New Bark Town

- With the Doc stuck in the past I’ve got to find the guy in black, he seems to be the one who knows everything about this.

Um..

Hi honey! Oh my! Look at your clothes, they’re torn to shreds!

- Oh, yeah I’ve been doing a little mountain climbing.

You went up mount Silver? It’s dangerous up there, I’m so glad you’re safe! Why did you go to such a place?

- I was looking for answers, the guy in black told me-

A guy dressed in black? Was he the one who interrupted the ceremony when you won at the pokemon league?

- Yeah, how did you know?

It was all over the news! Look, those clothes you’re wearing just won’t do anymore, let me get you a fresh set.

Hm?

‘Mom’ heads upstairs.

- Maybe I should just use the Doc’s time machine to go after him? He might not have a way back but it can’t be good having someone stuck in the past.

That’s probably a bad idea.

Returning from upstairs, 'Mom’ puts two bundles of clothes in my arms.

I know those are a bit retro but you’ll just have to make do. I overheard you want to go back to the league again so there’s a nice suit and hat for you to wear for when you’re on TV.

- A suit? Hey it looks just like…

I run to my room to try it on, as I look in the mirror I can’t help but notice…

I look just like the guy in black!

Bah, close enough! You are the guy in black!

That doesn’t make sense! And how could you know something like that?

He’s you from the future, last time we met him his pokedex linked with me and relayed all the information I need. I couldn’t tell you until you’d figured it out for yourself!

But that means-

You need to go through the league and use the time machine to go back a few weeks, tell yourself to go to Mt. Silver and then trade evolve two of your pokemon.

What if I don’t? Nobody will die at the top of that mountain!

And you’d be at the time machine with no idea where to go! You’d have never gotten the Doc’s message!

So the clothes fit then? Oh, sorry. I didn’t realise you were talking on your.. walkie talkie?

Walkie talkie?!

Indigo Plateau

Welcome back, I’m glad I have another opportunity to defeat you in battle. You’ve pushed me to become much stronger.

- I have somewhere I need to be so can we get this started?

I didn’t have a lot of time to record the battle that ensued, but Zuul wrecked shop. She’d flung shadow balls left and right, some of Will’s pokemon simply took the impacts and were thrown across the arena, but others were pulled into what I’m now calling the dimension of no return.

I… didn’t stand a chance… that gengar is a beast!

ZUUL!

I headed to the next arena, Zuul followed me, she refused to return to her pokeball. I wasn’t going to argue, she wasn’t doing any harm… to me at least.

You again?! You’ve got a lot to answer for, we’ll settle this now!

I wanted to use Palindrome but Zuul just glared at me when I reached for Palindrome’s pokeball. Another volley of shadow balls and a couple of thunderbolts shot from the hip cowboy style and Koga’s pokemon are piled up in the middle of the arena, left smouldering.

Gahh! Next time, Caldar, NEXT TIIIME!

A quick ether top up for Zuul and we step into the next arena.

Good evening, chap! A fine time for a battle, wouldn’t you say? Be warned, I’ve been training fervently since our last encounter! Let’s start the bout, what what!

Again I wanted to use Palindrome as my opener but Zuul just leaped into the arena with a shadow ball already formed in her palm. A couple of Bruno’s pokemon actually got in a hit but Zuul just healed with the use of giga drain and then proceeded to mush shadow balls in their faces.

Cor blimey! I never stood a chance did I? Bloody hell that gengar’s scary even for a ghost type!

Before I stepped into then next arena I stopped to try and talk to Zuul.

- Zuul, you can’t take them all on by yourself! This next trainer uses dark types, you’ll be at a disadvantage!

ZUUL!

- I want to use Nippy for this next battle, you need a rest!

ONLY ZUUL!

- Are you trying to protect the others? I’m sorry I failed them, I got them killed and I’m sorry! But it’s my fault, my responsibility! I’m not going to let you get yourself killed!

ZUUUUUUULLLL!!!

- You’re not going to let anyone else battle, are you…

ONLY ZUUL!

- Fine…

We stepped into the arena to be greeted by Karen.

Welcome back. So you want another battle? This time I won’t go easy on you!

Zuul made surprisingly short work of Karen’s team. Several well aimed focus blasts and a thunderbolt here and there did the job, and a short duel against Karen’s spiritomb. It was quite interesting to see Zuul defeat a pokemon shaped like a ball of shadow with a shadow ball. The shadow ball just disappeared into spiritomb and then moments later spiritomb just slowly imploded and vanished with a quiet pop.

Hmph! I guess Lance will see to you.

I find Lance already standing in position and waiting for me as I stepped into the arena.

No I’m not going to save your place again, if you beat me this time you’re going to have to go directly to the hall of fame if you want the title.

The battle started as normal as can be with Zuul preventing me from switching her out. She thunderbolted Lance’s salamence and dragonite away with ease but had a little trouble with his garchomp, needing to giga drain some life back but it wasn’t enough. Zuul reeled from the dragonfire of garchomp’s outrage attack and tumbled to the floor, ending face down.

Zuuu…

…uul…

- No!

I ran over to Zuul, turned her face up and held her in my arms.

- I shouldn’t have let you do this alone. It’s my fault!

THERE IS NO GASTLY ONLY ZUUL

- You can’t die! You can’t! Zuul! ZUUL!!

…

Gen… gaaaah…

Zuul faded away and vanished, leaving me kneeling on the floor alone. Tears begun to roll down my cheeks.

Gastly: It’s made of gas, but don’t breathe this!

Wha? What just happend? Where am I? We’re in the middle of a battle? Is my battery low or something?

I just knelt there sobbing.

Something’s wrong.

Nippy burst from her pokeball to give garchomp a swift slap across the face that hit so hard it launched garchomp across the arena and embedded it’s head in the wall.

With use of brute strength Nippy beat up and smashed Lance’s altaria into the ground, grabbed his gyarados by the tail and repeatedly swung it over her head and slammed it into the ground each time until she got bored and flung gyarados’ lifeless body out of the arena.

Nippy endured an air slash from Lance’s charizard and right hook’d a mighty crabhammer to it’s jaw, sending charizard arcing backwards through the air and landing on it’s head.

I managed to bring myself to my feet after Nippy tried her best to comfort me and just nudged me with her claw.

- Thanks… Nippy.

Congratulations, you’ve won. Step now into the hall of fame, I won’t hold your place this time. Oh, and take these. You’ll ruin your photo with your eyes like that.

- Sunglasses… thanks…

I stepped into the hall of fame.

It’s still for the best, we’ve got to go back. We need to keep the timeline intact, you’ve seen those sci-fi movies right? Terrible things happen if you cause a paradox.

- You’re right… Zuul never gave up so neither will I.

I stepped to one side and changed into my suit, sure it looked cool but it wasn’t comfortable to battle in.

Right let’s see how this machine really works.

Aren’t you forgetting something?

The sunglasses, of course.

Looking at the machine I saw a small panel with indications for days, weeks, and years. I noticed I could input both positive and negative numbers. I figured negative numbers sent me backwards in time so I punched in negative 3 weeks and 6 days. Next to that there appeared to be a digital map of the world with an indicator set for Hoenn, I changed it to the hall of fame where I am now.

The next part I remember, there are slots for pokeballs. I placed Palindrome and Nippy II into the slots and the machine hummed into action. I was engulfed in a blinding light.

Indigo Plateau: 3 Weeks and 6 Days Ago

The light soon faded and, noticing Nippy and Palindrome’s pokeballs still on the machine, I took them back and dashed to the door. Placing my ear to the door I could hear one of Zuul’s thunderbolts and the wails of a gyarados in pain.

I could then hear Lance talking to someone with a familiar voice.

Now! Go now!

I burst through the doors and ran up to… well… myself.

Right, now how did it go… oh! Caldar, I know you’re not in the perfect frame of mind right now but please listen, it’s important!

Err…

You must challenge the Kanto gyms once more to reclaim your lost badges!

But what about my missing pokemon?

I’m sorry but they’re not in the hall of fame. Just use the badges to gain access to Mount Silver, you’ll find your answers there! Go! Go now! Zuul needs urgent medical attention, right? Go!

It was eerie to see myself running away, I guess people don’t often get to see the back of their own head without mirrors.

Who the hell are you?

It’s me, see?

But.. how… ?

Long story, but er… as I’ve just defeated you, could you give me a rain cheque? And I’d consider it a big favour if you don’t mention this to anyone, thanks!

Saffron City: 1 Week and 6 Days Ago

Your pokemon are fully healed. We hope to see you again!

Oh, one more thing. Next time you see me could you please remind me that a friend of mine is waiting for me at the union room? I have a memory like a magikarp.

Of course!

While Nurse Joy attended to her next patients I went to the union room and waited.

You remember what to do, right?

Yup, beam the message to my past self.

Soon enough my past self stepped into the room.

Hello, I’m going to cut to the chase. I’m here to make a couple of trades.

What? Trade? I don’t even know you!

Bzzt.

I never noticed how weird I looked when I speak to the 'dex before.

Fine, what sort of trade?

As you know, some pokemon evolve when they undergo the trading process. I know you have two pokemon with you that’d like to get stronger.

How do you know so much about me?

You’ll find out eventually, it’s important you reach Mount Silver, and to do that you’ll need strong pokemon.

My past self let Abby and Tremors out of their pokeballs.

Well, how about it? Ready to evolve?

Shadabra!

After a quick switcharoo in the trade machine Abby popped out evolved.

Alashazam!

Your turn, Tremors.

Iwaaaarrrrk…

Reluctant? That scar on your midsection… Once you’ve evolved you’ll be as hard as steel, you’ll never sustain wounds like that again.

My counterpart turned to Tremors.

It’s your choice, I’ll support you either way.

Tremors nodded and returned to his pokeball, another quick swap in the trade machine and he evolved.

Grrraah!

And with that, we’re done for today. Surge phoned ahead to the gym here by the way, they’re expecting you.

Thanks, I guess. But I still don’t know your name.

I made my way to the door.

You already know it.

After stepping out I make a run for the door.

Indigo Plateau: 1 Week and 3 Days Ago

On my way to the hall of fame I found a place where I could change into my other set of clothes 'Mom’ gave me, I still have no clue why that woman thought I was her son. All this time I didn’t want to be mean so I played along.

I found Lance loitering near the hall of fame door.

So you’re finally back! Woah retro looking clothes you have there.

- Yeah well, where I’m going this sort of thing is in style… I think.

Just so you know; this is the last favour I do for you.

- Noted.

At that point I wanted to say something else but I couldn’t find the words, “Please don’t kill Zuul” probably wouldn’t sound right.

- I’ll see you in about a week or so.

I walked back into the hall of fame, already familiar with the controls I set the location to Hoenn. I needed a location near civilization but nowhere too crowded like a city, I didn’t want to be seen appearing out of thin air or whatever it looks like when I appear after time travelling. Littleroot Town sounds innocent enough.

For the date I remember how long ago it was from what the delivery guy said, 20 years, 2 months, and 12 days. It took me 4 days to get back to the time machine so I adjusted it for that

I punched in the new numbers and placed Nippy II and Palindrome on the machine. As the machine begin to hum to life I looked at the number I entered on the panel.

- Wait! I forgot about–

I was once again engulfed in a bright white light…

'Mom’ opens a drawer in the kitchen and takes a small chest from it, she opens the chest to reveal a small silver orb

She takes the orb and rests it on her palm, it lights up and projects the image of a shadowy figure above her hand.

This is agent 4 reporting in, target was last detected entering the time vortex at the scheduled time. I’ve made the necessary repairs to the timeline.

The image of the figure responds, no sound is emitted from the orb but 'Mom’ still hears it.

Understood. Request permission to return to base. Off the record, sir? I dislike being in this backwards era. I’d like to go to my next assignment as soon as possible.

Roger that, awaiting extraction.

The adventure continues here!