Vermilion City

Fishing rods! Getcha fishing rods here!

You know we still could do with a water type, they can be quite handy. I can’t swim.

+ How much for one of those?

Absolutely free!

The fisherman practically forces an old fishing rod into my hands.

+ But why?

The wife thinks it’s unhealthy to have a collection of fishing rods. I barely have enough to fill the garage! But she says she’ll leave me unless I give up my obsession…

+ Oh…

But you enjoy that! Tell your friends! At this rate it’ll take me years to get rid of them all.

Can’t he just throw them in the trash?

Route 11

I try my hand at fishing by the shore, I spend maybe half an hour sat by the water while staring at the bobber.

Did you use bait?

+ Uhh…

Before I can consider an answer the bobber vanishes underwater so I instantly yank the rod upwards, sending my catch flying.

Hiiii! I’m Carl!

Carl flops onto the shore and starts hopping and flapping around.

This doesn’t feel like water, I can’t swim here! Also there’s a hook in my lip!

I throw a pokéball at him, Carl doesn’t even put up a fight and the seal clicks instantly.

While we’re out here I decide to get in some extra training before I enter the gym. Meryl and I spend some time in the grass battling her fellow Pidgeys.

Ha! Is that all you’ve got? East side Pidgeys got nothin’ on me!

Woah!

Aw yeah! Nothin’ s’gonna stop me now!

On my way back to town an old man and his Growlithe challenges me to a battle. Meryl immediately swoops at the Growlithe which dodges her attack and quickly bites her throat. The Growlithe drops Meryl and she collapses to the floor.

Oh crap!

Paulie pops out of his Pokéball.

What’s wrong, milady?

+ …

Paulie hops over to Meryl, she’s not moving.

Meryl? Meryl! MERYL!!

Vermilion City

As I pass by the docks I bump into Mr Briney.

Ah, little Miss, it’s nice to see you again. Oh you’re crying, what’s wrong?

She’s getting us killed!

+ I don’t think I’m fit to be a trainer…

What makes you say that?

+ I can’t keep them from getting killed!

Well, of course you can’t.

+ What?

There’s an unspoken agreement when a Pokémon agrees to join a trainer. They understand what they’re getting into.

I ain’t the first Peeko, you know!

+ But I captured them! They didn’t agree to anything!

Do you even know how Pokéballs work? “Capturing” them doesn’t brainwash them, they stay because they choose to.

…

But you can speak with Pokémon, ask them yourself.

Everyone with me pops out of their Pokéballs.

I won’t give up!

The greater the danger, the greater the challenge. I will face any test you pit me against.

I’m going nowhere!

‘Tis better to live a day as a Butterfree than forever a Caterpie.

They seem happy enough to carry on. Say, I’m about to attend a party on a cruise ship. Why don’t you come along? An old friend of mine is the captain on that ship, I’ll be sure to get you a ticket.

S.S. Anne

+ So, you chose to be captured?

Oak gave me little choice, I was starving and half-drowned at the time.

+ What? How did that happen?

I don’t want to talk about it.

We explore the ship for a while, it seems the party is for the ship’s maiden voyage and they’re about to set sail today. There are several trainers on board who challenge me to battles, including an old man with a Growlithe. Clive makes short work of it, though he does damage the deck quite badly.

Hm, minimum effort required.

Oh?

Hm.

I make my way to the bridge to see if I can meet Mr Briney’s friend.

Hey Cally! I didn’t expect to see you here.

+ Oh, hey Green.

How about a battle?

+ Fine.

Go Spearow!

+ Go Joule!

+ Thundershock!

Leer!

Joule zaps Spearow, who just stares as intimidatingly as it can.

+ Thundershock!

Leer!

Joule gives Spearow another jolt and causing it to topple over, twitching.

Go Rattata!

+ Joule return! Go Selene!

+ Body Slam!

Quick Attack!

Rattata darts at Selene and bounces off her. Selene leaps onto Rattata, putting her full weight into it. There’s a loud crunch and Rattata stops moving.

Oh snap!

Whoops!

Rattata! No!

Go Sandshrew!

+ Body Slam!

Slash!

Selene falls onto Sandshrew and Sandshrew seems to be unable to move.

+ Body Slam!

Slash!

Selene stands back up and falls back onto Sandshrew.

Go Eevee!

+ Body Slam!

Tackle!

Eevee charges at Selene, as soon as it’s attack connects Selene grabs Eevee and crushes it against the floor under her weight.

Get off me you stupid fairy!

How rude!

+ Body Slam!

Growl!

Selene stands back up only to topple onto Eevee again.

Timber!

Blegh.

No, Rattata!

Green runs away before I can ask him what’s wrong.

I don’t think that Rattata survived my attack…

+ Oh no…

I run after Green to try and apologise but by the time I leave the ship there’s no sign of him.

Vermilion City

No sign of Green in the Pokémon Center either. I decide to just go to the gym. Inside I find the way to the gym leader’s arena locked off by a gate and a bunch of levers on the floor near the entrance. A bunch of cables snake across the floor from each lever and they all connect to a mechanism by the gate.

+ Huh, a puzzle?

Oh!

+ What’s up?

Joule ambles up to one of the cables and bites into it.

Mmm! Tasty!

Joule continues to nibble on the cable, a few sparks arc around her cheeks, the lights in the room dim, the gate opens and then the lights go out.

Aww.

Some smaller lights over the arena flicker to life.

+ Well that’s one way to do it I guess, how did you know it’d work?

I didn’t, I just like chewing electrical wires. It’s like candy to me, or what do humans call it? Bubble gum?

+ But you seemed disappointed when the lights went out.

Only live wires taste good.

Hey! Someone check the breakers!

I’m on it sir!

So we’ve got a challenger! Step up to the plate, kid!

+ Hi… sorry about the lights.

Don’t worry about it, the gate trips the breakers all the time. I am Lieutenant Surge and I’m the leader of this gym. So how many badges have you collected so far?

+ Two.

Then I’ll use my buddy Raichu here.

‘Sup, bro.

…

Ready?

Go Raichu!

+ Go Clive!

+ Dig!

Surge throws an X Speed pill to Raichu who swallows it immediately, Clive burrows underground.

Mega Punch!

Raichu looks to the ground for a moment and punches a certain spot as hard as it can, Clive bursts out of the floor under Raichu while simultaneously uppercutting it in the gut, causing Raichu to pass out.

Heh, stupid Raichu.

Well done, kid! You’ve earned the Thunder Badge!

+ Thanks, I was also wondering if you could help me. Have you seen this trainer?

I hand him a photo.

Oh gee, I wish I could help you, kid. I get so many challengers every day I can’t really say I remember that guy.

+ Thanks anyway.

Later in the Vermilion Gym…

Sir, we fixed the issue. Looks like something chewed on the cables again.

Must’ve been that damn Pikachu. Is there any way we can cover the cables up?

Well, we can bury the cables in the floor but they’re still gonna need to come up where the switches are. We’ve got some spare trash cans out back, I guess we can cover the switches with them for now.

Make it so.