Route 12

You! You there! It is you, isn’t it? The one prophesied!

- Um…

I get an odd vibe from this one…

Yes! The one with the talking blinky box! I have something for you.

The guy takes a pokéball from his pocket.

No…

Sorry, she couldn’t wait and hatched soon after she was put in my care.

- Oh?

He reaches out to hand me the pokéball.

Nonono! Not again!

I take the ball and…

ZUUL!

… a gastly pops out.

- Welcome to the team, Zuul III.

Zuul III ♀ Lv. 1

I am released from my burden. It’s up to you now, Caldar. So sayeth the Green Fairy!

He starts walking back to town.

- Wait! How do you people know my name? What’s the green fairy?

You’ll find out when everyone’s ready.

- But-

He vanishes into the gatehouse. Still reeling from yesterday I try to put it out of my mind for now and just press onwards.

Azure Bay

Surfing north I end up on a small grassy island. With not much further ahead I start to wonder if I took a wrong turn. Consulting the map confirms my suspicion.

As I put the map away I notice an Inkay hovering in front of me. Pokéball go!

Inkay: It’s a flying squid.

- Welcome to the bench, Eingyi.

Eingyi ♂ Lv. 26

On my way to the city I get in some training, enough to get Max Jr. and Zuul III to evolve!

Max Jr. ♂ Lv. 32

Zuul III ♀ Lv. 25

Coumarine City

There doesn’t seem to be much of a town by the shore, mostly some docks. It doesn’t take me long to find the monorail station that should take me to the rest of town.

In the station I find Professor Sycamore talking with a woman I recognise from all the movie posters I’ve seen on my travels in Kalos.

I’m afraid I don’t know of any such incidents here in Kalos. But I seem to recall a group in Sinnoh were looking into dimensional rifts and whatnot.

I see, well thanks anyway. It was probably nothing, and it’ll be very unlikely the ancient Sinnoh legendary pokémon would suddenly appear here in Kalos…

She turns, seeing me she immediately turns back trying to hide the look of surprise on her face.

Oh! Er.. one of your students, Professor?

Ah Caldar. Nice to see you again. Diantha this is Caldar, he and four others are looking into mega evolution for me. Caldar, I’m sure you already know the world famous actress and Kalos pokémon league champion Diantha.

- Hello.

I see you’ve acquired a keystone! You’re one step closer to achieving mega evolution. Where did you get it?

- The gym leader Korrina gave it to me at the Tower of Mastery.

?!

I look forward to hearing your findings. Or can you give us a demonstration right now?

- I’m not quite sure I can make it happen yet.

I’m sorry I think that’s my agent calling me, I’ve got to go.

I’ll see you around! Let’s do lunch sometime!

The monorail train arrives at the station.

You’ll probably want to take that if you’re challenging the gyms, Coumarine’s gym is near the next station.

I get on the train and ride it up to the next station. I make my way to the gym and find Serena standing in front of the entrance.

I knew I’d find you here. Let’s see if your little prize was worth it. Show me mega evolution!

- But-

Go Meowstic!

- Go Petrus!

- Bite!

Psybeam!

Petrus bites meowstic on the arm and is knocked back by the multicoloured beam shot by meowstic at point blank.

- Bite!

Disarming voice!

Petrus leaps at meowstic and bites it on the tail, meowstic lets out an ear-piercing shriek.

- Bite!

Psybeam!

Petrus sinks his teeth into meowstic’s ear, it passes out from the pain.

Go Absol!

- Scald!

Slash!

Petrus sprays boiling water at absol who lunges at Petrus, slashing with it’s claws and dealing critical damage. Petrus flops to the floor.

- No! Petrus!

Great, how’re we going to surf now?

- Go Max!

- Venoshock!

Quick attack!

Absol darts at Max, bouncing off his hide. Max unleashes a flurry of razor sharp leaves at absol.

Come on! Do it! Show me! You’ve got the mega stone, make it mega evolve!

- Razor leaf!

Quick attack!

Absol bounces off Max once again and meets a hail of cutting leaves before hitting the floor in a slump.

Go Frogadier!

- Razor leaf!

Quick attack!

Frogadier zips towards Max and slaps him in the face before being caught in a flurry of sharp leaves sent it’s way.

- Razor leaf!

Quick attack!

Frogadier gives Max another quick slap before passing out from the pain of another thousand little cuts.

Why? Do you not see me as an equal?

- You killed Petrus…

Maybe he would’ve survived if you used mega evolution!

She’s got a point there.

- Shut up!

Serena storms off to the pokémon center. To avoid another argument I heal my surviving pokémon with potions and enter the gym. Inside I find a huge tree with an arena on top. After climbing several ropes I reach the top.

Hello there sonny! I’m Ramos and I’ve been a gardener here for most of my life, I’ve used these same shears for thirty years!

- Oh?

Yep! I’ve had to replace the blades sixteen times and the handles five times.

But it’s the same pair of shears…

So you’re here for a gym badge? Sure you can have one sonny, if you can beat me in a pokémon battle!

Go Jumpluff!

- Go Gwyn!

- Flame charge!

Acrobatics!

Jumpluff darts, zips, and jumps around Gwyn, hitting him every time it gets close. Gwyn covers himself in flames and jets to jumpluff and slams into it.

- Flame charge!

Acrobatics!

Gwyn, still wreathed in flame, tackles jumpluff to the ground. Jumpluff repeatedly strikes Gwyn in another show of agility.

- Fire spin!

Ramos sprays a hyper potion onto jumpluff before Gwyn surrounds it with a cyclone of flame.

- Flame charge

Acrobatics!

Trapped in flames, jumpluff cannot dodge Gwyn’s next attack which sends it flying off of the tree.

Go go Gogoat!

- Gwyn return! Go Zuul!

ZUUL!

Bulldoze!

Gogoat charges at Zuul, kicking up pieces of the floor on the way, passing right through her with no effect.

- Venoshock!

Grass knot!

Zuul vomits purple venom on gogoat’s face. Gogoat summons a tangle of grass that tries to grip Zuul but only serves to annoy her.

- Venoshock!

Grass knot!

Gogoat drowns in more of Zuul’s purple vomit.

Go Weepinbell!

- Zuul return! Go Beatrice!

ZUUL?

Acid!

Weepinbell splashes Beatrice with corrosive liquid as she leaves her pokéball.

- Psybeam!

Poisonpowder!

Beatrice fires a multicoloured beam at weepinbell, knocking it off the top of the tree.

Oh dear, well you’ve earned the Plant Badge.

Could you have the gym trainers bring my pokémon back up please?

Meanwhile at the Coumarine Docks…

Come in, commander. This is Agent 12.

Agent 12 holds a silver ball in the palm of her hand. She stares at it until the ball shimmers and a tiny shadow in the shape of a man appears above it. His mouth moves silently.

Sir, there are a number of inconsistencies in this timeline. Agent 13 and I have so far kept to the script for the people we’ve replaced but some things are just wrong. I’ve just spotted the rogue time traveller Caldar.

Without sound the shadow responds to her.

Yes I know he has somehow become part of the events in this timeline but he seems older than he should be and he has the mega ring instead of that girl he should be travelling with.

Another silent reply from the shadowy man.

More disruptions are appearing all the time on the scanner. There are no records of any manifestations prior to my arrival, nor is there any evidence in my immediate timeframe.

The shadow speaks silently.

I don’t know what readings you’re getting over there but my instruments are showing a growing potential for a large event. My most conservative estimates project this to be worse than the Sinnoh incursion by many orders of magnitude! This could have serious ramifications for countless timelines!