Pokémon - Winds of a New Beginning

Winds of a New Beginning

The wonderful world of Pokémon. Home to many wondrous creatures known as Pocket Monsters — colloquially referred to as Pokémon — it is a world as diverse and amazing as the creatures who inhabit it. Some humans live alongside Pokémon, forming bonds of friendship and love with the beasts whose world they share. There are those who put on shows with their Pokémon, ranging from Contest performances to circuses unlike any that you will ever see. Others capture Pokémon and use them in contests of sport and skill. These people are called Pokémon Trainers, and one certain young man — Jason Reid — aspired to be one.

The young boy had moved to the Johto region with his mother, Prudence Reid, from the Hoenn region. The mother and son duo settled on the mainland in New Bark Town, and had been living there happily for several months. Jason wasn't a trainer himself, but had always been fascinated by Pokémon, and while he preferred watching Contests as a child, simply wanted to be friends with Pokémon as a Trainer. Prudence had grown up in Johto, and wanted Jason to begin his journey in the Johto region. Rather conveniently, the local Professor, Professor Joshua Elm, had contacted Prudence. She and he had been close friends when they were both young, and wanted to give Jason the gift of a Pokémon after she considered them settled.

Sitting in the corner was a young man, thirteen years of age, with tousled, dark brown hair, bordering on black, with matching eyes. He was wearing a white shirt and boxers, his standard nightwear. Jason Reid should have been getting ready for bed, but he was lost in thought, anticipating tomorrow. "A Pokémon Trainer..." murmured Jason, sitting next to the window in his bedroom, staring outside into the night sky. The fresh air of the Johto region certainly could not be compared to the freshness of Hoenn, but Jason found it had a certain spice he enjoyed, especially at night. "So I'll take my first step tomorrow..." He glanced out of the window again, and to his surprise, saw what appeared to be a shimmering shape in the far distance. It hovered over the water near the far edge of town, before vanishing entirely.

What...was that? A mirage? The boy thought, blinking rapidly. Do mirages even form over water? He frowned. He'd never seen one, so he wouldn't know. He glanced at the clock on his wall — 11: 15 PM — and groaned as he got up. He walked over to the desktop computer at his table, and made sure he hadn't forgotten to turn it off. His mother had sent him "Adventure Rules" that she recommended he read, but they'd just been the sort of common sense you could find anywhere. The boy crashed onto his feather bed with a wide grin.

"Tomorrow...I'll officially be a Pokémon Trainer!" Snickering like a small child, Jason drifted off to sleep, his dreams filled with wild Pokémon and famous trainers.

"Jason, dear, wake up!" Prudence was shouting loudly up the stairs. "You have an appointment with Professor Elm, don't you?!" When the woman was greeted with utter silence, she groaned and clambered up the stairs. Straightening her black hair, the mother of one knocked loudly on her son's wooden door. "Jason! Dear! You've slept in long enough! Don't you want to get your first Pokémon?"

The boy tossed and turned, grumbling. His mother's frequent banging on the door, however, was enough to rouse him. He rolled over, and cast a passing, drowsy glance at the clock. The moment he saw the time — nearly 9:00 — and practically sprang out of bed, spurting out words that would have him in quite a bit of trouble if this had been any other day. The boy scrambled out of his undergarments and into fresh clothes, then pulling on a pair of black and yellow shorts, with a red and white jacket. He rushed into the bathroom, passing right past his mother on the second floor, and and splashed harshly cold water on his face.

"Aren't you going to take a shower or anything?" inquired Prudence, Jason rushing right past her yet again and making a beeline for the stairs. She watched her son frantically have to steady himself and avoid a nasty fall down the staircase, and the young mother followed the boy towards the lounge. Jason, in his excitement, was already attempting to make a break for the door, before being stopped by a particularly loud tsk from his mother.

"Ma, I thought I was in a hurry!" complained Jason.

The woman groaned, and walked over towards the kitchen counter, and lightly tossed a black item that was laying around towards her son. Jason caught it lightly, a perk of good reflexes, which would be critical for an aspiring Pokémon Trainer, and glanced at it. It was a black and white, flip top device, with a special bottom section that Jason knew was used to scan special expansion cards to upgrade this device with other functions. It was built to clip onto clothing, and Jason was quick to attach it to his sleeve.

"Were you in so much of a hurry you forgot that your Pokémon Gear came back from the repair shop this morning?" replied Prudence, placing a hand on her hip and sighing. "Make sure you set the date and time, sweetie."

"OK, OK, can I go now?!" asked Jason impatiently.

Prudence couldn't help but grin, and walked over to her son, placing a hand on the boy's head. She ruffled his already messy hair, and knelt slightly. "You're as impatient as your father, Jason. Boys should learn to listen to their mama." She gestured to the Pokémon Gear, and then gestured at herself. "I know you know how to use the phone, but I've already recorded my phone number, OK? Call me when you get to the next town over, OK? Don't let me worry."

"...Alright, Ma," agreed Jason, and he reached up to hug his mother, before heading towards the front of the house. The boy knelt by the door, strapping on his trainers, and grabbed his bag and cap from the coat-rack near the door.

"Good luck, sweetie!" called out Prudence; Jason, rushing out the door, waved. Prudence smiled. "You really are just like your father..."

Tearing away from his home, Jason made a sharp left turn and started running. Professor Elm's Pokémon Laboratory was located in the eastern outskirts of New Bark Town. He breathed in deep, and increased his speed. As he ran, Jason took to adjusting the PokéGear — only old people called it a "Pokémon Gear" — and properly set the date and time. The boy deftly avoided running into neighbors, apologising profusely without stopping. Jason ran down the road, passing by multiple houses, even the general hospital.

"I...should...have...just...borrowed...Ma's....bike..." groaned the boy, sitting down the edge of the road. He was so close to Elm's lab, he could practically see it. But he was exhausted, and didn't want to pick up his first Pokémon looking like he'd just run a mile — even though he'd honestly run several. Catching his breath and wiping the sweat from his brow, he placed his hands on the grassy roadside. Turning his head, he could have sworn he saw motion in his peripheral vision.

Was that a person? Jason wondered. He shook his head. Nah, I'm seeing things. Just a little tired. Probably should have taken a bottle of water from the house. Too late now. After another moment's rest, Jason stood up, and walked towards the Pokémon Lab. The building itself was one of the larger structures in the town, fenced off only slightly from the fore to prevent break-ins. It was a two-story building; the main laboratory and its facilities filled the bottom floor, and Jason knew that Elm slept at the top floor above his lab.

Jason stepped forward, opened the door, and walked into the building. True to what he knew, he was immediately assaulted visually by the hustle and bustle of the Elm Pokémon Lab. The floor was a polished green tile, while the walls themselves were a teal hue. Stacked against the walls were bookshelves filled to bursting with books about Pokémon, and Jason honestly could have just pulled up a chair and spent days in here reading if he hadn't been here with purpose. Various machines were scattered about, the functions of which Jason couldn't comprehend and wasn't the last bit curious about. The professor's several aides practically ignored him; he was invited, and they had far too much to focus on to bother with a thirteen-year old teenage boy.

He walked across the lower floor, and could see the Professor at the far end of the Lab. The man was busying himself with his computer, and far to his right was a cylindrical machine which held three Poké Balls. Due to being near the far edge of the lab, windows were positioned here which allowed shimmering sunlight to burst in. Professor Elm was so absorbed in his research that he did not notice Jason walk in, much less approach him from the rear. Jason cleared his throat impatiently.

Nothing.

The prospective trainer groaned, and tapped his finger on the Professor's back. Elm let out a yelp, as if struck by electricity, and stumbled out of his chair violently. Jason watched the man in utter amazement — later he would tell his mother he had proof that people could jump from a sitting position — and knelt down to help the man back to his feet.

"I-I'm sorry, Professor, I didn't mean to scare you like that," said Jason hurriedly. "I thought you would have noticed me."

"It's fine," replied Elm, catching his breath. He took Jason's hand, and helped the boy pull himself to his feet. He dusted himself off, and straightened his glasses. "Once I start to focus on my work, I drown everything out. I've always been that way. Now, how can I help you, Jason?"

"I'm...here for my Pokémon...?" Jason said, resisting the urge to sigh once again.

"OH!" Elm slapped his fist into his palm. "That's right! I promised you a Pokémon, didn't I?" He walked over towards the cylindrical machine, and motioned for Jason to follow him. Jason complied, and Elm gestured at the three Poké Balls that rested within the machine. Jason took a look in, and could see three the semi-transparent tops of the Poké Balls into the Pokémon inside.

"They're all adorable..." He said, almost whispering.

"I figured, if you wanted a Pokémon, you would be able to help me with my research at the same time," continued Elm. "These three Pokémon are native to Johto, but immensely rare. I'm collaborating with Professor Oak to study how these Pokémon live and develop with human trainers." Elm pressed a button on the machine, opening the glass that was separating the Pokémon from the humans, and smiled. "Ok, Jason. You have your choice of three."

"I can really pick one?" inquired the boy. He'd made it all the way here, and he still didn't believe that he was about to be gifted a Pokémon.

"You have a choice of three," said Elm. "Totodile, the energetic Water-type Pokémon! Cyndaquil, the powerful Fire-type Pokémon! Or Chikorita, the serene Grass-type Pokémon. Choose carefully. Your partner will be irreplaceable."

The three Pokémon looked up at Jason, innocent looks of curiosity filling their eyes. Jason looked at them with equal amounts of fascination, and slowly rotated the Poké Balls on their display. After a moment of deliberation, he reached over and picked up the Poké Ball containing Chikorita and Jason's eyes met and the Grass-type Pokémon smiled. Jason couldn't help but smile back, and showed the Poké Ball to Professor Elm.

"So you've picked Chikorita? A good choice; Grass-type Pokémon are the best for early trainers," said Elm. "It's always a treat to see someone begin a new journey with their partner Pokémon. Do you want to give your partner a nickname?"

Jason looked at Chikorita. It was such a cute Pokémon, and he needed a cute nickname for it. "I'll work on that later," said Jason. "It'll take a little more time to think of one."

"That's fine too," said Elm. "Well, you've got a Pokémon of your own, but that's just the first step. I have one more gift for you, but it isn't with me. A friend of mine, Mr. Pokémon, would actually like to speak with you. His house is just past the next town over. Head there, and you'll receive your second gift from none other than Professor Oak. It's sure to help us both with our research, as well as being a great aide to you as a Pokémon trainer."

"That's right...I'm officially a trainer now," said Jason. He placed the Poké Ball that held Chikorita at his belt, and grinned excitedly. "I'm really a trainer!" He gestured with his arm, and had to restrain himself from jumping. "Alright, Professor! I'll go see Mr. Pokémon!" His hand brushed the Poké Ball at his side, and he remembered he wasn't being properly grateful. "Professor Elm, thank you!"

"Oh don't thank me," said the Professor hurriedly. "'Everyone should be able to share a bond with Pokémon and experience the world in their own way'. Those are the words of Professor Oak, and I think he's right. Prue—" it took Jason a moment to register Elm's nickname for his mother "—should have registered my number in your Pokémon Gear; phone me if anything happens, or you need advice."

"I will," replied Jason. As the boy turned to leave, there was a cracking, quickly followed by the shattering of glass. The horrible sound caught the attention of the entire lab, Elm and Jason turning on their heels to see the figure of a person forcing its way quickly through one of the now shattered windows. It looked to be a boy around Jason's age, clad in dark clothing with a shock of red hair.

"W-What are you doing in he—?" Elm began to shout, but the boy blindsided him and shoved him into his own desk, sending him sprawling to the polished tile floor. The boy turned towards the cylindrical machine, still open after Jason had selected his Pokémon, and snatched one of the remaining Poké Balls violently from its holder. He either had no need for a second one, or knew it would be more than enough trouble trying to steal just the one. Poké Ball in hand, the boy rushed past Jason, shoving him aside before he could make an objection.

"W-Wait, get back here!" Jason called out, but the boy paid no heed. The aides attempted to apprehend him, yet he ducked beneath them and slid across the ground before launching himself to his feet and running. The new trainer groaned, and made a dash for the thief. "Someone call the police! I'll try and get him!" Ignoring any protests, Jason bolted after the redheaded boy, who'd thrown open the door without any thought to close it. Now on open road, Jason looked rapidly in all directions before he saw the thief heading towards the eastern road out of the town.

I can't let him get away! Not with that little Pokémon! Jason thought as he tore off after the boy. As he ran, he grabbed a stone from the side of the road, and clenched it tightly. He wouldn't be able to catch up if he couldn't stall the boy somehow. Putting his all into running, Jason tossed the stone as accurately as he could towards the thief boy. The stone hit the ground and bounced forward, striking him in the leg. He yelped, wincing and coming to a complete stop.

Jason thanked his luck, and pushed forward. He made a leap, and tackled the redheaded thief boy to the ground, pinning him as best he could. "Got ya!" grunted Jason, fixing his strongest hold despite the thief's struggles. "Now let's just wait here for the po—" A fresh gust of air escaped his lungs, the thief having forced his elbow backwards into Jason's stomach. His hold slacked, and the thief pushed Jason off him. He landed on his rear, and clutched his stomach.

"You're persistent," said the thief, looking down on Jason with utmost distaste. "But I don't have time for you." He turned on his heel and ran, leaving Jason to watch him get away.

Damn...no... The boy gripped at the Poké Ball on his belt, and threw it down. The Ball opened in a giant puff of smoke, and the miniaturised Chikorita appeared at full size, expression angry. It let out a battle cry, and glanced back at its new trainer. "Ch-Chikorita...help me, OK?"

Chikorita let out a noise of assent, and rushed forward. Jason didn't know what attacks that it could use, so he would have to hope for its own instincts to do the best job it could. The small Grass-type Pokémon swung the leaf that sat on top of its head, and released a flurry of seemingly sharp leaves that rushed forward. They just barely missed the thief, who revolved to glare at his two opponents.

That...was Razor Leaf? Jason blinked, recognising the move on sight.

"Is that your way of challenging me to a battle?" he asked, scowling. "Do all weaklings lack formality?" He gripped the Poké Ball he'd stolen, and it glinted in the bright morning sunlight. "You were there when I took this Pokémon; I think I may have nicked the strongest one. Fine, I'll battle you!" He threw the Poké Ball towards the ground, and it opened in an explosion of smoke, revealing to Jason just which Pokémon the thief had stolen from Elm.

Cyndaquil, the Fire-type Pokémon.

Fire versus Grass...I couldn't have picked a worse opponent for my first battle...groaned Jason internally. Cyndaquil and Chikorita looked at each other, instantly recognising their friend. It was quite clear that Chikorita wasn't keen on fighting Cyndaquil. Cyndaquil, however, did not look nearly as concerned, and was bristling for battle. Its back, devoid of flame, burst into a conflagration that intimidated Chikorita, who took a step backwards.

"Cyndaquil, let's see what you can do. Take that weakling out and let's move on! Ember!"

Following orders flawlessly, the blaze on Cyndaquil's back flared, and released several small blasts of flame. They launched towards Chikorita, who was frozen in a panic.

It's scared...! thought Jason quickly. It can't dodge! Acting quickly, he sprung to his feet, scooping Chikorita out of the way and away from the embers, which landed on the dirt road and fizzled out. Rolling into a crouching position, he set Chikorita down, glaring at the thief. "Chikorita, I know you're nervous, and it's our first battle...but muster up some courage. We can't get your friend back from him if we let him get away now!"

Slowly, the small Pokémon nodded. It looked from its trainer, who had just risked himself to protect it, to Cyndaquil, who was following the orders of a complete stranger. The Grass-type Pokémon cooed, and nuzzled briefly against Jason's leg in gratitude. Then, the little Pokémon braced itself against the ground and entered a combat stance. Eyes set and burning, it swung the leaf on its head again; an angry warning to Cyndaquil.

"If only the little thing had bite to back up that bark," said the thief. "Cyndquil, Tackle it!"

The Fire-type Pokémon rushed forward, running at an impressive speed and launching its body at Chikorita.

"Chikorita, dodge and use Razor Leaf!" Jason commanded, also making sure to avoid the oncoming Cyndquil himself. Chikorita leapt to the side as Cyndaquil closed in, and swung its leaf in an arc to release another array of sharp leaves. They made good this time, grazing the Fire-type Pokémon, whose admittedly good reflexes allowed it to avoid the brunt of the damage, yet it was cut by the slicing leaves nonetheless. The two small Pokémon stared each other down, and the trainers shot each other the iciest of stares, before ordering their Pokémon simultaneously.

"Rush it down with Tackle attack!"

Cyndaquil and Chikorita made a break for each other, throwing themselves in a full-body towards the other. They collided, striking each other before breaking apart and rushing past their opponent. Turning around to face each other, the two received quick orders from their trainers.

"Ember!"

"Razor Leaf!"

High-pitched battle cries sounded as the two Pokémon executed their commands. Sparks of embers effused from Cyndaquil's spinal blaze, while the cranial foliage of Chikorita released the burst of razor sharp leaves. The embers burned the leaves away, and a minor amount of them continued to fly. They collided with Chikorita, who let out a yelp of pain as parts of its small body began to suffer from the damage of the embers.

"Chikorita, smother it! Bury the flames into the dirt road!"

Despite the panic, Chikorita followed the directions as best it could, rolling onto the dirt road and pressing the burning portions of its body into the dirt. Within moments, the flames were smothered and Chikorita was right as rain.

They're annoyingly persistent... thought the thief. If I don't lose them, I'll lose this Pokémon! Gritting his teeth, he shouted. "Cyndaquil! Smokescreen! Let's make a break for it!" From the blaze on its back, Cyndaquil released a stream of thick white smoke from its back that covers the battlefield. Jason's vision was obscured, filled with white, and he began to hack and cough violently.

He's...escaping with a smokescreen?! Jason thought, his eyes stinging. He has to be headed to Route 29...! Gritting his teeth, Jason called out through the thick smoke to Chikorita. "Chikorita! Run right through!" He made a dash forward, breaking through the smokescreen and gulping great lungfuls of fresh air. Chikorita followed him, and it looked immensely stressed; the smoke was even harder on something so small. Jason knelt down and picked it up. "Come on, let's catch them!"

He rushed towards the eastern exit to town, and was relieved to see the backs of the thief and Cyndaquil. The townscape gradually began to shift towards wilderness, trees dotting the landscape far more frequently until it was easy to become lost in the dense foliage. Jason knew that if he let the boy run too far, he'd never find them. "Chikorita! Razor Leaf, now!"

With a shrill cry, Chikorita released the range of bladed leaves from its head. They flew towards the duo at high-speeds. If Jason had been any closer, he'd have heard the thief sigh with exasperation. "Cyndaquil! Ember, now!"

Sparks flew from Cyndaquil's back, igniting and burning away the leaves before they could even make contact. The two spun around for a final time to stare down Jason, who skidded to a halt with Chikorita at his side. A sharp wind blew between the sets of pairs, and the thief boy's determined expression, for only a moment, intimidating Jason. He'd never seen such sharp eyes. There was a purpose behind them that he couldn't understand, but he knew one thing. The boy wasn't out becoming a trainer for fun.

"Cyndaquil! Stop fighting us and come back to Professor Elm!" shouted Jason. "Do you want to be with a thief like that?! He stole you!"

The Fire-type Pokémon huffed, letting out a cry. It wasn't one of sadness. Even Jason could recognise a defiant refusal from the small Pokémon.

"You don't get it, do you?" snapped the boy impatiently. "Cyndaquil would rather come with me than stay in that Lab forever. I'll teach it how to use its power." He walked over, knelt down, and placed a hand on the Fire-type's head. "You're just wasting our time. But I'll give you credit for being tenacious pain in my neck. I'm sure I'll run into a weakling like you again, so I'll give you my name." He ran a hand through his brilliant red hair. "My name is Silus. I'm going to be the world's greatest Pokémon Trainer."

"The introduction is nice and all, but I'm not letting you get away with Cyndaquil, so your dream is about to be cut short!" snapped Jason.

"I don't think so," replied Silus. "You did OK for such a weakling, but this game of tag ends here. Cyndaquil, use Ember on the ground! Set it on fire!"

"Wait, don't—!"

Jason's protests were drowned out by Cyndaquil's battle cry. Spheres of flame launched from Cyndaquil's back, and fell straight down into the space dividing himself and Silus. They landed onto the rich grass, igniting almost instantly and beginning to spread. The release of flames did not stop, and the blaze reached a high intensity, feeding off fresh and dead foliage alike, until Jason had no hope of approaching Silus now. Without so much as a word, Silus turned, and with Cyndaquil in tow, fled the scene.

That nutter actually did it! Jason thought, aghast. The fire before him was beginning to grow, fed by nothing but the plant matter on which if crept. Chikorita was stepping backwards, complete fear on the small Pokémon's face. The situation was beginning to dawn on several of the Pokémon on the route, who began to flee in every direction. Rattata, Pidgey, and Sentret began to run screaming from their homes. As the flames spread and rise up into trees, Pidgey and even Hoothoot began to take flight in a panic.

"Chikorita! We have to run back! We'll get caught up in the blaze if we just stand here!" Jason ordered. He and the Grass-type Pokémon turned and attempted to run. It was only when they turned to leave that they saw the flames were beginning to spread behind them as well. The flames licked at their sides, and they were forced to move deeper into the route to gain distance between the two separate wildfires. The heat was only beginning to rise, and Jason could feel the perspiration on his face and neck.

Am...am I going to die here?! Like this?! Jason reached for his Poké Ball, and pointed it towards Chikorita. In a small burst of smoke, Poké Ball was recalled into the Ball, miniaturised to fit. "You stay in here, Chikorita. The Poké Ball should keep you safe! Someone will find you, even if...well, even if I can't make it out of this!" The small Grass-type Pokémon gave Jason a look of pure surprise, and began to frantically shake its head, making noises that Jason could not hear through the Poké Ball. It pressed its front legs towards the covering, but Jason shook his head in return.

"I didn't get my first Pokémon just to let it die with me," said the boy. "And to be honest...I didn't think my journey would end like this." The wall of flame was still thin enough that the Poké Ball could roll through it without suffering damage. He was out of luck either way. The boy knelt down, and prepared toss the Poké Ball through the inferno. As he did, he felt a sudden adjustment in the temperature. It was a brief flash of a chill, a brisk wind that pierced the flames.

Was he imagining it?

The answer came quickly, when he saw the flames began to quiver and suddenly bend as a massive gust of wind roared through. It wasn't a simple breeze, the likes of which would have fed the flames. Instead, it was a massive squall that blasted through the forest, almost seeming to pass through Jason as it suppressed the flames. The growing flames began to tremble and shake, reducing in size. The wind did not let up, forcing the flames to simply fade away. Within mere moments, the entire blast had been quelled.

Jason was left stunned. The weather in this whole country was strange, he knew that much — it could be raining for twenty minutes, and then the sun would burst through the clouds — but that was far more than a freak occurrence. That wind had come in and wailed over the conflagration, willing the flames to die. He looked around, seeing the scorch marks left behind by the brief blaze. The Pokémon that had begun to flee were tentatively poking their heads out of untouched grass to see if it was safe.

The boy tossed Chikorita's Poké Ball, and the Grass-type re-emerged in a blast of smoke, re-assuming full size. Jason knelt down to the Pokémon, and smiled weakly, attempting to offer an apology. Before he even could, Chikorita walked over and slapped his face with its leaf, turning away from its trainer. It was clearly huffy, but then it opened a single eye to glance at Jason from the side. Jason offered his hand to the Pokémon. "I'm sorry, Chikorita. That was...really dumb and reckless. From now on, we're in this together. One-hundred percent. OK?"

A brief silence followed his words, but Chikorita walked over, and it nuzzled into the palm of his head, before artfully climbing up his arm. It perched itself as well as it could on his shoulder, and let out a happy coo. Jason grinned. Chikorita was his first Pokémon, but it trusted him implicitly. He wanted to be able to live up to that trust in the future. Gently scratching beneath its chin, he earned a wide smile from Chikorita. "Let's head back to New Bark Town. I'm sure Elm and the police will want to Silus' name and description." The two made to walk back towards home, but a sudden gust of wind caught Jason's attention. It blew around his body, picking up leaves and whirling in front of him.

The air began to shimmer with the wind, and it seemed to, for only a brief second, take form. A large, quadruped beast with a barely defined shape appeared before Jason. A melodious cry filled his ears, like the chiming of a crystal bell. The indistinct shape, whatever it was, seemed to be watching Jason. The sound and figure began to fade simultaneously, but to Jason, that brief peal had a meaning. It almost seemed to speak to him.

Come and find me. I'll be waiting.

Did I inhale too much smoke? He wondered, but the look he and Chikorita exchanged made it quite clear that they had seen the same thing. He stared directly at the spot where the figure had vanished, and grinned broadly. This journey might shape up to be something unique after all.

"Okay, Chikorita! Let's go home! Then, we're setting off!"

Edge of Cherrygrove City, That Same Time

Silus was sitting near the ocean, Cyndaquil at his side, carefully avoiding the tide. The red-headed boy was holding a Pokégear in his hand, and it was flipped open. He was speaking directly into it.

"Yeah. I can't say it went off without a hitch, but I managed to get one of the Professor's Pokémon," he said, sounding tired. "I had a brief hiccup, dealing with some irksome pest that wouldn't leave me alone."

"Well, beggars can't be choosers, right? We'd be lying if we said everything was going according to plan, but there's no helping it. Meet up with me at Azalea Town. I want to investigate Illex Forest."

"You'll see me there," replied Silus, closing the Pokégear with a click. He looked down at Cyndaquil. "We seem to be compatible, Cyndaquil. From here on out, you can't show me an ounce of weakness. Let me see your full power, and I'll realise my own dream."

The Fire-type Pokémon let out a confident cry, and its flame briefly roared to life. It was clear that it was agreeing to its trainer's terms.

"Then let's go to Azalea Town."