Red stood atop the mountain, silence around him. The cold ripped at his exposed body, threatening to freeze him to death if he stayed. Red didn’t move.
The snow around him slowly began to pile against his legs, and the wind began to pick up. The storm intensified, and for a brief moment a precarious balance was toppled and the snow in front of him toppled off the cliff. In front of his eyes, he gazed down at the land, blurred by the snowstorm around him.
Red gazed outward, his face in a permanent frown, a statue in his mind. His hat threatened to be torn from his head, his eyes unfocused as he stared into the distance. In his hand, he grasped a Pokéball, his lifeline should he ever fall. But he wouldn’t, he never did.
Red breathed in the icy air, feeling it pass through him, and for a brief moment he felt something other than the disquiet in his heart. He would stand, and he would get cold. He was not going to move, not yet. It was not time to move down into the cave, where he could call his Pokémon and huddle for warmth until tomorrow.
Red waited, eyes watching the world move without him. He watched his actions fade into legend, to be eventually forgotten. He saw a new generation spring up, and the same mistakes be repeated. He gazed upon the new champion, fresh faced and full of pride at their accomplishment. He saw them head for the area beyond, returning to defeat the Elite Four once more to prove their worth.
Red heard footsteps behind him, and felt his heart stir. For a brief moment, a smile flittered onto his face, his mind remembering his journey up to the same point. He turned, pulling his hat down and peering at the trainer before him. They glared at him, determined to defeat the legend he was. They released their Pokémon, and the battle begun.
Pokémon after Pokémon, they were evenly matched. His attacks were devastating, and executed with planning moves in advance. The trainer struggled to keep up fighting to overcome their awe for him. Normally they failed.
But this time, they won.
Red returned his last Pokémon, giving the money to the victor in silence. Their eyes met, and he turned. Facing the edge of the mountain, he released a Pokémon, healing them with a max revive. The trainer watched as he jumped onto his Pokémon, and vanished into the night.