NT. CHARGESTONE CAVE - CONTINUOUS
UP ABOVE; Hilbert is freed by Iris's Larvesta, who fries the web with a FLAMETHROWER. As Hilbert tumbles free, he hits the ground hard.

As the smoke clears, Larvesta joins its trainer's side and Hilbert gets back on his feet.

IN THE CEILING, a RAICHU - an orange Pokémon with similar stature to Pikachu - manages to make its way through a tiny CAVE and FALL onto Hilbert's shoulder.

HILBERT
Wh-What's this thing?

Raichu SHOCKS Hilbert. As he sits up, Hilbert gives a good look to the Raichu. Instantly recognizing him now.

HILBERT (CONT'D)
This can't be... Pikachu? You evolved?!

Raichu gives a gruff nod and thrusts his arm in the air confidently. Raichu leaps off of Hilbert's shoulder and confidently sparks at N and the Shadow Triad angrily -

The Shadow Triad surround N and suddenly whip their capes -

- and VANISH just as Raichu unleashes a THUNDERBOLT. It strikes the ground and causes an eruption of dirt in the spot they were all standing.

IRIS
How the...? They were JUST there!

HILBERT
...They dropped something.

Hilbert walks over and picks up something lying within the dust -

- THE DARK STONE.

HILBERT (CONT'D)
He told me the legend of Zekrom and Reshiram...

He turns to show Iris the Dark Stone.

HILBERT (CONT'D)
And said we were the "modern-day twins".
(pause)
A part of me thinks that he dropped this on purpose.

A voice interrupts.

SKYLA (O.S.)
Hello!

They turn around to see SKYLA - a young red-haired girl. Brazen, fun, and full of life. A large bat covered in fluffy fur with black wings and a heart-shaped nose follows her. This is a SWOOBAT.

SKYLA (CONT'D)
I heard a ruckus, what's goin' on?

IRIS
Team Plasma was here.

SKYLA
You mean the crazy "liberate Pokémon" people?

IRIS
Yeah.

SKYLA
Oh my... You two okay?!

HILBERT
Just a little worn out... Sore.

SKYLA
(sniffs air)
What smells like fried Torchic?

HILBERT
(nonchalant)
Oh, that would be my burning flesh.

Skyla gets hyped up now.

SKYLA
C'mon, Swoobat, help lead us out of here so we can get these two to the Pokémon Center and pronto...!

Swoobat gives a cry and leads them toward the exit - the three follow it.

INT. POKÉMON CENTER - DAY
HILBERT rests up on the couch in the lounge, IRIS sits in a chair nearby. FREEZE-FRAME on the image of them both relaxing.

HILBERT (V.O.)
Our rescuer said her name was Skyla, Mistralton City's Flying-type gym leader. On our way out, we picked up Sheldon and she told me that my Pikachu probably evolved due to exposure from a Thunder Stone, an item that apparently grows in Chargestone Cave.

INT. MISTRALTON CITY GYM - DAY
HILBERT climbs into a cannon.

HILBERT (V.O.)
I was wrong. The damn gym made you shoot yourself around in a cannon while she stood on the other side of the gym all giddy.

...It BLASTS off and Hilbert flies through the air, landing on a TARGET-shaped trampoline. He bounces into the air and lands on it again, slowing down and allowing him to get on his feet.

He enters the next cannon and it shoots him forward - flying through the air and then -

Hilbert collides with the wall and slides down slowwwwwly, until he falls flat on his face on the ground with a little twitch.

SKYLA stands on her place at the podium, right next to him. She claps with a giddy laugh.

SKYLA
Yay! I could watch people do that all day.

She giggles as Hilbert slowly gets to his feet, dazed.

HILBERT (V.O.)
I think she's a psychotic.

LATER: Their gym battle. Skyla's SWOOBAT versus Hilbert's RAICHU.

SWOOBAT manages to toss about Raichu using Psychic-powers, knocking it out. Hilbert's jaw literally drops.

HILBERT (V.O.)
Skyla's tiny little puffball bat thing pretty much stomped my Raichu in his first battle since evolution. I knew I'd be getting a hissy fit from him later...

Hilbert recalls Raichu into his ball and sends out his ARCHEOPS. Archeops charges forward, using ANCIENTPOWER to hurl rocks at Swoobat. The bat goes flying backward, hitting the ground hard just as Hilbert shouts another command to Archeops, and the large bird charges forward, pinning Swoobat down to the ground.

When Archeops gets back up, Swoobat's down and out.

NEXT UP - Hilbert has his KROKOROK fight against a BRAVIARY - a large, ruffled bird similar to an eagle with enormous legs.

SKYLA
Use Sky Drop! Try and go for a one-hit knockout!

Braviary gives an intimidating squwak and DIVES for Krokorok, picking him up with its enormous legs.

HILBERT
Krokorok, use Stone Edge!

As Krokorok's lifted into the air, he prepares an attack, creating SPIKY ROCKS in between his cupped hands - Braviary gives a HEARTY throw - Krokorok PLUMMETS toward the ground. As he spins through the air, he looks up at Braviary -

AND UNLEASHES THE STONE EDGE ATTACK.

The rocks FLY UP as Krokorok FALLS DOWN.

The rocks SLAM into Braviary, the bird FALLS down like a rocket. Both Krokorok and Braviary SLAM to the ground. When the dust clears, both of them are unconscious.

It gives a victorious roar before falling over.

HILBERT (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Since we tied - and due to the fact that she thinks I'm absolutely adorable - Skyla gave me the badge for Krokorok's valiant effort.

Skyla hands over the JET BADGE to Hilbert.

INT./EXT. MONTAGE - VARIOUS
SHOTS of HILBERT and IRIS leaving MISTRALTON.
They stand in a RAINY FOREST area, having a double battle.

HILBERT: ARCHEOPS & SWADLOON
IRIS: DEINO & SERVINE

Archeops SWOOPS down from the sky and KNOCKS into Servine. Deino JUMPS up into the air, landing on Archeops. The weight of the tiny - but heavy - Dragon is too much for the ancient bird to handle so she crash lands. Deino hops off just in time and lands on all fours.

Just as Swadloon tries to use BUG BITE on Deino. Deino's too fast and uses a crunch attack to BITES onto Swadloon's draping tail of leaves. Swadloon waddles around frantically, with Deino still clamped on her tail.

Servine uses VINE WHIP on Archeops's sleeping body...

HILBERT (V.O.)
Iris and I trained a lot on our way to Icirrus City... She won a lot of the battles, but she won 'em fair and square, so I didn't complain.

FADE from this battle to show Hilbert and Iris arriving at a SNOWY MOUNTAIN area called TWIST MOUNTAIN.

FADE to Hilbert and Iris camping out inside a cave together. Hilbert looks uninterested, as Iris yaps on he focuses on eating a sandwich.

FADE to HILBERT's KROKOROK facing off against a MINCCINO, a cute little chinchilla Pokémon. Minccino delivers a powerful AQUA TAIL attack, while Krokorok glows and evolves into a terracotta-colored, striped with black, crocodile. It's enormous, intimidating and powerful just in its looks - a KROOKODILE!

HILBERT (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Krokorok evolved into Krookodile and learned a new attack, Dragon Claw.

Krookodile's massive claws glow purple and strike Minccino. The tiny little chinchilla is knocked out, Hilbert throws a Poké Ball, and catches it.

HILBERT (V.O.) (CONT'D)
And then I caught the little Minccino.

FADE to the duo trudging up a snowy hill, and when they reach the top - they see a tiny CITY overhead. With the sign "WELCOME TO ICIRRUS CITY".