The sun is starting to set at the southern town known as Pallet. Out in the fields, a couple of young kids are taking turns to attempt a capture on a wild Nidorino and a little girl is about is try her luck. She holds up the red and white device called a pokeball, and throws it directly at the poison pin pokemon's face, but the purple creature knocks the ball off with its horn and an indifferent look on its face, and leaves the kids to despair. A light-hearted chuckle comes from behind and a slightly older boy with a red cap on his head appears. He tells the kids that weakening the wild pokemon is crucial to its capture, and sends out a Poliwhirl. The blue frog pokemon releases a water gun to knock the Nidorino dizzy, and the boy traps it in a pokeball without much effort as the kids cheer delightfully for him.

His name is Red, and has made himself known to many of his neighbours in Pallet as one of few pokemon trainers around. The creature he just trapped in a pokeball is known as a pokemon, living things that inhabit the world alongside humans. Red has no idea exactly how many differents kinds of pokemons exist in the world, but he aims to capture them all one day.

As the sun decorates the sky with a faint hint of purple and orange, the kids ask Red if he has ever come across Professor Oak, a well-known authority in the pokemon world. Red says that he doesn't intend to and remarks that he probably knows more about pokemons than an old man. The kids tell him that the grandson of Prof. Oak has just returned to town from a far away land in the west and rumour has it that the professor has put much effort in training him as a great pokemon trainer. Red assures them that no trainer could be greater than himself, then waves to say goodbye.

Apparently what the kids have said has intrigued something in Red and the boy keeps thinking about the professor on his way back home. Without paying much attention to his path, he accidentally bumps into a tall figure in black outfit who turns to scowl at him with an unpleasant face. Red watches as the man walks off to join a few others dressed exactly him, black cap, white boots and gloves, and a black trainer suit with a red R in front. What interests Red most are the pokemons hanging around the belts. The boy then crouches in the tall grasses and overhears the men talk about their plan to capture a rare and exotic pokemon in the forest that night. Right there and then, Red decides to make that pokemon his own.

It is night time in the forest west to Pallet Town and Red has brought with him an armful of pokeballs. He hasn't ventured too far in the woods when he spots another boy his own age wearing a purple sweater facing off a white pokemon with his Charmander. The white pokemon has very lean features with a long tail and a pair of big eyes. It seems to float in the air and glow in the dark and Red realizes its something he has never seen before. The boy in purple orders another fire attack from the Charmander but the white pokemon counters with a storm of sparks. Red is still enjoying the show when the other boy suddenly withdraws his little fire lizard. Red leaps out from the bush and yells at the boy for giving up so easily. The other pays little attention to him and Red releases his Poliwhirl to face off the mysterious pokemon. He orders a water gun attack but the white pokemon returns the attack and knocks the blue frog out in one hit before flying off.

Red is shocked at his defeat and the other boy coldly remarks that a good trainer should be able to spot the huge difference in strength while facing off an opponent. He tells Red that upon his second attempt to attack, he has already realized his Charmander was no match to the wild one. He shoots a look of disdain at Red and tells him to have a better sense next time before walking off into the woods. Red, on the other hand, is still nursing his Poliwhirl on the floor, unable to believe his own defeat.

Not long after, the men in black suits are searching through the forest and they see the mass destruction done to the grass land, apparently caused by a fierce pokemon battle. One guy approaches Red, who's still upset and on the ground, and questions him about the whereabouts of the exotic pokemon, Mew. No response comes from Red but the other members of the gang have spotted a trail left behind by Mew and the whole group gives chase.

Morning has arrived in Pallet and Red finds himself wandering hestitantly in front of Prof. Oak's lab. He takes out his pokemon with his fainted Poliwhirl inside and decides that meeting the professor is the only way he knows right now to further his pokemon skills and knowledge. Red walks up to the lab's door, extends his shaky hand, and reaches for the doorbell...

Thanks To Coronis For Writing this for us and doing the pictures