wide and 5 yards tall. In the dust that was still settling from the impact, I saw the most peculiar thing.

The dust stopped falling in one spot.

Alright that sounds weird, by that I mean the reddish volcanic-made dust started to collect on a heap in mid-air. A few seconds later I made out a shape that it formed. A curved body leading out to a long snaking tail. The head of the heap had small curved cat like ears.

It didn't take a genius like me to figure out it was a hack I had brought in.

Mew.

The small creature in its mirage form coughed loudly as the particles were sucked into its lungs. I knew it had the ability to fly out of the plume, so I simply stood and watched. The being flew from the dust and shook off the bit clinging to its body before going 100% cameo again.

I sighed, knowing my team was not yet ready to even pursue it. Let alone capture. So I had to let this chance slip away. I'm not losing here, not at all. It's just a tactical withdraw.

For now, the goal is getting Red's pokemon and items away from him. Which has to be done by defeating him in a pokemon battle. Which is after I'm able to gain access to Mt. Silver. And that's all after I beat the pokemon league. And I still had to also un-hack the cities I'd "modified".

Wow, I had a more strenuous to-do-list than I imagined.

I let out a heavy sigh and reached to pull my hat down my face to suddenly sink my fingers into my soggy mud hair. I glanced up, very bewildered to see a pink blur soaring off with my hat. "H-Hey! That's mine," I shouted, knowing that the Mew probably didn't give a rat's crap. Excuse me,

Rattata's crap.

I turned over my shoulder, "Guys, I'm going to get my hat back! All but Vaporeon and Pidgeot return!" I cried as I swooped up my bag. Quickly I pulled out my signature red skirt, threw it on and my white cover shirt back over my sticky back. Then I slipped into a cheap pair of plastic sandals I purchased on the way to this beach. As my pokemon gathered, Vaporeon and Pidgeot ran ahead as I returned the others into their capsules.

Those two were my best trackers.

Once the other three were safe in their pokeballs I trudged after them, my sandals slapping against the sand every step of the way, threatening to break with the next impact they make to the ground. My hair found a way to escape from the long ponytail I'd tied it in, leaving a streak behind me as I ran across the coast. My cheeks and nose were shifting to be the color of tomatoes from a growing sunburn, the salty spray flying into the wind. More directly, into my caramel eyes, causing them to water somewhat.

I lost sight of my two partners but I was still able to follow the trail of flipper marks and golden feathers. After 13 minutes of light jogging a great shadow loomed over the cliffs and a sect of the beach, making the area 15 degrees cooler.

Trust me, when I hit those shadows I felt like life was filling my lungs once again. Viewing up at what cast this life-saving shadow, I came to an abandon mansion the color of uncooked cookie dough with copper roofing that reflected light into angled directions. There were countless windows lining the front wall.

Almost every single one was broken.

I wandered up nearby cliff side steps to inspect this building further. There by the doors waited my trackers, "There you two are! Waiting for me?"

Pidgeot nodded chirpily.

And of course, Vaporeon shook his head before turning his nose up.

I laughed a bit and rubbed the back of my head before reading a sign beside this house: 'Pokemon Mansion. May all the lives lost in the mysterious fire rest in peace.'

Oh, yes. I remember running around this area when I played the game. I thought deeply as I recalled the months I actually looked though this sideshow of the game, There are multiple books in here that speak of how some scientists attempted to clone Mew. The Mew who stole my hat probably fled here as a default location in its programming. When I go in there, I should pick up the books though. They could be of use later.

"Insufferable little pest! Just die already!" A dark voice crackled from inside followed by something very hard slamming into something relatively squishy.

"Vull!"

I clasped my hands over my ears as the poor pokemon screamed in agony. The beating continued from within with more painful cries. My body started to tremble from the small creature's wails, but I couldn't move.

I glanced over to my water-type, "Vaporeon! Screech!"

The yellow fins of the pokemon fell as he gave me an, "Are you an idiot?" look. I just shot him back a glare and he obeyed, letting out a glass shattering cry that doubled the tortured pokemon's inside. A few of the non-broken windows of the mansion fractured.

Once Vaporeon was finished, the island was silent.

I took a hold of the opportunity and rushed into the mansion to see waiting at the doorstep was a beaten Vulpix. Her fur was matted and the right ear was torn down to the end of it. Across the fox's muzzle was a long scar. Vulpix's gingery hairs were covered in dirt and dust from rolling around on the floors of the mansion. Even though we were indoors, the heat was just compressed further. This made the house 30 degrees hotter than it was in the direct sunlight, the Vulpix in poor condition began to reek of rot from the injuries festering in the heat. Even if it had just received them.

I deformed shadow melted down the hallway in the corner of my eye, but I had more pressing matters.

I shot a stare at Pidgeot who knew what to do. Quickly, unflourishing his wings, the beautiful bird took off down the halls toward where the suspect had fled. I looked back down at the six tailed pokemon to notice my hat was sitting beside it.

I made the assumption that the shadow was man who owned the beaten Vulpix. He had also sighted Mew. The man pursued the mirage and tried to fight it with Vulpix, who probably preformed underwhelming. When the legend got away, he took it out on his pokemon.

But everyone jumps to conclusions.

Gently picking my hat back up, I also guessed that Mew dropped it earlier as it fled. I flipped the headpiece back to where it belongs, on my head, before cradling the fire fox in my arms. Turning down to Vaporeon, I gave a small grin, "Go contact the authorities. Take them to the Pokemon Center. Pidgeot already knows to take the Culprit there if he finds the man." I stated calmly before racing out of the mansion.

Once the authorities arrived, I explained the situation (leaving out the appearance of Mew) to them and they searched the entire mansion. Neither them nor Pidgeot could find the abuser, leaving me to take the small and fading fire-type to the Pokemon Center. Before I did anything with the pokemon though, I slammed by foot into a wall.

We'd lost the person who injured the little creature. There for, we lost to them. And that infuriated me.

When I finally did get to the POkemon center, Nurse Joy was quick to sweep away the small fox, catching words from Cinnabar police in advance. After treatment, Nurse Joy let me stay in the room with the battered creature. Pidgeot and Vaporeon had returned themselves long ago, leaving me alone as night melted into the room. She was sleeping for awhile, leaving me just to stare and wonder what could've really happened. Where the person who abused Vulpix could be. Who they were.

And then the pokemon awakened, leaping back quickly at the sight of me. Her eyes dashed around the room, becoming even more terrified that she was in a building.

The small auburn fox was curled up with her six tails swooshing around her with a small muzzle resting atop them. Vulpix's penny eyes were grazed over by her dark orange bangs, once her gaze locked onto me she hid further into her tails.

I gave a small closed-mouth smile and blinked, "Hey, sweetie. You seem better..." I hushed comfortingly. Slowly, I knelt beside the pokemon's bed. "I just have a couple questions. Just nod or shake your head to answer. Was that man your trainer? Was he abusing you?"

Vulpix's gaze slipped down to the mattress at her paws, eyes glinting with emotional turmoil. Her claws digging into the sheets as she tried to slip farther back, but she bumped into the wall and shuttered.

I was right, that's what I thought. That's what I believed those expressions meant.

Gingerly, I stroked her back. She flinched at my contact and pulled away from me, fear raised with her hackles. I simpered to her, "I won't hurt you, I promise."

Her head cocked to a side, like she was asking, "You promise?" But she still kept her shoulders raised, prepared to bolt if she had to.

I nodded, seeing all the permanent scars. Her ear will be forever torn, the scratch on her nose won't fade for years. How much had that poor pokemon suffered? "You're pretty far from home. I can escort you back to Route 8, where your family and friends probably are."

Her head shook ferociously, the curls of fur between her cupped ears rustling. Quickly, she glanced at the window as if she was going to run. But her expression sunk as she saw the latch on it. As the pain of her injuries sunk in.

"Why not?" I rose an eyebrow.

Both of her front mud-booted paws were placed onto my hand, her eyes just pleading not to go. She oozed the feeling I knew well. "I don't belong there," was the aura she gave. Her paws suddenly retracted from my hand, tails coiling around her like a shell from the rest of the world.

"Well if not, what are you going to do? I can't leave you alone, stranded on this island."

She paused for a moment to ponder the options. Her body still trembled from shock, the pit of my stomach churning as I looked at her. With one hand, I cautiously reached out to her. She once again recoiled and let out a fearful mew. This time though, I continued to try. My hand resting on top of her head. I then softly rubbed my thumb between her eyes.

From my bag I shuffled out a spare pokeball, "You want to come along with us?"

She looked up to me with disbelief at first. Then her eyes tearing into me as if to analyze every piece of me. Like she was reading my story. My past. My character. My stomach back flipped slightly before she slowly nodded her head in agreement with my plan.

I shrugged and tapped the pokeball onto her forehead and in three clicks, she was captured.

Yet another out of game event. Capturing a pokemon without a battle or receiving one. This game feels so different. I thought, sighing to myself as I tried to play around with all the numbers and calculations. For the first time in my life, it wasn't adding up. I used to be able to know what someone was going to say, what was going to happen based on the most simple of things. Now, those simple things have turned into complex equations that even when solved right, the answer does not equal the same as the unfolding event.

Life used to be just a bunch of numbers and variables thrown together when I played games.

Now in a game that is programmed from that, it was just not equating.

Confusion was a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. And it turned into fear of the unknown.