The right man in the wrong place can make all the difference in the world.
- G Man, Half Life 2
The world that you know is a lie. Just because they don't talk about it, it doesn't mean that it never happened. This story is about Red Ketchum’s rise to power, and his descent into insanity. And how one mute protagonist takes him down.
Another attempt at a journey fic, one which I will hopefully be able to finish. It spans most of Kanto, and if you're sharp, there is a lot of inspiration from Half Life 2. Don't mean to spoil anything, but a lot can happen in a year.
Chronologically, this takes place a year after the events of FRLG, and two years before HGSS. That's about all the information you need...hopefully.
[size=+1]Act One: Prologue[/size]
1.1: The Right Man
If this gets enough reviews, I just might release a chapter about once every week. Otherwise it will be biweekly...probably. I'd like to know that there is some kind of an interest in a world where Red's paranoia of Team Rocket has gotten the better of him and the only one who can stop him is a similarly mute protagonist.
- G Man, Half Life 2
The world that you know is a lie. Just because they don't talk about it, it doesn't mean that it never happened. This story is about Red Ketchum’s rise to power, and his descent into insanity. And how one mute protagonist takes him down.
Another attempt at a journey fic, one which I will hopefully be able to finish. It spans most of Kanto, and if you're sharp, there is a lot of inspiration from Half Life 2. Don't mean to spoil anything, but a lot can happen in a year.
Chronologically, this takes place a year after the events of FRLG, and two years before HGSS. That's about all the information you need...hopefully.
[size=+1]Act One: Prologue[/size]
1.1: The Right Man
My name is John. John Stiles. And I...well...that’s just the thing. That’s all I know about myself. Well, perhaps not quite. You see, there’s one other detail, one that's rather...mmm...important.
“I haven’t seen my son in years...” the guy next to me sighs. He’s a rather average fellow, around thirty years of age I’d guess. Rather untelling of his age was the red baseball cap seated neatly atop his head of brown, not grey, hair. “He’s grown up so much...”
I wish I could respond to him. Unfortunately,
I’m mute.
“I’m glad that Silph has let me return to Kanto after so long, though. When they sent me on that business trip to Johto five years ago, I never thought I’d see my family again...”
I look outside. In the distance, I can see some kind of port, and a ship labeled the S.S. Anne docked. And then there’s the Indigo Plateau on the other side, a royal red building with gold accents. It really gives off the impression that the Pokemon League is some kind of palace, the centerpiece of a kingdom.
The Magnet Train wails as it enters another tunnel. The inside of the carriage darkens almost immediately, and the green scenery outside fades to blackness which eventually completely fills my sight.
I’m standing in the office at the very top of some kind of skyscraper. A dream? The floor seems very real. The lighting seems very real. The desk seems very real. But the brown haired boy at the desk doesn’t notice my presence. He’s feverishly rearranging the newspaper articles on his desk; all are related to a “Team Rocket”. Suddenly, his hand brushes against the red baseball cap on his desk, and it falls to the ground.
He bends down to pick it up. At that instant, our eyes make contact. My breath escapes me, as I stare into the empty grey beads that are his eyes.
I open my eyes. So it really was a dream. I look at the man seated next to me again. He is still going on about his son. Something about how he's champion and everything.
I look outside. The train has already emerged from the tunnel, and outside, I see the urbanized capital of the Kanto region: Saffron City. The buildings are a dulled yellow, and grey industrialization clouds the city. It's somehow depressing to see it in such a state.
“You are now arriving in Saffron City. Please do not move until the train has come to a complete halt. Thank you for riding the Silph Co. Magnet Train, and we hope to see you again soon.”
“Ah, this is my stop,” the man chuckles. Dude, the train travels between Saffron and Goldenrod; there is no other stop. “See you later.”
The train screeches as it comes to a halt. My body jerks forward, and I save my head from blunt trauma by reaching out my arms. They really needed to work on the train’s noise pollution.
The man gets up and heads towards the door, which slides open as he nears it. He waves at me a final time. I, too, get up and leave the train, but not without noting how empty it was. Thinking about it...that man and I were the only two in our carriage, weren’t we?
“Put your hands up,” I hear somebody say. Naturally curious, I turn in the direction. The man is surrounded by police officers. He had five standard issue Glocks pointed at him, and his hands were high in the air. The leader of the officers appeared to be the red haired one in the cape.
“Why am I under arrest?” the man asks, smiling.
“You’re under suspicion of being a Team Rocket member, Mr. Ketchum,” the red haired one answered. “If you would just cooperate with us, you will have a fair trial.”
So ‘Ketchum’ is his name.
“Fair enough, I have nothing to hide,” he smiles with confidence. “Lance, was it? How is my little champion doing with your guidance?”
Lance’s right eye twitches, as if not willing to answer.
“He’s doing well,” he lies. “If you will follow us, Mr. Ketchum, we can get the interrogation over and done with, and you’ll be able to see your son again soon.” Ketchum nods, and Lance leads him and his officers out of the station.
Not something you’d see everyday. Then again, with how my memory is, I’m not even sure what “everyday” means.
I exit the station without much resistance from the security guards. I can see it closer from here. The Silph Co. building, a lone skyscraper untouched by the buildings beside it, like a lance thrust through the membrane that is the crust of the earth. As I stare upon its absolutely breathtaking appearance, I realize that I lacked the knowledge of something very important.
Exactly what am I doing here?
“Were you on that train which left just awhile ago, kid?” somebody asks. I turn to look at the person. He’s some kind of police officer, judging from how round he was. The holstered sidearm and navy uniform were big hints too, I suppose, but it was mostly his similarities to a barrel and the doughnut in his hand that gave away his occupation.
Whatever the case, I nod in response to his question.
"Heh. Got you," the officer chuckles. I cock my head to the right, clueless. He bites off a huge chunk off the doughnut and raises his gun.
“Kid, you’re under arrest on suspicion of being a Team Rocket member.”
“I haven’t seen my son in years...” the guy next to me sighs. He’s a rather average fellow, around thirty years of age I’d guess. Rather untelling of his age was the red baseball cap seated neatly atop his head of brown, not grey, hair. “He’s grown up so much...”
I wish I could respond to him. Unfortunately,
I’m mute.
“I’m glad that Silph has let me return to Kanto after so long, though. When they sent me on that business trip to Johto five years ago, I never thought I’d see my family again...”
I look outside. In the distance, I can see some kind of port, and a ship labeled the S.S. Anne docked. And then there’s the Indigo Plateau on the other side, a royal red building with gold accents. It really gives off the impression that the Pokemon League is some kind of palace, the centerpiece of a kingdom.
The Magnet Train wails as it enters another tunnel. The inside of the carriage darkens almost immediately, and the green scenery outside fades to blackness which eventually completely fills my sight.
I’m standing in the office at the very top of some kind of skyscraper. A dream? The floor seems very real. The lighting seems very real. The desk seems very real. But the brown haired boy at the desk doesn’t notice my presence. He’s feverishly rearranging the newspaper articles on his desk; all are related to a “Team Rocket”. Suddenly, his hand brushes against the red baseball cap on his desk, and it falls to the ground.
He bends down to pick it up. At that instant, our eyes make contact. My breath escapes me, as I stare into the empty grey beads that are his eyes.
I open my eyes. So it really was a dream. I look at the man seated next to me again. He is still going on about his son. Something about how he's champion and everything.
I look outside. The train has already emerged from the tunnel, and outside, I see the urbanized capital of the Kanto region: Saffron City. The buildings are a dulled yellow, and grey industrialization clouds the city. It's somehow depressing to see it in such a state.
“You are now arriving in Saffron City. Please do not move until the train has come to a complete halt. Thank you for riding the Silph Co. Magnet Train, and we hope to see you again soon.”
“Ah, this is my stop,” the man chuckles. Dude, the train travels between Saffron and Goldenrod; there is no other stop. “See you later.”
The train screeches as it comes to a halt. My body jerks forward, and I save my head from blunt trauma by reaching out my arms. They really needed to work on the train’s noise pollution.
The man gets up and heads towards the door, which slides open as he nears it. He waves at me a final time. I, too, get up and leave the train, but not without noting how empty it was. Thinking about it...that man and I were the only two in our carriage, weren’t we?
“Put your hands up,” I hear somebody say. Naturally curious, I turn in the direction. The man is surrounded by police officers. He had five standard issue Glocks pointed at him, and his hands were high in the air. The leader of the officers appeared to be the red haired one in the cape.
“Why am I under arrest?” the man asks, smiling.
“You’re under suspicion of being a Team Rocket member, Mr. Ketchum,” the red haired one answered. “If you would just cooperate with us, you will have a fair trial.”
So ‘Ketchum’ is his name.
“Fair enough, I have nothing to hide,” he smiles with confidence. “Lance, was it? How is my little champion doing with your guidance?”
Lance’s right eye twitches, as if not willing to answer.
“He’s doing well,” he lies. “If you will follow us, Mr. Ketchum, we can get the interrogation over and done with, and you’ll be able to see your son again soon.” Ketchum nods, and Lance leads him and his officers out of the station.
Not something you’d see everyday. Then again, with how my memory is, I’m not even sure what “everyday” means.
I exit the station without much resistance from the security guards. I can see it closer from here. The Silph Co. building, a lone skyscraper untouched by the buildings beside it, like a lance thrust through the membrane that is the crust of the earth. As I stare upon its absolutely breathtaking appearance, I realize that I lacked the knowledge of something very important.
Exactly what am I doing here?
“Were you on that train which left just awhile ago, kid?” somebody asks. I turn to look at the person. He’s some kind of police officer, judging from how round he was. The holstered sidearm and navy uniform were big hints too, I suppose, but it was mostly his similarities to a barrel and the doughnut in his hand that gave away his occupation.
Whatever the case, I nod in response to his question.
"Heh. Got you," the officer chuckles. I cock my head to the right, clueless. He bites off a huge chunk off the doughnut and raises his gun.
“Kid, you’re under arrest on suspicion of being a Team Rocket member.”
If this gets enough reviews, I just might release a chapter about once every week. Otherwise it will be biweekly...probably. I'd like to know that there is some kind of an interest in a world where Red's paranoia of Team Rocket has gotten the better of him and the only one who can stop him is a similarly mute protagonist.
Last edited:
