Striaton City

H- how did you find me?

- You didn’t set up the machine in Sinnoh to send me here?

Sinnoh? I’ve never been there!

- But you built the machine there!

I grab the Doc by his lab coat.

- More importantly, where the hell are my pokémon!

I don’t know! Aren’t they with you?

- No! They’re not! Each time I use one of your machines they vanish!

That doesn’t make sense. When I sent you back to Pallet Town they should have gone with you!

- Pallet Town? You never sent me back to Pallet Town!

Well, where did it send you?

- What time?

What do you mean “What time?”, that’s what I just asked you!

- No, I mean…

You used it more than once?!

I let the Doc go, he straightens his lab coat.

- Well, of course I did! You sent me that letter from Hoenn and I went back to get you. I finally found you in Ever Grande but something went wrong and I ended up in Sinnoh, you were there too but you’d already left by the time–

No more! I don’t want to know any more of that, too much knowledge of one’s future could result in disaster!

- But–

It seems you’ve found the wrong me. You were describing events that haven’t happened to me yet. I must get to the bottom of this… so when you defeated the Indigo League, where did my machine send you?

- New Bark Town, 3 years in the future… and all my pokémon were gone!

That certainly wasn’t the plan at all… I must’ve made some miscalculations. But.. I was sure I had the numbers right…

- What are you even doing here anyway?

I was enjoying a meal– oh, you mean why am I in Unova? I came here to explore the not-too-distant future. Specifically I’m here to secure permission from the gym leaders so I can continue my work and build my next machine in the Hall of Fame.

- Why does it have to be there?

Various reasons, putting it simply: the machine needs powerful pokémon with a strong bond with a trainer to work. It doesn’t harm them and it certainly shouldn’t separate them from the trainer, their bond is an important part!

So you put your time machines where only champions can go because only a champion can have a bond with such powerful pokémon?

Precisely!

- So… I should keep doing what I’ve been doing? Gather badges, defeat the champion, try to go home?

Pretty much, yes.

- But what about my missing friends?

I really don’t know where they could be. I’ll try my best to track them down and mend the fault that may have caused this.

- So… I might never see them again?

I’m afraid that’s a possibility, the important thing right now is to get you home. This was the last gym I needed permission from, I’ll be heading to the Hall of Fame soon. I have one of those fancy cross-transceiver things so we’ll stay in contact.

- Right…

Get the badges, meet me at the Hall of Fame. Knock ‘em dead, Caldar.

- Sure…

Doc gets out of his seat and walks out of the door, mumbling to himself as he goes.

I think I’ll take a different way back north, I’m told the White Forest is nice this time of year…

A waitress approaches me.

Um… excuse me. But is someone going to pay for that?

- Huh? I er…

She presents me with a bill. I look over to the entrance door but no-one could be seen.

- … fine. Can I please challenge the leader now?

The waitress takes my money and shows me to the gym leader’s arena. It’s just another part of the restaurant, it even has tables set for customers though they look a little scuffed and burnt. I guess some people like to dine really close to the action.

Ah, I’m glad you could make it. These are my brothers Chili and Cress.

Hey.

'Sup.

- Brothers? So… which one is the gym leader?

We’re all the gym leader!

Yup.

That’s right.

- Oh great… we’re going to triple battle or something?

No, since you chose a water-type as your starter…

You’ll be battling me, the grass-type user!

Dick move…

We’re all set!

You ready?

- I suppose so…

Let’s go!

Go Lillipup!

- Go Yapyap!

- Bite!

Work up!

Yapyap bites lillipup on the ear while lillipup gets worked up, becoming more energetic.

- Bite!

Bite!

Yapyap and lillipup bite eachother’s tails.

- Bite!

Bite!

Yapyap takes another bite from lillipup’s tail. Lillipup bites down on Yapyap’s flank. Yapyap heals herself by eating an oran berry I gave her earlier and lillipup finds an oran berry under a nearby table and eats it.

- Bite!

Bite!

Yapyap bites lillipup on the ear and lillipup goes for the throat. Yapyap isn’t moving.

- No!! Bushi, get 'em!

- Water gun!

Bite!

Lillipup chomps on Bushi’s arm, Bushi blasts lillipup to the ground with a jet of water.

- Water gun!

Cilan sprays a potion onto lillipup and Bushi knocks lillipup into a wall with his water gun.

- Water gun!

Bite!

Lillipup bites Bushi on the ear. Bushi launches lillipup into the air, slamming it into the ceiling, dealing critical damage. Lillipup collapses to the floor while Bushi munches on an oran berry I gave him.

Go Pansage!

- Bushi return! Go Blaze!

Work up!

Pansage builds up energy as Blaze enters the arena.

- Incinerate!

Work up!

Pansage continues to build energy, Blaze spouts flames to sear pansage.

- Incinerate!

Vine whip!

Pansage whips Blaze with it’s vine-like tail while Blaze sprays it with more flames.

- Incinerate!

Vine whip!

Pansage whips at Blaze with it’s tail again. Blaze eats the oran berry I gave him earlier and keeps grilling pansage.

- Incinerate!

Vine whip!

Blaze seems to find it a mere annoyance when Pansage whips at him and not so much breathes but rather sighs fire on it. Pansage passes out from the scorching pain.

Congratulations! And… I’m sorry about your lillipup…

It sure was a great battle!

The Trio Badge is yours!