Veilstone City

Trudging through the thick grass on route 210 and crossing the bridges that seem to go from nowhere to nowhere else on route 215 was pretty uneventful.

The trainers were pretty boring, there were no pokemon I could catch. Such a depressing trip it’s hardly worth mentioning. After a stop off at the pokemon center I decide to go directly to the gym.

This is quite possibly the first gym-like gym I’ve ever been to, people are actually exercising and stuff! I push past a bunch of punching bags to get to the gym leader’s arena.

Well well, another challenger so soon?

- Yes?

After that blonde kid rushing through here I’m in the mood to kick some ass. Yours will do!

Go Meditite!

- Go Marcus!

- Aerial ace!

Rock tomb!

Marcus swoops past meditite, immediately turns back and knocks meditite face first into the ground.

Go Machoke!

- Aerial ace!

Rock tomb!

Marcus darts at machoke at high speed, knocking it back. Machoke rips up floor tiles and chunks of the foundations and throws them at Marcus, knocking him out of the air and burying him in rubble.

- Aerial ace!

Rock tomb!

As machoke begins tearing up the floor some more, Marcus bursts forth from the rubble and jets across the arena, knocking machoke into the hole it dug.

Go Lucario!

- Marcus return! Go Sheridan!

Drain punch!

Sheridan leaps from his pokeball only to find lucario’s fist waiting to meet his face.

- Earthquake!

Drain punch!

Lucario punches Sheridan square in the jaw. Sheridan stomps the ground, causing the whole room to shake. The floor cracks and an upheaval throws lucario into the pit machoke dug earlier.

- Sheridan, return! Go Grace!

Force palm!

Grace appears near the pit and looms over it, lucario scrambles out and pushes Grace back.

- Water pulse!

Drain punch!

Lucario punches Grace and drains some life from her to heal itself. Grace launches a pulse wave of water that pushes lucario all the way across the arena and into the far wall.

…Fine, you win. Take the Cobble Badge. I’m gonna get a burger or something…

Stepping out of the gym I find Dawn waiting for me.

Caldar! Help me, please!

- What’s wrong?

Team Galactic stole my pokedex!

So?

- Where are they now?

I’ll show you.

Dawn takes me to a warehouse at the north of the city. A couple of goons from the galaxy group are standing outside.

It’s those guys right there.

- They look familiar…

Shall we both take them down together?

- I’ve got a better idea.

Look who it is, it’s that guy who always ruins our fun.

Yeah!

We’ve got some better pokemon this time. If you want your friend’s pokedex back you’ll have to battle us!

Yeah!

Help! These guys don’t wash their hands! Their grubby fingerprints are all over my screen!

Yeah!

I hear that!

- Hey I wash my hands!

Yeah but I’m sick of swimming in pocket lint!

Hey! Will you two stop bickering and

Enough! Go Zuba–

I grab the goon by the throat and pin him against the wall.

Yea– uh-oh!

Aak! Th- this isn’t– guh, you’re not supposed to– gah, it’s against the rules!

Y-yeah!

- Screw the rules!

I tighten my grip.

*gasp* Fine! We’ll give it back!

Yeah?

I let the goon go, he takes Dawn’s pokedex from his pocket and throws it to the ground.

Aieee!!

I leap for the pokedex and barely catch it, as I hit the ground I hear a crack.

M-my case! You cracked my case!

- Sorry…

What the hell!? You break my skin and you're sorry!?

If it’s any help… it suits you, old man. Hey, thanks for saving me.

Shut up!

- I’m sure a little electrical tape should cover it up…

Oh sure… just tape me up like an old worn out remote control…

I hand Dawn’s pokedex back to her.

Thanks… but you know those guys usually just go away if you beat them in a pokemon battle, right?

- Where did those goons go?

They went this way!

- Where did you come from?

Looker ignores me and leads us into the nearby warehouse.

So this is the Galactic base of operations!

The warehouse is full of crates and boxes, one item stands out from the others. A HM02, I guess it stands to reason the galaxy group use it for their pokemon. It would be a terrible shame if they lost their only copy…

- Yoink!

Hm?

- Oh, nothing.

It seems their HQ goes further beyond this door. It’s too tough to break down… I must find the key…

- I’ll be going now.

Yes good idea, you head for Pastoria City. A Galactic member has been seen moving something from here and towards that city. I’ll stay here and keep the rest of them locked down here.

- I thought you didn’t trust me?

I still don’t, but you seem to want Team Galactic stopped too. There’s something very wrong about your history, and I think we both know what I’m talking about…

Hey! Are you gonna get me that tape or what?