Roy knew he wouldn’t make it to the city before dark, so he hiked as long as dusk’s dim glow permitted, then camped out for the night. He woke at the first ray of light beaming through the tent flap the next morning and let his Pokémon out of their balls for some fresh air.

    He’d found a flat area along the mountainside to pitch his tent and set up a cooking stove over a small fire. Roy dished the Pokémon food out into bowls and watched them eat and play while he cooked a breakfast bowl of meat and eggs for himself. Aria brought his party up to five. One more and he’d have a full team.

    Aria wolfed down her bowl like a sumo wrestler in an eating competition, then set to throwing swift training punches at the air, eager to find some opponents. She showed no reservation challenging the strongest foe and hurried to pick a fight with Ponyta, full on calories but still hungry for a rematch. Ponyta tried to ignore her and focus on eating before allowing Aria the slightest glance just to give her a disrespectful burr, sending the message that Aria wasn’t worth her time.

    Not wasting a second, Aria moved on to confront Beedrill, who’d finished his food first and now relaxed in a nearby tree, keeping lookout and ignoring her cries from below as though he couldn’t hear her.

    Squirtle and Sandshrew busied themselves eating, and Aria pestered them for all of five seconds before Squirtle gave her a light spray in the face.

    Roy chuckled to himself. She’d displayed the same thirst for battle in the cave, but she took a hit like tissue paper took a bullet. Roy had that Moon Stone he’d picked up from Sandshrew’s burrow, but he knew to let a Pokémon grow before evolving them too early. Not only did most Pokémon learn moves faster in the earlier stages, certain moves could only be learned before evolution.

    All of his Pokémon finishing before him, Roy scarfed down his breakfast, then packed up camp, calling everyone back to their balls. And now off to Cerulean City to defeat the Sensational Sisters.

    Mt. Moon blessed him with a steady incline down, making for a quick and easy descent without hammering his knees every step. That hike through the mountain hadn’t left him as sore as he’d expected. He reached the bottom by noon, where he passed a signpost directing him to Cerulean City, half a day’s walk east.

    Someone had scratched words in the lower right corner.

 

Blue was here!

Red is a loser!

 

    Blue? Not Blue Oak was it? The professor’s grandson? Then again, from the stories he’d heard, it would be just like him to write such a snarky comment. Roy had no idea who Red was. Oak never mentioned him. A rival Trainer from that year, perhaps?

    The path leveled out, and green hills dotted with sparse trees replaced the jagged rocks as Roy left the mountain behind. But the flattening terrain spat on any ideas he had of the remaining walk being easy. It must’ve rained or flooded recently, because the dirt road was more of a muddy marsh. His feet squished through the sloshy muck with every step. Yuk! He’d have to clean his boots when he got a chance.

    A whirring sound of revving machinery and splashing filth faded into his ears as he crested a small hill and found a pickup stuck in the mire along the roadside, spraying mud as it spun its wheels like a panicked Revavroom, trying to drive out but only sinking itself faster.

    Distorted fool.

    Roy approached the truck, coming in from the side rather than behind. After that long hike, he needed a shower, but preferably one that would get him cleaner, not dirtier. He called out to the driver a few times, increasing his volume until they heard and took their distorted foot off the gas.

    When the door swung open, Roy expected a strapping country man. Instead, out stepped a young girl around Roy’s age–two years older at most–dressed in a colorful blouse and skirt and with a face that could soften a Regirock’s heart. And with the meticulous way she styled her wavy auburn hair, this dainty city chick was no resident this far out in the boonies. A second look at the truck revealed it too was wrong for mountain terrain. The only semi appropriate attire found anywhere on this girl was a pair of boots that were way too big for her, like she’d borrowed them from her burly father or older brother. A single glance told Roy she didn’t come out here often.

    A Meowth sat in the passenger seat, but other than that, it appeared to be just her–though there was no telling if anyone rode in the back with all that mud slathering the windows.

    “Oh, thank Arceus,” she said. “Please, can you help me?”

    “That’s quite the hole you’ve dug yourself into. You know spinning your tires only sinks you deeper, right?”

    The girl groaned at herself. “What a mess I’ve gotten myself into. I feel so stupid.”

    “Eh, don’t worry, we’ll get it out. I’ve got some friends to help” He reached for the Poké Balls at his side and the girl’s face lit up.

    “Oh, you’re a Trainer! Wonderful!”

    Roy threw out Sandshrew and Ponyta, using the shrew to dig the truck free and clear a path out. He instructed the girl to climb back in while he and Ponyta got behind to push. “All right, go!” She stepped on the gas as Roy and Ponyta pushed.

    No movement… then… almost…

    “A little more!”

    The girl increased the acceleration. The truck budged…

    Then again…

    Roy and Ponyta pushed harder.

    Almost…

    And…

    With a last heave, the truck rushed out of the sinkhole, spraying a blast of mud all over them. “Ah! Fuck!”

    The truck parked itself up ahead on dry road, and the girl came rushing back. “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry! Are you all right!?”

    “Bleh!” Roy spat out mud. “Yeah, don’t worry, it’s fine.” Ponyta seemed to think it was much less than “fine” as she shook the mess off, getting Roy even filthier. “Hey! Ugh.” He released Squirtle, telling him to hit him with a Water Gun, to which Squirtle responded by blasting him in the face. “Argh! Not that hard!”

    Roy groaned as he flicked off the water, but ended up just laughing. The girl had her mouth covered, eyes wide, but couldn’t help falling apart in giggling laughter as well. He was still a mess, but at least the bulk of mud was off. Roy and Ponyta stepped out of the muck and he ran his hands through the flames of her mane to dry them.

    “It doesn’t burn you. That’s incredible. A Ponyta’s trust is hard to earn, even by their own Trainers.”

    “Yeah, especially this one. Impressive you know that. Few people do.”

    “I’m a teacher at the Cerulean Trainer School. It’s one of the first things you learn about Ponyta.”

    “Really? I always wished I could’ve gone to a Trainer School, but Pallet was too small for a proper one.”

    “I’m so sorry. My name’s Hope.” Roy accepted the handshake she offered, giving his own name. “Please. Let me give you a ride to the Pokémon Center in town. It’s the least I can do.”

    Trainers typically walked from place to place, but he couldn’t turn her down. “I’d like that, thank you.” He recalled Squirtle and Ponyta and yelled for Sandshrew, who came running.

    “Don’t worry about getting anything dirty,” Hope said. “I have to clean the thing now anyway.”

    Sandshrew returned to Roy’s side as he climbed into the passenger seat. Roy stopped halfway, giving the Pokémon a hard stare. “Sandshrew…” Roy said.

    The Pokémon kept quiet, maintaining an innocent expression under those starry sunglasses.

    Roy held his hand out. “Give it.” Sandshrew turned over the trinket he’d taken at some point when they weren’t watching. A chibi keychain of… Professor Oak. Roy returned the item with a smile. “I’m sorry about that.”

    Hope laughed. “No worries. It’s fine.” She hung the keychain on her rearview mirror, and Roy returned Sandshrew to his ball before climbing the rest of the way into the truck. The stench of Meowth was strong, but beneath it wafted the more pleasant scent of flowers. Not two seconds after he sat down, Hope’s Meowth sprung into his lap. “I’m sorry. She does that. Down, girl!”

    “It’s all good,” Roy said with a smile as he petted the Meowth’s head. She was certainly nicer than the one back at the professor’s corral.

   They drove along the bumpy road in rickety silence for a minute or two before Roy spoke up. “So… Professor Oak?”

    “Oh, I’m a big fan. The man’s so brilliant and inspiring. All his research on Pokémon. His invention of the Pokédex. I’d love to meet him someday.”

    “He is great. I actually worked as one of his assistants for a few years.”

    “No way! That’s incredible!”

    “Yeah. It was a privilege. The only regret about leaving home as a Trainer is not getting to work for him anymore.”

    “That Squirtle of yours. Did you receive it as your Starter Pokémon from Professor Oak?”

    “That’s right.”

    “If it’s still a Squirtle, you must’ve set out pretty recently. Are you doing the Gym Challenge?”

    “I am. I already got my first badge from Brock in Pewter.”

    “You must be headed to Cerulean to challenge the Sensational Sisters then.” It went quiet for a moment as Hope drove on, stealing occasional furtive glances in his direction, before she spoke again, a twinge of awkwardness in her voice. “Can I… ask you another huge favor? I’m organizing a special day for my students and have been looking for volunteer Trainers to come in for a presentation. That’s the reason I came out here. I was meeting up with a strong Trainer I was told lived in these parts. That was cool the way you used your Pokémon to help me out, so… I mean, you don’t have to, but… do you want to be one of my volunteers? You’d mostly just have to be there. Show your Pokémon to the students, answer some questions for them, and maybe demonstrate a battle for us.”

    “That… actually sounds fun. I did a lot of studying under Professor Oak. It’d be nice to pass some of that along.”

    “Seriously? So you’ll do it? Thank you so much. Just think of what someone like you could offer the students!”

    They shared cordial conversation that bordered on flirtatious as they reached the city by twilight and Hope pulled her truck up to the Pokémon Center, slowing to a stop. “Well, there it is. I can drop you off here.” She drummed her fingers on the wheel as Roy unbuckled and her face went pink. “Or… well, it’s my fault you ended up such a mess. I… I’m not sure how great center facilities are and would be happy to offer you a proper shower to get cleaned up. As well as a decent meal and a better place to stay the night… I mean… if you want.”

    The sudden implication sent a jolt through Roy’s body. He swallowed, Butterfree swarming in his stomach, saying the first thing his anxious instincts came up with. “I, uh… I think I’ll be good here for the night. Thanks though.”

    “R-right. Of course.” She blushed deeper, twirling a finger in her hair. “Sorry.” She fumbled her jittery fingers trying to unlock the door.

    “No. Don’t be.” Roy stepped out. “I appreciate the ride.”

    “Any time. Thanks again for your help. I… hope to see you at the school.”

    “I’ll be there.”

    “Great. The presentation is this Lunday, the sixth. The other volunteers will be there about nine.”

    “Nine o’clock. Will do.”

    With a last smile, she rolled up the window and Roy watched her drive off, her head down, face red as a tomato. Roy rubbed his own neck awkwardly as she disappeared around the corner, wondering if getting out of that truck was a mistake.

    No sense worrying over it now. The presentation was in four days. It would give him time to explore the city and train with his Pokémon. Especially his new ones. He could do the Gym battle after.

    After dropping his Pokémon off at the counter, Roy took a lukewarm shower in the rusty facilities, then grabbed a complimentary dinner, which included an unsatisfying portion of dried out meat, mashed potatoes as slushy as the mud on Route 4, and some vegetables that must’ve been on the tail end of their expiration date. Afterward, he climbed upstairs and grabbed one of the creaky old beds. He’d expected a thriving city like Cerulean to have top of the line accommodations. Were the other centers this shabby? Or did they only seem that way under the light of where he could’ve been staying instead? Roy stared up at the faded wood bottom of the bunk above him and his mind drifted back to Hope, the friendly conversation they’d had, and reminiscing over how pretty she was. That flowery scent from her truck tickled his nose like a feather. She sure put him on the spot, but maybe he should’ve taken her up on her offer after all. He hadn’t expected such a gesture from a girl he’d just met. Let alone one a year or two older.

    Imaginings of what might’ve been filled his head with warm fantasies. She invited him over, offered him a shower, made a nice dinner for them, they talk for a while, and then…

    The moment Roy tried imagining beyond that, he flashed back to that night when he was thirteen. A trauma inducing cringe of guilt and regret twisted his gut like a viral infection. Roy banished the memory as quickly as it came and rolled over to bury his face in his pillow, trying to fill his mind with thoughts of training. The upcoming Gym battle. Of anything else until he fell asleep.

 

***

 

Roy spent breakfast the next day brainstorming training strategies. He figured he could go to Cerulean Cave on the northwestern end of town. It was said to house strong Pokémon. With that plan set, he set off. He could see the city on the way too.

    Roy stepped into the fresh air and the morning was perfect enough to be worthy of shining down on a city of such pristine beauty. People often fought over whether Cerulean or Celadon was the most beautiful city in Kanto. Officially, Celadon had earned the recognition years ago, but the two competed over this like a Seviper and Zangoose, many believing the title should transfer to Cerulean. Even now, officials ran up and down the streets, cleaning windows, polishing statues, trimming trees, or washing sidewalks. For a place named Cerulean, it had a rather silvery sheen to it, almost like a futuristic city of chrome.

    Everywhere he went, rivers and canals flowed throughout the streets with the purest water Roy had ever seen. Healthy Goldeen of vibrant orange and white swam and jumped in the waters, splashing crystal droplets into the glimmering sun. Flowers of blue, pink, and gold brightened the city, attracting pollinating Butterfree by the dozen. Nearly every house showed off gardens and lush yards of green without a single blade of brown grass, like they were preparing for a contest. They sure didn’t have this kind of curb appeal in Pallet Town.

    Roy passed a shop called Miracle Cycle, where a boisterous salesman stood on the street corner advertising their brand-new bicycle model, just in today. Absolute top of the line, for only ten thousand dollars.

    No thanks. Even if Roy could afford that, his journey wouldn’t be much of a journey if he zoomed past everything on a speedy bike. He’d take his time walking and exploring.

    At the center plaza, Roy came to the famous city fountain. Taller than his own house, the Cerulean landmark sprayed glistening cascades over several tiers. Goldeen swam in the bottom pool layered with wishing coins.

    Beyond the fountain, a wide pair of stairs led up to a square stadium with a pyramidal roof made entirely of glass. It near blinded him with its golden glow, reflecting under the sun. A building he’d seen in many a photo. This place was two things. The world-famous Cerulean aquarium and the Gym where Roy would earn his second badge.

    More than just acting Gym Leaders, people knew the Sensational Sisters as world class performers. One could argue they were more famous as celebrities than as Trainers. Their faces plastered posters and banners not only around the Gym but throughout the city. Daisy, Violet, and Lily stood as icons of Cerulean–and, to an extent, of Kanto as a whole. Roy ascended the stairs to the Aquarium and found posted schedules advertising their shows. SOLD OUT stickers had been slapped over nearly every date and time, with the only available spots being toward the tail end of the month. Their reputation tempted Roy to catch one of their shows, but, nice as this place was, he wasn’t keen on spending a month here. They likely weren’t cheap either, even if he opted for less than ideal seats.

    A pair of screens hung above the doors, playing repeated clips of their performances. The sisters were professional divers and synchronized swimmers who put on underwater stage plays and operas. Their music played over the outdoor speakers and around the aquarium park, singing with enchanting voices to rival Meloetta.

    A nearby stand advertised their shows and sold merchandise, including dolls, DVDs, and various makeup and beauty accessories marketed as the same brand used by the sisters themselves, which brought women flocking like Pidgey to bread crumbs. Seemed they put more time and effort into their aquatics than being Gym Leaders.

    He’d come back later this week. For now, Roy moved on, walking until he reached the Nugget Bridge leading across the river at the end of town. He could see why they called it that. The wood of the bridge shone such a bright yellow, it could’ve been mistaken for solid gold.

    On the other side, Roy followed a narrow, grassy path toward the cave. The gentle river flowed on his left, while a dark crag towered to his right, looming over as if threatening to shove him into the stream. When he reached the mouth of the cave, a couple of burly guards stopped him, decked out in caps and uniforms of bright blue. They carried rifles, and a pair of Rhydon flanked either side of the men. Two meters of raw, bulky muscle snarled down at Roy with angled red eyes. A drill-shaped horn poised itself–ready to kill–at the snouts of the gray, bipedal rhinos that stank of mire and silt.

    “Who are you? What business do you have here?”

    “I’m a Pokémon Trainer? I’ve come to train in preparation for challenging the Cerulean Gym?”

    “This cave is barred to everyone except high-ranking government officials, those who bear the title of Champion, the Elite Four, and a select few Gym Leaders. I don’t recognize your face as one of the few Champion title holders in Kanto, but if you’re a new one we haven’t been informed of yet, present your identification now.”

    Roy couldn’t tell if they were seriously asking or mocking him. “Sorry, I didn’t know. I was just looking for a place to train.”

    “You don’t want to train here. Champion Lance himself does not come here for a casual stroll.”

    “Are the wild Pokémon here that powerful?”

    “More than that. They’re dangerous. This place has a strong connection to the Distortion World. This cave and its Pokémon are tainted by Giratina’s violent influence.”

    Roy stepped away from the cave like it carried the plague. The Distortion World existed parallel to their own, inaccessible by any human means. But there were rare locations where the line between realities blurred. He’d never heard Cerulean Cave was one of them. Calling the Pokémon here strong had to be the understatement of the century. Being within walking distance of the city was uncomfortable enough, never mind standing right outside it. Arceus himself banished Giratina to the Distortion World ages ago for its violent nature. Even now, it attempted to break through into their reality. Who knew what might happen if it did. Fortunately, it hadn’t succeeded once in the last thirteen billion years.

    Roy glanced past the guards into the darkness of the cave. Standing this close, he wasn’t sure he’d have entered this place even without the security. The evil aura emanating from the depths of the blackness sent a chill through his body that about made his legs give out. Even in weak areas such as this, Giratina could not break through. Only its influence could. But people sometimes reported hearing its telepathic voice speaking to them in such locations. Roy almost thought he could hear it now, whispering like the sinister hiss of a serpent.

    Back… Go back… Kill him… Destroy it… MOTHER!!!

 

***

 

Being barred from Cerulean Cave threw a wrench in the works, but no great loss. He could still train around Route 24 in the fields near Nugget Bridge.

    The Sensational Sisters specialized in Water-type Pokémon. That left two of his party members at a disadvantage, three neutral, and no advantages. If he assumed they went with the standard three on three match, his best options would be Aria, Squirtle, and Beedrill. Aria couldn’t give nor take a hit, so she was the one to train today.

    Roy took out Aria and Sandshrew.

    “Clefairy!” Aria cried, raising her fists, ready to go.

    “All right, easy, girl.” She settled down for a second to listen as Roy explained. “We have a Gym battle coming up. The leaders specialize in Water-types, so, Sandshrew, you’ll probably want to sit this one out. For now, I’d like you to battle with me against Aria as a sparring partner.”

    “Sandshrew!”

    “Clefairy!”

    “Aria, come at us as you normally fight.” Roy wanted to start by observing her. They’d get nowhere training without first identifying where she needed work. Roy called for the battle to begin and Aria came at Sandshrew with a waddling charge, walloping away with physical punches and kicks, which bounced off Sandshrew’s tough hide. The shrew didn’t flinch or even try to dodge, but stood there and took the blows like a brick wall.

    Curious how she’d respond to a retaliation, Roy gave Sandshrew an order. “All right, Sandshrew. Try a basic Scratch attack.”

    He gave a lazy slap of his claws at Aria as she prepared another kick and sent her featherweight body smashing into a nearby tree, knocking her out. Roy sighed and rubbed his forehead. “Oh boy.” He walked out and sat Aria up, giving her a light shake to wake her. “That’s it. Easy does it.”

    This was going to be harder than he thought. She didn’t seem to have much to work with. Roy took out his Pokédex, scanning Aria to check her move pool. His eyes widened at what came up.

 

    Pound

    Take Down

    Double Slap

    Moonblast

    Dazzling Gleam

    Cosmic Power

    Metronome

 

    She had these kinds of options at her disposal? All he’d seen her use was punches and kicks. Dazzling Gleam and Moonblast were both excellent Fairy-type special moves, yet she insisted on Pound, Double Slap, and Take Down? Clefairy were Fairy-type special attackers that excelled in magic. And while it was wise to learn a variety, Pokémon got stronger results using moves that matched their own type. He’d assumed Aria only used physical Normal moves because she had nothing else. Why wasn’t she using her better alternatives?

    Metronome was an iconic technique for Clefairy; a wild card attack that could use any Pokémon move at random, but Roy despised leaving things to chance, so he threw that out the list of options.

    This was interesting; she knew Cosmic Power. That could help her defensive capabilities.

    Her vigor coming back, Aria jumped from Roy’s arms and rushed back to resume her fight with Sandshrew. Roy didn’t stop her. Instead, he sat and watched her throw weak punch after weak punch. Sandshrew were defensive Pokémon (which was why he used him as her sparring partner) and didn’t budge at her soft jabs.

    Aria displayed a robust fighting spirit, but seemed uncompromisingly insistent on using a physical combat style, despite her species being magical fighters by nature.

    Roy sat cross-legged and watched her fruitless attempts to take down Sandshrew, who evidently thought this a good opportunity to clean his sunglasses in the nearby river while she assaulted his back. She tried taking advantage of Sandshrew’s weakness to water by shoving him in while he leaned over, but no matter how hard she threw herself at him, he remained solid as a rooted tree.

    Roy took notes and recorded his thoughts in the journal as he observed. What to do? Pokémon must learn to listen to their Trainer, but the Trainer must also be able to adapt to the individual Pokémon’s battle style. He watched the two spar on their own while he considered strategies. Sandshrew eventually got fed up with taking Clefairy’s paperweight punches and swatted her with another Scratch that sent her flying back. Roy caught her, but rather than leap from his arms to rush back into the fight, she did something he hadn’t seen from her yet. She turned to embrace him, pouting into his chest as tears filled her tiny eyes. She’d given Sandshrew all she had. From what Roy’d observed, she’d given every opponent all she had. Only to get smacked around like a training dummy. How frustrating it must’ve been to try so hard and always fail. Enter Roy’s duty as a Trainer.

    He put a smile on and patted her head. “Hey. Don’t worry. I think I have an idea. But it will take some work. You want to give it a go?”

    Aria looked up into his eyes and blinked her tears away, nodding as the fighting spirit burned back to life in her eyes.

    “Then let’s get to it.”

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To be continued...

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