It sure is fun to fly!

+ Can we at least fly a little lower? I’ll die if I fall from this high!

Then don’t fall!

Joule is perched atop Summer’s head giving her directions.

+ Are we nearly there yet? I want to get down already!

But you wanted somewhere to train, this place is perfect.

Power Plant

+ This place looks like it was abandoned a long time ago…

It’s been years since I left, time for some revenge.

+ You’ve been here before?

My brothers and I used to chew wires here when I was a Pichu.

+ Pichu? I thought the very idea of evolution repulsed you?

I was young, I didn’t know any better!

+ So, why did you leave? I know how much you like to nibble electrical wires, this place seems perfect for you.

We were chased off, we couldn’t protect ourselves and then I got separated from my brothers.

+ Protect yourselves from what? Didn’t your parents try to protect you?

That bitter old Raichu wouldn’t lift a finger to help us even if she was there.

+ Why not?

She’s a prized fighter for some trainer. At least she was until she was put into daycare and met dad.

+ Wait, daycare? You were born in captivity?

That trainer threw us all away because we weren’t the right colour or something. Every last one of us…

+ How many?

Including me, 200. I’m the only girl. 119 brothers and 80 half-brothers.

+ 200?! Wait, half-brothers?

They’re Eevee, same father.

+ Your dad’s not a Raichu?

Dad can be confusing at times, mostly when he’d spend time with me and my brothers he’d be a Pichu. But I’ve seen him be a Raichu, a Blastoise, a Skitty, a Dragonite, a Leafeon, a Litten-

+ So he’s a Ditto?

Oh yeah, I’ve seen him be a Ditto a couple of times. So how about your dad? I assume he’s another human?

+ I don’t remember my dad, he left my mother when I was very small.

Is that why you’re looking for him?

+ I’m-

Terribly sorry to interrupt your conversation but I can’t help but notice you’re intruding in my part of this building. Voltorbs, roll out!

EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!

Uh-oh!

I’ve got this!

Sisters assemble!

The ground trembles as gaps in the floor begin to crumble away under the approaching Voltorbs, they all tumble into the darkness below.

That’ll teach ‘em!

You brought your sisters? Wait, but which one is you, Terra?

We are Terra.

Yeah but which one?

We are Terra.

Okay…

More Voltorbs approach, buzzing with more malice than the others.

My turn!

Melvin charges at the nearest Voltorb and before he can attack it explodes in his face.

Melvin!

+ Time to leave! Terra, can you dig us a way out?

We’re already on it!

We retreat via Terra’s tunnel to a nearby PokéCenter and recuperate for a bit before trying the power plant again. I decide to take the side entrance this time.

So we’re training?

+ That’s right, Eric.

We start with some target practice on some nearby Magnemite.

Whoop!

Feeling stronger already! Oh? What’s this?

INTRUDER! EXTERMINATE!

With a deep thumping explosion, Eric was no more.

Not again…

The air around us starts to buzz and it feels like something is looming over me.

Who dares disrupt my nest!

Zapdos!

Cower before me, mortals!

Joule leaps towards me and taps one of my Pokéballs.

Selene! Ice beam!

Selene pops out of her Pokéball and shoots a bright blue ray into Zapdos’ face.

Oh, that was what you wanted me to aim at, right?

Gah! Ice! I hate ice!

Zapdos takes flight and escapes through a hole in the roof.

Damn, it got away. Revenge will have to wait for another day.

+ I think we should just head for the next gym.

Route 19

Aw, you don’t want to fly the rest of the way?

+ No thanks, I think I’d rather swim.

But you’re fishing. This isn’t getting us across the sea any quicker…

I get a bite and fish up a Staryu.

+ Not very talkative, is it…

Well what did you expect? Staryu don’t have mouths… I think.

Route 20

I thought we were going to have a rest on this sandbank…

+ Well, you are. I’m the one who’s fishing here.

Another Staryu, really?

Seafoam Islands

Now what are we doing? There’s nothing here.

+ The currents around here are too dangerous to swim in.

But we can’t even traverse this island, I’m not shimmying along those sheer cliffs!

+ Maybe we can ask for directions. Oh, mister Krabby!

The name’s Sammy. What can I do for you, miss?

+ Do you know of a quick way to the other side of this island?

I suppose you could always take the cave path if you’re in a hurry, but I wouldn’t recommend it. There’s a strong Pokémon inside.

+ Okay, then. Oh, would you like to come with us? We’re heading for the Pokémon League.

Well I’ve not got anything else planned for today and I hear humans make great Pokémon food, I’m tired of eating what little I can find here. Alright then.

We delve into the cave, it seems to be a mostly straightforward path with a few chambers here and there. Light seems to not be an issue, intricate ice crystal formations are refracting light from outside all about the cave.

Did it just suddenly get colder?

+ It wasn’t exactly warm to begin with, but I know what you mean.

Watch out! It’s Articuno!

For thousands of years I lay dormant. Who disturbs my-

+ Flamethrower!

Flame-what?

Charr!

Summer blasts a stream of flames in Articuno’s face.

Gah! Fire! I hate fire!

Articuno swoops off deeper into the cave.

Two birds in one day!

Cinnabar Island

Another quick stop at the PokéCenter to get checked up and dried off after that swim and I head for the gym. But no building on this island is marked as a gym so I assume it’s that big mansion by the docks.

Inside nothing seems to indicate it being a gym at all, it seems quite ordinary for a mansion. Except nobody looks to be home right now. A large stairway to the basement looks inviting but before I can approach a man in a lab coat comes up.

Hm? Oh! That scent! Unmistakable!

+ Uh.. you what, mate?

This guy’s a creep!

You’re carrying a fossil, aren’t you? I’ve got a nose for such things. Show me!

I show him the helix fossil, the weirdo scientist snatches it from my hand and dashes off downstairs.

+ Uh…

A few minutes later he returns with a Pokéball.

I had to test my prototype! I finally got it to work! Here, you can have the result!

The Pokéball pops open.

For thousands of years I lay dormant. Who disturbs my- oh? Where am I? What is this place? I don’t understand!

The whole building shudders and a sudden loud noise comes from the basement followed by muffled screams being cut short.

Oh no! Could it be? Doctor Fuji’s experiment!

The floor beneath me is blasted apart, knocking me back. Something slowly rises up from the new hole in the floor.

+ What are you people doing down there?! That thing doesn’t look human! A Pokemon?

I have no clue! A monster?

Hmph.

It continues to rise. The roof above it somehow shreds into pieces making way for it to float up and above the building before it zips off to the north.

The floor beneath me starts to feel warm and I notice flames licking at the edges of the hole in front of me.

+ Let’s just get the gym badge and get off this crazy island!

Agreed.

I eventually find the gym down the road. The gym leader’s arena is blocked by a series of doors linked to lame quiz machines. It takes me less than a minute to get past them all, including the walking time.

Greetings challenger, welcome to my gym.

+ You know, it’s not very well signposted. And those quiz machines need some work, 2+2? Really?

Two of what? Plus two what?

I’ll take that into consideration. So, how many badges have you gathered so far?

+ Six.

Nobody ever comes here with none, just once I wish this’d be someone’s first gym… Anyway, let’s begin!

Go Ninetales!

+ Go Eve!

+ Surf!

Tail whip!

Ninetales whips it’s many tails in Eve’s face before being washed away into the arena corner by a tidal wave.

Go Rapidash!

+ Surf!

Fire spin!

Eve deftly avoids the flame cyclone and summons another wave that sweeps Rapidash away.

Go Arcanine!

+ Surf!

Fire blast!

The giant flaming kanji strikes Eve, sizzling out on contact. Eve summons yet another tidal wave that crashes down upon Arcanine and breaks the rear wall of the gym, the water drains out in the docks nearby.

I hardly felt a thing.

Congratulations challenger. You’ve earned the Volcano Badge!

+ Oh, before I go. Quick question. Have you seen this person?

I hand him a copy of the photo.

Sorry, I haven’t. Someone Important to you?

Blaine! It’s terrible! The lab is on fire! The project escaped!

This is very bad indeed! Sorry trainer, but I’ve got to handle this immediately!