What If: Red joined Team Rocket Part 1

Hello there my little monsters!
In my What If series we take a look at a familiar story, but apply some changes to the story. Since this is my first actual blog it makes sense that we start with the first Pokémon story as well, the story of Red as in the original games. Though the story began exactly the same and Red chose his charmander, and went on to defeat Brock and clear Mount Moon, everything you knew is about to be thrown out the window.
Because after he defeated blue, and the Nugget five, Red got an interesting offer, and this time, he will not decline.

Prepare for Trouble

A man in a trenchcoat approached Red after he had just defeated the fifth trainer of Nugget bridge, without to much trouble he might add. “Hey kid congratulations you have got some skill, here is your price” said the mysterious man while handing Red a little gold Nugget, who gratefully accepted to valuable metal. Wow, that was some easy money, this money could really let Red stand up against people who pestered him like Blue. “By the way kid, would you like to join Team Rocket, we could use someone like you” the man suddenly said. Taken aback by the offer Red was about to decline when a thought popped up in his head.
The way how Blue treats him, even if he was the better trainer, the way that weak old man had blocked his path when he tried to leave Viridian city, that guy who doubted he was strong enough to move through mount Moon, forcing him to deal with Brock.
No one had shown him much of the respect he by now should have started to earn. If the other trainers are as weak as these ones, there would not be a real thrill in battle. Perhaps this could solve all his problems. 
At that moment time seemed to stop as Red thoughts entered overdrive. Finally he would be able to command some respect, he and his Pokémon could train to be truly great. He did not need Professor Oak’s mission to complete that virtual encyclopedia, Blue was going faster than him anyway. The world had been rough to him long enough, it was time for the age of Red. ‘Yes… I will accept your offer’ Red said to the man his eyes shining with the same determination he had faced Brock with. ‘Ah excellent, well then if you follow me , you will meet our Boss and get your gear recruit!’. 
The criminal seemed excited guiding the kid back across the bridge, guiding him back to the foot of Mount Moon, where they would wait a while in silence, Red telling his Charmander what their new objectives would be.  Suddenly a man in an orange tailored suit would step out of the cave, a persian walking besides him, his skin tone darker than most of the region, more akin to something you might find to the south of Kalos. ‘So you are the kid who stopped our operation in Mount Moon.. but now you want to join us huh? Welcome to Team Rocket then Red… thank you for pointing out the rotten apples in our organisation’. Red just stood up and reached a hand out to the man, as they shook Giovanni looked at Red with a smile.’ ‘Get ready kid, because I got an important mission for you something I can not trust to these grunts of mine’

A talking Pokémon
After Red finished fitting his new outfit he approached Giovanni again, his new found demeanor allowed him to talk to the man rather casually. ‘So.. Boss…I guess? What do you want me to do that these clowns of you can not?’  Giovanni chuckled a bit before he spoke in his deep voice.’Well that compliment certainly went to your head very fast. I want you to go across Nugget bridge again, once you cross it head East and you will find the house of a man named Bill. I want him captured, he is the designer of the box system for Pokémon, with his help we can steal all the Pokémon that people hide in their pc’s without them even knowing, it will be glorious.’
Giovanni looked down at the 10 year old to see if he understood the mission, the boy reminded him of his own son Silver, whom he had left behind some years ago, but it was not only the sentiment that made Giovanni warm up to this boy, his years as a gym leader made it a very easy tell that this boy had potential. He would have been an eyesore if he would have kept interfering with them like he did in Mount Moon, so Giovanni would do what he always did, pay well and allow the young man to feel powerful, feed his ego to make him feel entitled. Red looked at the man, his eyes seemingly excited at the prospect of commanding respect, and stealing Pokémon away from that horrible Blue, he would  teach his rival to respect it. “Done Boss” Red said trying to sound casual. ‘Bring him to Celadon city, I will bribe the guards to let you trough, head to the arcade.. we will greet you there’. Giovanni dipped his head and began to wander off, after petting his Persian, which looked at Red callously. Red went on with the task, noticing now he walked in a rocket outfit, people were scared to challenge him. It felt good, instead of being looked down upon by these weaklings, with their Rattatas and Pidgeys they now finally saw him for what he truly was.
After defeating a camper and his girlfriend, just for the heck of it , Red arrived at Bill’s house. Choosing to use a Geodude he captured in Mount Moon to bash the door in , Red was ready for his success as he stepped in the doorway.
Inside the house was very cluttered a large machine with two chambers hissing and the sound of a computer running were all Red heard after the initial ruckus he had caused. No Bill to be seen though, but when examining the room he did see a Nidorino which was looking at him.“Hi I am a Pokémon, Bill is not at home right now, he is dating a cop and they will be back any minute now” the Pokémon suddenly said. Red looked at the Nidorino amazed, who start back at the black clad boy. While Red felt the R on his shirt, a smile creeped over his face as he reached for a Pokéball and ordered Geodude to attack the Nidorino. “Wait” the Pokémon yelled, but it was already to late, his breath was knocked out of him as the Geodude slammed itself into him, the Nidorino hit the wall. Dazed he tried to get up.. but suddenly the room around him began to spin and then there was no room at all.

Make it Double
The room came back as fast as it had disappeared. When the Nidorino gained back his sight and orientation he saw Red standing above him. ‘You are my Pokémon now, tell me where Bill is, I need to find him so my boss can access the box system he made’. The Pokémon knew he could never let that secret fall into the hands of team Rocket..but this one did not really seem to have a clue on what happened, for now he would just have to play along, he would escape as soon as he saw a chance. ‘I can not tell you, Master Bill forbade me to’ the Nidorino said somewhat wooden. Red driven by his desire to succeed and be respected to angry to notice the strange intonations just shouted at the purple monster. ‘You are my Pokémon.. Obey’.  The Nidorino just shook his head, with an angry yell Red called the disobedient monster back into it’s Pokéball. ‘Fine I will look for clues myself.’
Searching the room, he only found some computer entries of three elemental dogs, one lighting one fire and one water. Just as frustration began to get the best of him, he noticed a booklet, with a ticket to a cruise ship on it, one ticket seemed to have been torn out already. ‘Hmmm the SS Anne huh…. I bet Bill is sipping some champagne and caviar boasting about his fancy system’ red said to himself before packing up. Still frustrated that his new Pokémon would not obey he walked all the way back.. to head to Vermillion city. When he passed the Cerulean city gym, he suddenly had a thought, if he would trash their leader and get the badge his new Pokémon might obey, he would not fail his first mission and that Pokémon might know more then it would tell now.
As red entered the gym, the man in the white suit looked at him ‘Yo Champ in the making what happe…..’ Red punched the man in the gut who keeled over laying on the ground . ‘I have no time for your preaching old man, I just need to defeat the gym leader. Not even paying heed to the others in the Gym, Red walked straight for the red head. ‘Yo toots you and I battle right now, I am here for your badge, if you refuse me and my friends will trash this place’. Red enjoyed the sensation of showing this bravado, seeing the other trainers cower, but this girl in front of him was different she was brazen and spunky, he would relish defeating her. Misty looked at him, she was kind of fascinated by this boy, his confidence and determination where dare she say it even quite attractive, sure he might be a criminal of team Rocket, but she does like herself a confident man.
An intense battle unfolded , Red’s clever use of his Pidgeotto and the Pikachu he caught in Viridian forest gave him the win. Despite his alignment, the boy still had a bond with his Pokémon that was very strong, they would follow him wherever he may go. Misty felt her heart throbbing in her throat, what was this raw passion, this ferocity and intensity she felt from this boy. ‘Well toots Time for you to cough up your badge’ Red said smirking when he suddenly had a realisation. ‘By the way Toots, I could use a girl like you in my team, need to visit a cruise ship..could use a fine water trainer like yourself along, I bet there are some fancy water Pokémon for you there and you don’t have to hold back either anymore’.
That final line was enough to push Misty over the edge. She DID have to hold back as a gym leader, and her dating life had not been particularly interesting either with those weird experiments going on at her favorite dating spot. This boy proved to her that you do not have to treat Pokémon badly as a Rocket, but that if she joined she could finally chose herself, over her duties. She could finally be selfish. A smile appeared on her face, and a blush as she stared into the boys eyes. He smiled back to her while he reached out a hand to help her off her little podium. As soon as she began reaching he grinned at her and ushered the words “Prepare for trouble”. Misty took Red’s hand allowing him to help her step of the podium, letting him pull her a bit closer then he had intended to, she grinned back and replied. ‘Make it double’

And so comes and end to the first part of this story,As Red and now Misty as well, travel to vermillion city to raid the SS Anne to find Bill, what kind of criminal adventures await them next. How long will Bill be able to resist obeying his new master? Will the box system fall into the hands of Team Rocket or will Blue maybe be able to stop them? Find out on the next part! Don’t be shy to leave a comment or a like! Don’t steal Pokémon in real life, that would be super mean and remember to stay pink my little monsters. Untill we read again.