I made my way steadily East, through the underground path, then back into Lavender. I walked into town just as the sun settled behind the canyon enclosing it, and made my way to Mr. Fuji's house, hoping to have a place to stay overnight.
When I arrived, I found the door ajar, and knocked loudly, bracing myself for the onrush of pokemon. I was not disappointed. When I managed to pull myself out of the pile, I was invited in, and took a seat on the couch across from Mr. Fuji. "Ah, Red," he greeted me. "How are your pokemon? In good health and high spirits, I presume. It brings joy to my life to know that there are trainers like you in the world. May I see your Nidorino?"
It struck me that perhaps Mr. Fuji did not get very many visitors. "Everyone's doing very well," I responded, reaching for Shadow's pokeball. "We had an excellent battle with Erika, especially in light of what happened in Cerulean." I thumbed the switch on the front of Shadow's pokeball, releasing him into the room. Instead of remaining by my side as he used to, he immediately darted around, exploring the location. Satisfying himself that Mr. Fuji's house hadn't changed too much, he curled up on Mr. Fuji's feet and began to sleep.
"What happened in Cerulean?" asked Mr. Fuji, his face radiating concern. I hadn't realized that news of the earthquake hadn't gotten here yet. I relayed what I knew, including my own encounter with Giovanni.
"Very curious," said Mr. Fuji as I ended my tale. "On the plus side, it does seem as though Shadow has made quite the recovery. I have one more thing I want your help with tomorrow, if you don't mind, but in any case, whenever you pass through town, my house is always open to you."
I thanked him for his hospitality, and made my way upstairs to the same room I'd slept in a few nights ago. I released my pokemon - except for Rubble, whose weight was starting to be a concern - and they took familiar places around the room. I slid under the covers, shooing Shadow away, and closed my eyes. I was asleep before I knew it.
I woke in the morning to sun streaming through the window. I yawned, stretched, and padded down the hall to the bathroom. Downstairs, the appetizing aroma of breakfast wafted towards me. Pokemon of all shapes and sizes gathered in the kitchen, hoping for a morsel. I noticed my own pokemon crowding around in the mix, Prime climbing up onto Shadow's head trying to get closer to the frying pan. Mr. Fuji greeted me with a smile.
"Ready for a big day?" he asked. "I hope you're not too busy to give me a hand in the tower. Some kids broke in the day after you left and vandalized some of the monuments in the upper area. I was hoping you could give me a hand with the last bit of cleanup..."
"Of course not," I answered. I took a sausage from the cutting board next to the stove and stuck it in my mouth, then took a second and split it between the pile of pokemon that surrounded my feet. "I owe you for helping Shadow. It's the least I could do."
"Excellent!" exclaimed Mr. Fuji. "You and your friends can have some breakfast, and then we'll be on our way."
After the best meal I'd had in days, Mr. Fuji, my four companions and I set off for the tower. Once inside, we took the staircase leading upwards, the one I hadn't been allowed up before. The memorials up here were larger and more spread out. I saw several massive statues dedicated to deceased pokemon, one depicting a Bellsprout in battle, another showing an Eevee at play. "These monuments are much more expensive then the ones kept below the town," Mr. Fuji explained. "The higher up we go, the grander the memorials are. At the very top of the tower are pokemon who belonged to Sabrina, Saffron's gym leader."
We progressed further up the tower, and indeed, the memorials did get larger. On my own, I would have been totally lost on the upper floors, but Mr. Fuji knew the way by heart, and I kept close to him. Once only, we passed a group of mourners, on the fourth or fifth floor. They carried dried flowers, and were dressed all in black. They nodded at Mr. Fuji, who nodded back. No words were spoken.
We climbed yet another flight of stairs, this one leading to the largest statues yet. Neither Mr. Fuji or I spoke. Fully one half of the room was dedicated to a group of six pokemon. I recognized a Marowak, an Ivysaur and a Drowzee, but the other three were alien to me. The Marowak statue was covered in yellow and red paint, and a chunk of its arm lay in pieces at the base of the statue. Across the room, a hazy cloud floated in front of another staircase.
"This is what I was talking about," said Mr. Fuji. "I think there's been more damage done on the top floor, but I don't know for sure. The spirits won't let me pass. That's why I asked you to come. You have an excellent bond with your own pokemon. Maybe you can get through to it."
I shrugged my bag off my shoulder, and walked towards the cloud. As I neared the periphery of the haze, my mind was assaulted by a wave of sorrow so strong I was driven back. I stumbled, then straightened. There had to be some way to get through to the spirit. I drummed my fingers along the pokeballs on my belt, and released Multi and Prime to help Mr. Fuji with his cleanup. Prime got right dow to business, but Multi strolled right into the cloud. I watched as the expression on her face changed from curiosity to shock to fear, then to something else I couldn't place. She walked back out of the haze, and walked towards my bag. Concerned, I followed her, keeping a close eye on her actions. She tugged open the zipper and pulled out item after item. First to come were the vitamins, then the food and drink, and spare pokeballs. Finally, rolling around at the bottom, she pulled out the item I'd taken from Giovanni's desk under the Game Corner. What had he called it? A Silph Scope?
Multi's face turned back to a look of puzzlement, then she collapsed. I reached out my hands, catching her before she hit the ground. I lay her down carefully, and examined the Silph Scope more closely. It was shaped like a pair of goggles, with many different lenses that could be brought in front of the user's eyes. Just to see, I pulled it on over my head, and looked around.
Looking through the Silph Scope, the entire room took on a purple tinge. I flicked lenses up and down, but nothing really made a difference. With the final set of lenses, I looked up and gasped. Where the haze in front of the stairs had been, I now saw a Marowak, standing defiantly in front of the steps. I pulled the scope off of my head, and the haze returned. I called Mr. Fuji over. "Take a look at this!" I exclaimed, showing him how to work the Silph Scope, and pointing him in the right direction.
"Amazing!" cried Mr. Fuji. "Where did you get this device? It looks like one of Silph Co.'s prototypes."
I explained how I had come to possess the scope. Mr. Fuji nodded as he listened to the story. As I finished recounting, Multi began to stir. I stepped toward her, but Mr. Fuji put his hand on my shoulder. "Wait and see what she'll do," he said. "I expect you'll be quite surprised."
As I watched, Multi walked towards the Marowak's spirit, and sat a few feet from the edge of the haze. Prime looked up from where she sat, wondering what her friend was up to.
Multi began to sing. Often, her song had the effect of putting a pokemon to sleep, but here it had a different effect. Mr. Fuji still had the Silph Scope in his hand, but I began to see with more clarity the outline of the spirit pokemon. As the three of us watched transfixed, Multi walked right up to the spirit and took its hand. Together, still singing, the two of them walked back towards the memorial, where Mr. Fuji had begun to remove the paint, and Prime had started to repair the sculpture. She released the Marowak's hand, and the spirit flowed into the statue. The way was clear.
"Amazing!" cried Mr. Fuji from next to me. "In all my time working with pokemon and spirits, I've never seen a display such as that! Empathy like that doesn't come naturally to pokemon, it has to be fostered by their trainer. You're something special, kid! Go upstairs and take a look at what it was protecting us from. I'm almost finished here."
I walked up the newly opened steps, Multi and Prime by my side. As I crested the stairs, I saw more vandalized sculptures, these ones with red letter 'R's painted onto them. Not Team Rocket again.
Sitting at a table in the center of the room were three men in black, and Giovanni, the man in the suit. He faced me, the others had their backs turned. I stepped into the room, exposing myself, but also trapping them. I thumbed the release on a third pokeball, releasing Shadow into the room. He and Prime stood at the top of the stairs, while Multi stepped forward at my side. Giovanni turned his head and saw me. "You are persistent, aren't you? You'd be an excellent addition to Team Rocket. It doesn't matter though. We can't afford to let you leave here alive." As he finished talking, the men at the table stood. The first of them tossed a pokeball, and Multi stepped forward to meet the challenge.
The second man laughed, and tossed his own pokeball out. Prime stepped forward to take the attack, then struck back with a poweful blast of flames. A third pokemon appeared, but one opponent had already fallen. Shadow held back, not because he didn't want to fight, but because he knew it was more important to make sure that no-one else escaped. I ignored the battle and walked towards Giovanni, with my fourth pokeball in hand.
Giovanni smiled as I stepped towards him. "I really would love to stay and chat with you more, but I have places to be. Count yourself lucky I don't have time to deal with you properly now." I released Rubble, and the two of us rushed towards him, but he stepped onto a teleporter and vanished. Seconds later, a cloud of smoke erupted from the pad. It wasn't taking anyone else anywhere for quite some time. I turned around, to find the battle almost over. Prime had cornered a Zubat with a singed wing, and Multi had already retreated back next to Shadow. I pulled out my phone and dialed the police.
Leaving the Team Rocket members in the care of my pokemon, I traveled back down the stairs to where Mr. Fuji was waiting. I told him what had happened, and that I'd already called the police to deal with the criminals. He was glad that I'd managed to prevent any more vandalism, but was shocked to learn that Team Rocket had managed to find a way into the tower. He brought the police up go speak with me, and left, making the request that I visit him one more time before I left town. I agreed.
I dealt with the police, although they seemed to dismiss much of what I had to say. I didn't blame them. Most people my age weren't a very reliable source of information. I turned the three men over to the police, and made my slow way out of the tower. I got lost more than once. When I finally emerged into the midday sun, I stopped at Mr. Fuji's house one last time, before I continued my journey South.
"Red, wonderful, come in, come in," was Mr. Fuji's response to my arrival. "I hope I'm not inconveniencing you, but I have a few gifts for you, as thanks for your help." Mr. Fuji handed me a bubbly grey stone and a pokeball.
"That stone is a Moon Stone. It can be used to make some species of pokemon evolve. In particular, it can be used on Nidorino and Clefairy. Use it well." I stored the stone in my backpack, and hefted the pokeball. I thumbed the release, and a pokemon appeared in front of me. It was mostly enclosed by a purple shell - all I could see inside was a pair of large eyes. "This is Bromine," continued Mr. Fuji. "She was abused by her previous trainer, and was eventually abandoned in town here. All she really needs is a trainer to work with her and develop her strengths. I know you have it in you."
I recalled Bromine, and clipped the pokeball to my belt. "I'll do my best," I promised Mr. Fuji. I had no intention of letting any pokemon suffer if there was something I could do about it. "Thanks for your hospitality, and for your gifts. I'll be sure to put them to good use. I really should be going though, I have four more gym badges to get before the deadline, and no idea how I'm going to get two of them."
"I'm sure you'll find a way," Mr. Fuji reassured me. "Good Luck!"
I walked quickly out of town and onto Silence Bridge, leaving Lavender Town behind me. Time to get going.
I traveled South, eventually reaching the turn to Vermilion City. I didn't take the turn. I wanted to thank Surge, but I just didn't have time. Besides, things like that have a habit of working out eventually. Snorlax was gone, perhaps someone had managed to wake it up, or perhaps it had just rolled into the ocean and floated away. I didn't care, as long as I had a way to continue to Fuchsia.
As I continued down the bridge, I passed a small village framed by the afternoon sun. A collection of small cottages lay on a narrow strip of land, many of the inhabitants spending their time fishing. As I passed, I saw one pull in a Magikarp, and a child chased after a school of Goldeen with a net. From here, I could see where Route 12 turned inland off Silence Bridge, so I didn't stop to chat. I wanted to get as far as I could today. Several miles inland, as the sun was finally setting, I reached the edge of Fuchsia Park, dedicated to preserving the ruins within. Several park rangers were congregated at the gate. I spoke to one, and was assigned a campsite without difficulty. I paid, and headed into the park to pitch my tent.
I had been warned not to let my pokemon loose, as many dangerous wild pokemon lived in the park, and I would be responsible for any damage my own pokemon caused. I decided not to take any chances. I released everyone but Rubble once I was inside the tent - he was bigger now than the tent could hold - and turned in for the night. I listened to the sounds of nature around me as I fell asleep. The river trickling over the rocks to the North, the wind gently rustling the leaves of the trees...
I woke early the next morning to a flock of Pidgey singing in the trees. I stuck my head out the front flap of the tent as the birds took to the air, flying out towards the ocean to the South. I rounded up my pokemon and collapsed the tent in short order. I hoped to make it to Fuchsia today and challenge the gym.
I vacated my campsite, heading through the park. I passed several birdwatchers, and a group from Fuchsia on a nature walk, before emerging on the park's South side and mounting my bike - all types of vehicles were prohibited inside. I followed the road down the coast, passing another group of birdwatchers, then rounding the corner at Kanto's Southeastern tip. I biked down the home stretch, passing Fuchsia's annual auto show on my right, and another group of seaside cottages on my left. I reached Fuchsia's Eastern gatehouse just after 1:00. As I dismounted and walked into town, my phone buzzed violently in my pocket.
"Hello?"
"Red, so glad I caught you." It was Daniel. "I'm fine, recovering quite well, but they won't let me leave yet. Are you in Fuchsia?"
I told him I was, but I'd just got into town. "Did you have any advice for me before I challenged the gym?"
"Right, that. Umm, Koga's the leader of Fuchsia's gym, he uses mostly poison types. Careful, some of them tend to explode. If you're not careful, you'll be walking out a few pokemon fewer than you walked in with. Be careful. In other news, I think I've got a way for you to get into Saffron. Can you get in touch with Oak if I need you to?"
"Yeah, that shouldn't be a problem. You might be able to talk to him yourself, he was in Celadon a day or two ago."
"No, I don't think I can do that," Daniel countered. "Oak and I don't have the best relationship, remember? We aren't exactly on speaking terms."
"I guess that's right," I agreed. "Let me know what you need, and I'll make sure it gets done. I need to get into Saffron."
"I'll do that. Good luck!"
"Thanks. I'll do my best. Bye." I hung up the phone, and checked my messages. Two voicemail from Daniel, and nothing else. I assumed the messages were just asking me to get in touch with him, and dismissed the notifications If I needed to hear the messages later, I could. For now, I moved determinedly through the town, towards the gym.
On the Western edge of town, I stopped in front of the city's zoo, the only one in Kanto. I had been once, when I was fifteen; Oak had invited me to come along on a trip to speak with some scientist who lived in the area, and he had offered me the chance to visit the zoo while he conducted his business. It was one of many things in life that was exciting the first time, but didn't seem like it would be much more entertaining two years later. However, the gym was inside the zoo, so I had to enter. I paid the entry fee and walked in.
One of the maps being handed out at the entrance told me all I needed to know. The gym was located in the far corner of the zoo. I'd have to manoeuvre through most of the exhibits before I challenged Koga. It wasn't that I wasn't interested in the pokemon on display, I'd just seen it all before. My pokedex had most of the information in it anyway.
On my way to the gym, I passed by the zoo's administrative office. A billboard displayed several of the workshops the zoo was holding that week. Against my better judgement, I stopped to take a look. Some of this might be interesting.
Nature walk! Journey with a group of Kangaskhan through their native environment! 12:30 every weekday! I'd missed it already for today, and I wasn't planning on being in town tomorrow.
Speak to the Mankey keeper! Lecture on the feeding and mating habits of wild Mankey, followed by Q&A session! Satruday @ 4:00! Wouldn't be here. Most of the other announcements on the board were in a similar vein, but one caught my eye. It wasn't for a zoo activity, but a pokemon tournament.
Today only! Elimination Pokemon tournament to celebrate the grand opening of the fossil pokemon exhibit! 1:30 in front of the gym! Don't be late! Reward! I checked my phone. 1:15. I'd better hurry.
I arrived at the gym with only a few moments to spare. I registered my team, and sat down to catch my breath. As I sat, I took a look at the gym. A board to the left of the entrance proclaimed the names of winning trainers to the world. There were maybe a half-dozen names on the list, but I noticed with satisfaction that Blue's wasn't one of them. Of course, that didn't mean I was ahead of him. Ignoring the board, I walked through the door and into the cavernous confines of Fuchsia's gym, where the tournament was to be held.
The gym was a vast expanse, bigger than any of the others I'd seen before. The ground was hard-packed dirt, surrounded by a moat of clear water. Streams of illuminated water fell from the ceiling landing on the moat. It didn't look like a poison-themed gym.
"Welcome!" boomed a voice from the speaker next to me, jolting me out of my reprieve. "For those of you who don't know me, I'm Koga, Fuchisa's gym leader. It gives me great honour to host this tournament in honor of the opening of the latest exhibit in our zoo, the city's crowning achievement!" Koga was dressed in all black. A hood lay settled on his shoulders, and a blood-red cape flowed down his back, stopping a foot short of the ground. He stood on a raised platform at the back of the gym.
"Next to me," Koga continued, "are the current standings for this tournament. We have one late registrant, bringing the total number of participants to six. Play will be round-robin, with the two best trainers facing each other again in the final battle for this, the reward!" Koga held a small case up in the air. From where I stood, all I could see was a flash of blue. "Surf! One of the most powerful water-type techniques available! In addition, the winning Trainer will have won the right to challenge me...if they can find me. Without further ado, Trainers take your places, and begin!" Projected next to Koga, on the falling wall of water, was a list detailing the battles between each Trainer, as well as their record. Right now, everyone was 0-0. That was about to change. I stepped forward to the left half of the gym, and faced my first opponent.
I shrugged my bag off, and set it aside. I also released the two pokemon I would be using in this battle. Shadow stayed at my side, and Rubble slid forward in the dirt, ready to meet his first challenge. Rubble led by charging into the other pokemon, a Drowzee, who took the attack stoically. Rubble let out a screech of defiance, lifting his massive head six feet off the ground, then collapsing as the other pokemon let off a powerful psychic blast in his direction. When the attack ceased, Rubble cried again, shaking the gym to its foundations. Shadow dove into my bag. I heard rustling behind me, but I didn't look. A purple cloud erupted from an unseen pore on the other pokemon, enveloping Rubble. He came charging out of the cloud, meeting the yellow and brown pokemon in a head-on collision. Both were knocked back, but Rubble recovered first, and flicked his tail into the other pokemon, sending it flying. My opponent recalled it before it could land.
I turned. Shadow had dug the moon stone I'd been given by Mr. Fuji out of my bag, and was playing with it. As I watched, he touched his nose to it, and was enveloped in a flash of white light. I lifted my hand to shield my eyes. When the light faded, Shadow lifted himself up onto his hind legs, standing erect for the first time. He was as tall as I now, and more armour plating had grown around his joints and onto his tail. He gave a decisive snort and stepped forward onto the battlefield.
I called Rubble back to my side, and just watched as Shadow faced his first opponent as a Nidoking. He plunged into the water at the side of the gym, erupting behind his opponent, a powerful blast of water spewing from his mouth. The Kadabra he faced was powerless to stop it. He pushed the other pokemon back until it brought a psychic barrier to bear, stemming the flow of water across the field. Shadow redoubled his efforts, sending a new stream of water crashing effortlessly through the psychic block, then another, driving the yellow pokemon to its knees. Shadow had won the fight without a scratch.
"Good fight," my opponent called to me as he recalled his pokemon. "And good luck!"
I returned the sentiment, and looked up at the board. Other battles were still going on, so I had some time to kill. I made lunch, but it wasn't much more than a slice or two of buttered bread. I'd used up all my meat and cheese the night before. I should buy more after I beat Koga, I thought. A bell rang, signalling the end of the first round. Updated records were displayed on the board, as well as new matchups. I blew through the next five matches just as easily, landing myself decisively in the championship spot. Shadow led for my team against his Sandslash, easily blasting through the weaker pokemon with water-based attacks. Sandslash just flailed around uselessly, tossing dirt into the air.
Rubble slithered out against Arbok, the two snakes facing off against each other. Rubble lifted his head and cried out, sending a rumble through the building, and the other snake retaliated by lashing at Rubble with its tail. Rubble cried again, then was fixed by a strong glare from the other pokemon. Cowed, Rubble backed down, leaving Multi to clean up. She took a hit from the snake's tail as she advanced, then dove into the ground just shy of its teeth. She burrowed up from underneath, hitting with everything she had, launching the massive snake into the air. It landed stuck in the rafters. Victory. I congratulated my opponent, and looked up at the board. A perfect record. Koga walked towards me.
"Congratulations to Red, our champion!" he cried as he met me. He handed me a pair of disks. One was the blue one with Surf, the other, a dull grey. It contained Strength. "Congratulations," he muttered to me. "Here's Surf, as promised, and here's a second gift, from me, as a congratulations for going undefeated. We run one of these tournaments about every year and a half, and no-one has ever done what you just did. Congratulations." Koga grabbed my arm by the wrist and raised it high into the air. "Give me a half-hour to set up the gym, and come back. You can challenge me then. No-one will stand in your way."
I thanked Koga, and walked out of the gym, examining my prizes. I taught Surf to Bromine, and Strength to Rubble. After some consideration, I also used the latter machine on Multi. I didn't expect to need her much in this gym. Surprisingly, although the Dig TM used previously had had a deadly effect on Multi, the HM left her as she normally was. Curious. As the sun began to creep down towards the city's skyline, I returned to the gym, and walked right in the doors.
Immediately, I was struck by how different the gym was. It was dimly lit, and what had been water a half-hour ago was now thick, oozing sludge. Instead of being open, the gym was covered in a maze of mirrors extending from the ceiling. A thick purple haze covered the ground, and a thinner cloud hovered throughout the room, obscuring my vision. A single floor tile glowed. I stepped on it, triggering a screen to light in front of my face.
"Welcome, Red, to the Fuchsia gym." Koga's face appeared on the screen. " If you can find me, you can fight me. Don't take all day." The screen and the floor tile dimmed. I pulled my headlamp from my bag, and, holding it in my hand, stepped cautiously into the maze.
I lost track of time and all sense of direction as I made my steady way through the maze. Eventually, I found Koga sitting meditative on a small mat in the center of the floor, his eyes closed. As I approached, he stood. "Took you long enough," he said, stepping towards a pedestal to the left of his mat. At a touch, the mirrors shimmered, separated into sections, and rolled up into the ceiling, leaving an open battlefield.
We took our spots, I in one small square, and he in the other. I released Rubble from his pokeball, and he slithered into the center of the field, alert for any foe. A small purple orb floated down from the sky, belching toxic gases into the air. Rubble screamed, sending waves of sound rebounding through the entire room, trying to get a sense of location through the haze. He tried again and again to get his bearings in the thick smog, then a lump of sludge sailed through the air landing square on his head. He shook and reeled, dislodging the projectile before it could start eating though his exoskeleton, and screeched again in disgust. He dealt with two more toxic projectiles before I called him back and sent Shadow charging into battle. He tore through the smog as he advanced, batting the orb to the ground with a single powerful swipe.
Rubble slid out again as a purple mass hauled itself out of the moat. It dropped chunks of material everywhere as it moved into battle. By the time it reached Rubble, it was half the size it had been, and its outer layer was starting to solidify. Rubble reared, stretching high above, but the other pokemon wasn't intimidated. Rubble crashed down on top, but the other pokemon simply flowed apart and stuck itself back together behind Rubble. I called him back and sent out Multi, who dove underground, throwing herself up and into the pile. She drove right through, sending chunks of purple goo flying in every direction, but was covered herself. She landed a little shaky on her feet, and I called her back, sending Shadow out instead.
Shadow and the other pokemon (Muk, according to the pokedex), traded blows for a while, neither really having much of an effect on the other. Shadow missed the other pokemon as often as he made contact, absorbing moisture from the sludge around the room and sending streams spraying across the battlefield. Whenever it seemed that Shadow finally had the upper hand, Muk would limp back towards the moat and drop in, coming out fully refreshed. Finally, the streams of water and goo stemmed. Neither pokemon had the strength to continue that line of attack, but I needed Shadow for the rest of the battle - his strength was too valuable, and I didn't know what other pokemon Koga had waiting for me. I called him back, and Rubble eagerly took his place.
Rubble stayed alert, ensuring Muk couldn't concentrate enough on any one part of his massive body to do real damage, but still wasn't able to land a scratch on the other pokemon. He connected once, with a jet of blue flames from deep in his belly, but the other pokemon just shook it off. Eventually he started to tire too, and I decided to do my last-ditch effort. I called Rubble back, and let Prime stride confidently into battle. A lucky hit by a piece of toxic sludge nailed her as she stepped into the ring. She staggered, and her cheeks seemed to take on a purple tinge, though I couldn't be sure through the haze. Everything looked purple.
She tried unsuccessfully to connect with her first few attacks, and I called her back towards me. She was definitely tinged purple. I gave her what treatment I could, and she managed to get in two hits in rapid succession before staggering again. With few options remaining, Prime created a ring of fire, steadily closing it in on the other pokemon, struggling to keep her head up and the flames under control. She sank slowly to the ground as the ring of flames grew smaller and smaller in a deadly race. Finally, as Prime was about to give up, Koga recalled his distressed pokemon, and I seized the opportunity to bring Prime back as well.
Rubble slithered into the ring as a second orb floated down from the ceiling, spewing gas and sludge in all directions. Rubble reared up, and as the orb passed by his head, it suddenly exploded. I stepped back in shock, careful to stay in my box, and Rubble teetered, looming close to the ground. Then he straightened, and curled around. The rock on the left side of his face had turned molten, and had run down, sealing his eye shut. I applied what little medicine I had left to his wounds, and sent him back out as Koga reached for a single pokeball he had left lying beside him.
Appearing in a flash of red light, a strange looking pokemon hovered over the battlefield. My pokedex identified it as a Weezing, the evolved form of the small orb that had exploded in Rubble's face moments ago. Rubble reared, trying his intimidation tactic again, but being careful to shield his injured side. The other pokemon moved faster than it looked, whizzing around at a decent pace, leaving trails of smog behind it, and picking at already injured parts on Rubble's body. Finally, I decided that enough was enough, and called on Shadow to finish it the way it had begun.
Shadow leapt into battle, scraping deep rents down the side of one of the growths on the other pokemon. A cloud of thick green smoke escaped one of the cracks. Shadow struck again, this time grabbing onto the other pokemon, and finally sending it skidding along the ground back towards Koga, coming to a rest at his feet. The lights went up in the gym, and a group of fans on the ceiling activated, clearing the haze from the battlefield. It was over. My team had pulled through for me again.
Without me noticing, Koga appeared beside me. "Good fight," he said, with a smile, clasping his hand over my shoulder. You're stronger than I expected."
"You had me worried for a moment," I admitted. "When your Muk wouldn't go down. I thought I'd never make it out of that - and we almost didn't."
"That was a clever play with your Charmander," he agreed. "I know I've already showered you with gifts today, but this is what I give to anyone who challenges my gym successfully. Take it. You've definitely earned it." He handed me a purple disk in a case, containing the move Toxic, and a purple badge in the shape of a heart. "Congratulations, really. You have a very good chance of making it to the Pokemon League, as long as you keep moving. Only the first thirty-two challengers to make it to Indigo Plateau get to compete. I know there's at least one there already. Good luck on the rest of your journey, and may our paths cross again."
I thanked Koga for his kind words, and stepped out of the gym. My name had already been added to the list of winning trainers outside. I pitched my tent on the East edge of the city, and settled in for the night. It had been a long day.
My phone woke me the next morning. That's odd, I thought. I don't remember setting the alarm. I reached over to turn it off.
"Hello?" came the voice through the line. "Red? Are you there?"
Oh. Daniel had called me while I was sleeping. That was it. "Yep, I'm here, just a little groggy," I responded. "What's going on?"
"I found out what's going on in Saffron," Daniel replied. "Team Rocket has the whole place in lockdown - no-one can go in or out. It's perfectly safe inside the city, as far as we know, but there's no way in. And you need in to challenge the gym. I think I've found a way in, but it'll still be tricky to do."
"I don't mind tricky," I said. "What's the plan?"
"Have you ever seen the power plant on Route 10?" Daniel asked. "Before it switched to higher-capacity overhead lines, all its power moved through underground cables. There's an old network of service tunnels that wind throughout the region. One of them should let you out in Saffron. I don't know which one though. You'll need to get some help from the plant staff, and they're not known for being friendly."
I thought about that for a moment. Now I understood why I might need to ask Oak a favor. Around Kanto, he had more clout than most politicians. "I don't think getting cooperation will be too much of an issue," I said confidently.
"Excellent," Daniel said. "I probably won't be able to get into the city, so I'll just head for your next gym. Cinnabar, right?"
"Yes," I confirmed. "I'll call you when I get into the city, maybe you'll have some last minute advice?"
"Of course. That's why I'm here. Good luck getting in."
"Thanks. Bye!"
"Bye." I ended the call, put my phone away, and set about packing everything up. I had a long day ahead of me. I collapsed the tent and stowed it in my bag, mounted my bike, and began the long journey North to the power plant.
The ride was pretty uneventful. I made the turn towards Vermillion, and took the underground path up to Cerulean, then made the same trek East through the canyon to the North end of Rock Tunnel that I had before. I wasn't challenged by any Trainers this time. Amazing what a few gym badges will do.
Largely due to the lack of battles, my journey was fast and relatively uneventful. I pulled onto Route 10 just as the sun was setting. I rented a room at the same Bed and Breakfast I'd stayed at last time I was in the area, and gave Oak a call before going to bed.
"Hello?"
"Hi Oak, it's Red. I have a favor to ask you."
I explained the situation, and Daniel's plan, careful not to mention his name. Then I told Oak what I needed from him, just to ensure I got a chance to get in. If things didn't pan out, I would have to try something else. "That shouldn't be a problem," Oak responded. "I'll do that first thing in the morning. Good luck at Saffron's gym!"
We said our goodbyes, and the call ended. I released my pokemon, except Rubble - his size was really starting to be a problem - and they all took up spots around the room. Bromine settled into a cool corner, while Prime lay next to the heater. Multi lay down along the wide windowsill, and Shadow curled up at the foot of the bed. I crawled under the covers, and closed my eyes.
After a restless night, I woke early the next morning and recalled my pokemon, then showered and headed downstairs for an early breakfast. My phone chimed briefly, but I ignored it. I then set out for the gates of the power plant to the South.
I stopped at the gates and hit the intercom to talk to plant security. "I'm a friend of Professor Oak, here to speak to the plant supervisor," I said when asked my business.
"One moment please," came the response. Silence. I waited five minutes, then ten. I jumped when the voice on the other end of the intercom came back. "A guard will be along to escort you momentarily. Please be patient."
I managed to make it to the plant's manager without further incident. I appreciated the need for security when dealing with nuclear material, but I was in a hurry. Oak's call that morning to the plant manager sped things up significantly. I was given a map, a warning that wild pokemon lived in the tunnels, and shown the access hatch. I think they were just glad to get rid of me.
I pulled out my headlamp - best purchase ever made - and sent a beam of light stabbing through the darkness in the tunnel. Orienting my map, I struck out through the darkness. The few times I did encounter a wild pokemon, one of my team was easily able to deal with it.
Some time later I reached what I thought was the hatch to Saffron. Stuffing the map into my pocket, I grabbed the ladder and began to climb. I reached the top, and braced myself against the ladder to turn the handle. It was stuck. I hauled on it with all my strength, nearly toppling from my precarious perch, and managed to move the handle a quarter inch before it stopped. I looked up, slid the lock open, and turned. The handle turned easily.
I eased the hatch open, trying to stay as quiet as possible. It caught just over 90 degrees, staying open without falling to the ground. I kept one hand on it, and stuck my head out to look around. I was in an old electrical room of some sort. There was a small transformer in the corner, and a fuse box on the wall in front of me, next to the door. I lifted myself out of the tunnel and closed the hatch, then stuck my head out the door. I found myself face to face with a much larger transformer, which now played host to the overhead lines. I hopped the fence surrounding the complex, and walked into the city proper. No-one stopped me.
The sun still high in the sky, I walked through the streets of Saffron. The city, the largest in the region, was almost deserted, a few people scurrying from building to building, as if afraid. I didn't blame them. Emulating the locals, I stuck to the shadows as much as I could. I passed by Silph Co.'s headquarters on my left, dwarfing even the other skyscrapers around it. It was easily the tallest building I'd ever seen. Looking for the gym, I eventually found two, one featuring an official Pokemon League sign, proclaiming the winners, and the other featuring a black and white sign, with a few letters missing. I could still make out the name though.
Fighting Dojo. It was one of the few public buildings that was still open, so I ducked inside to take a look.
I kicked off my shoes at the door, leaving them next to everyone else's. The inside of the building wasn't much better than the outside, with chunks of plaster missing from the walls, only partially covered by tapestries with lines of indecipherable characters on them.
I took a seat in the viewing gallery, and watched for a while. A group of pokemon were training on one side of the dojo, under the supervision of a man in a white uniform and brown belt. On the other side, people wearing various belt colors were going through similar exercises under the supervision of a group of black belts. When the class had ended, I approached one of the black belts. "Excuse me? Who's in charge here? I'd like to speak to them." If there was one thing I'd learned from Oak during our families' friendship, it was that the best way to get results was to go right to the top.
"That would be Master Koichi. He's the tall one with black hair in the corner."
I thanked the man, and walked over towards Koichi. "Sorry, I was told you were in charge here?"
He turned towards me. I was by no means short, just a couple inches shy of six feet, but Koichi still seemed to tower over me. "You were told correctly. May I help you? Do you wish to join my Dojo?"
"Actually," I said, "I need help with something else. I'm taking the Pokemon League challenge, and was hoping to challenge Sabrina. Is there any chance you could help me get Team Rocket out of the way? Any helpful information even?"
"Yes, I know a fair bit about how to deal with Team Rocket, but I do not share information for nothing. You must prove that you are worthy of it." Koichi pulled a pair of pokeballs from inside his uniform. "Choose a single one of your pokemon."
Not hard. Fighting was a physical type, and Rubble's strength was through the roof. He'd demonstrated his new Strength technique - from the HM - in the tunnels under Saffron, and I could tell he wanted to try it out in a real battle. I pulled his pokeball from my belt and thumbed the switch. Rubble appeared beside us, coiling back and forth in a figure-8. "Let's go," I challenged.
Koichi called for the area to be cleared, and sent out his first pokemon, a Hitmonlee. Rubble lifted his massive head, using his usual intimidation technique, waiting for an opening. Suddenly, he saw one, and struck faster than lightning, incapacitating the other pokemon in a show of brute strength.
Koichi recalled his pokemon and sent out another. Where Hitmonlee had had strong legs, this pokemon's were spindly, but its arms moved like lightning, landing punch after punch on Rubble as he waited for his opening. Suddenly he collapsed on the other pokemon, pinning it to the floor. Koichi nodded and recalled the pokemon. "I accept defeat," he called across the mat. "A good battle."
I recalled Rubble. "You said you had information for me?"
"Yes, I did," Koichi replied. "I don't know how much it will help, but I do know this. Ever since the earthquake in Cerulean, Team Rocket's big boss has been hiding out in Silph Co.'s HQ. He's the only thing holding things together here, if he gets kicked out of here somehow, the rest of Team Rocket ought to leave quietly. They always have before."
"Ok then," I responded. "I guess I have to get into the Silph Co. building then. Any ideas?"
"Sorry, none. You're on your own. Do you have a place to stay overnight?" Koichi asked. "I would gladly lend a room to the man who could defeat my pokemon in a fair fight."
"Thanks, I'd be glad of that." One less thing to worry about. I could deal with Silph and Team Rocket in the morning. I followed Koichi home. He insisted I take the bed, I insisted I take his couch. When it came down to threatening to sleep on his floor instead of his bed, he relented, and I shrugged my bag off my shoulder. It hit the ground with a loud clang. I turned to see the source of the noise. I didn't carry anything in my bag that could make a noise like that.
Laying on the ground, still magnetized to the clips on the back of my bag, was a Magnemite. It must have latched on to me at some point in the tunnels, and I'd never noticed it. Drawing a pokeball gently out of the bag, I thumbed the switch, drawing the little pokemon into the capsule. And then there were six. Six was the legal limit for pokemon carried at any time. Generally, trainers carried fewer because they didn't want to get into trouble for catching pokemon and having a seventh or even eighth. I didn't care that much for catching pokemon, so I wasn't concerned. Anyway. I was going up against an office building full of Team Rocket. I would need all the help I could get.
Storing my belongings safely away, I crawled onto the couch and pulled a blanket over me. I drifted off to sleep nervously, wary of the danger that was to come.
Prime (Female Charmeleon)
Level 39
Gentle nature
Blaze
@Charcoal
Slash
Flamethrower
Rock Slide
Metal Claw
Lower BP limit: 145
Food items used: 11
BP still a non-factor. It's only going to get easier from here on out. Evolution was a welcome boost this chapter, as was the addition of Slash over Ember as a stronger and more versatile move. Was my salvation against Koga's Muk, with Flamethrower as a powerful, STAB, item boosted (and occasionally Blaze-boosted) move, allowing me to score the KO against that monster.
Shadow (Nidoking)
Level 40
Quirky nature
Poison Point
No Item
Peck
Double Kick
Cut
Water Pulse
Evolved this chapter right at the start, before battle with Koga. The ability to use non-SE moves was a godsend here, as it allowed me to make use of his incredible bulk in all stats, as well as his decent resistance. Movepool is a little light, but it will change in time.
Multi (Female Clefairy)
Level 37
Mild nature
Cute Charm
No item
Strength
Dig
Metronome
Sing
The addition of Strength this chapter gave her a reliable STAB option that at least doubles Pound's feeble BP. I don't miss the PP, as it's often the difference between a OHKO and a 2-3HKO, depending on what other moves I use (mostly what Metronome pulls).
Rubble (Male Onix)
Level 40
Relaxed nature
Rock Head
No item
Strength
Screech
Attract
Dragonbreath
Amazing in every way. I never thought I could love a wall this much. Kills everything that uses physical attacks - gen III's move types make this a lot easier to judge. Just Screech down to -6 and take everything out. Went into the battle with Koga paralysed, which was amazing - it allowed me to use his resistance to everything very effectively, without danger of Toxic. When Iron Tail comes along, I will replace Attract, and Dragonbreath's pretty much dead weight at this point. I'm only using two slots anyway. Iron Tail may replace Strength as the move for dealing damage on occasion, as it has a high BP as well as a different typing to take advantage of different type advantages. Solo of the Karate master was laughably easy, as he soaked up SE moves on both sides of the spectrum with ease, and retaliated very effectively. This chapter's MVP for sure.
Bromine (Female Shellder)
Level 35
Jolly nature
Shell Armor
No item
Protect
Surf
Supersonic
Aurora Beam
Surf gives her a powerful STAB option in situations that require it. She's still not quite at the level of the rest of the team, but she sees some use in Trainer battles. Should be useful against Team Rocket in the upcoming battles. She has to lead against Giovanni in Silph Co., and depending on how well she does, I may have her try to solo. I won't be evolving until after Level 50, where she learns Ice Beam naturally, as I don't want to have to buy the TM.
Battery (Magnemite)
Naughty nature
Magnet Pull
No item
Thundershock
Supersonic
Sonicboom
Thunder Wave
BP limit: 50
Will be soloing some swimmers once I get (him?) to a high enough level. Will also be soloing Sabrina, as all E4 members are at least partially taken. Thunderbolt TM from the Game Corner will replace Thundershock (Spark in short term), and Sonicboom will probably be kept just as a fail-safe, but I may use Return instead later on. Thunder Wave will probably stay, and I'm going to
try and get him to L44 and a Magneton before the solo to learn Tri-Attack, but if not, I'll go for Swift (L38, Magnemite). Should be entertaining, at the very least.