Chapter 3:
Their Pokémon Ranch
Location: Floccesy Town
"So, what's the plan?" Hugh asked.
"Well, I had a call from Ellie," I said. "She wants us to come over to the Ranch just to check it out. You up for that?"
Hugh put his hand to his side. "I was hoping to catch a Pokémon today. Do you think we could?"
Well, of course that was a plan. I was told that the Ranch had lots of tall grass, and tall grass meant Pokémon. I got out the Town Map.
"It's just down Route 20. Shall we go together or separately?"
"You go first," Hugh said. "I'll be behind a bit. Don't worry about me!"
With his assuring words, I headed east out of Floccesy Town.
Location: Route 20
The river flowed swiftly under a wooden bridge I was about to cross. The green trees swayed in the wind. And I was ready to take on the Unova region.
But first, I needed to take on a Trainer. Just a Youngster.
"Hey! You're not crossing the bridge without battling me, are you?"
Rosa Vs. Youngster Terrell
"I choose Patrat!" Terrell shouted.
"Snivy, go!" I shouted back. "Start with your Vine Whip!" Snivy summoned vines that hit Patrat hard.
"Come back with Tackle!" Patrat charged into Snivy.
"One more Vine Whip!" Snivy created more vines that attacked Patrat one last time. It fainted.
"Oh. Well, I guess you can cross the bridge."
The bridge was nice and sturdy. I mean, why wouldn't it be? Some people can't swim after all!
Before I reached some tall grass, I had to battle a Lass.
"Well now. A Trainer with one Pokémon. Let's see how you do!"
Rosa Vs. Lass Isabel
I sent out Snivy as Isabel sent out Purrloin.
"Vine Whip!" I yelled. Snivy used the Grass Type move on Purrloin.
"Scratch it!" Purrloin jumped back and swiped Snivy across the face.
"Tackle, go!" Snivy charged into Purrloin. It was finished.
"Impressive y'all! But you're gonna need more than that if you want to be the best!"
Isabel was right. Whilst yes Hugh had certainly brought it up, I did need a new Pokémon if I was going to get anywhere. But I wanted to see what I came across. So, I walked in the tall grass.
I went left, then right. I started running, before I came across something. It was small, round and had a yellow and black colour scheme.
Sunkern (ヒマナッツ)
020
Grass Type
Seed Pokémon
1'00" (0.3 m)
4 lbs (1.8 kg)
It suddenly falls out of the sky in the morning. Knowing it's weak, it simply feeds until it evolves.
I didn't really want this. Two Grass Types wouldn't be very balanced. Plus, Sunkern has the lowest base stat total of any Pokémon discovered thus far, so I fled.
I walked out the tall grass, went across another bridge and saw the entrance to the ranch.
Location: Floccesy Ranch
I walked under the sign that had the name of the Ranch on it and walked into the farm. There were three buildings, all with red roofs. There was a barn, presumably where they keep the Pokémon. There was a house where the family stays. Finally, there was a silo where crops are stored for distribution.
"Rosa!" Ellie said, her now sheered Mareep beside her. "Thanks again! Mareep has become far more confident!"
Mareep gave a happy bleep, even if it was shivering on the spot. Spring had only just started after all.
"Hugh should arrive soon," I said. "Is it alright if I look for a Pokémon in the grass?"
"No prob!" Ellie replied. "It's the least I could do to thank you! Keep this up and we'll have a very profitable year!"
I walked into the place where they were rearing Mareep. "Something must be here," I said. I couldn't go far though, because a Lass who was rearing a Mareep looked over at me.
"Hey, you're not from around here!"
Rosa Vs. Lass Molly
"Purrloin, go!" Molly shouted.
"I choose Snivy!" I replied. "Vine Whip!" Snivy whacked Purrloin with its vine. It was a Critical Hit and Purrloin was down in one.
"Okay then. Go Sewaddle!" Molly shouted. Great. A Bug Type.
Sewaddle (クルミル)
017
Bug/Grass Type
Sewing Pokémon
1'00" (0.3 m)
5.5 lbs (2.5 kg)
Since this Pokémon makes its own clothes out of leaves, it is a popular mascot for fashion designers.
"Snivy, Tackle it!" Snivy charged into Sewaddle quickly.
"Sewaddle, tackle it back!" Sewaddle charged into Snivy. A lot slower let's just say.
"One more Tackle!" Snivy was able to ram Sewaddle one more time to knock it out.
"Well, for someone not from around here you are strong!"
I went into the tall grass and ran around. Finally, something did jump out that wasn't a Grass Type! It was blue and round, with a tail that looked like a small blue beachball. It was bouncing on its tail, and its face was quite depressed.
Azurill (ルリリ)
030
Normal Type
Polka Dot Pokémon
0'08" (0.2 m)
4.4 (2 kg)
It swings its large, nutrient-filled tail around the fight opponents bigger than itself.
Baby Pokémon
"Snivy, go!" I shouted. "Vine Whip!" Snivy whipped Azurill quite hard. Azurill wasn't quite finished. It fired a Bubble attack at Snivy, which did very, very little. "That'll do. Go Pokéball!" I shouted, as I threw it at Azurill. It went inside and the Pokéball shook.
It clicked shut! I had caught my first Pokémon!
"I did it!" I said, just as my Xtransciever went off. It was Hugh. "Hugh, you wouldn't believe it, but I caught my first Pokémon!"
"Not the time," Hugh said worriedly. "I've arrived, and we have trouble."
I ran back to where Ellie and Hugh were waiting worriedly. With them was an old man, who looked concerned.
"What's going on?" I asked.
"My poor Herdier; someone took off with it!" the man said.
"WHAT?!" I said.
"Grampa," Ellie said. "Rosa will get it for you. Won't you?"
I sent out Snivy and Azurill. "No. We will! Right Hugh?"
Hugh had his left hand clenched. Tears were rolling down his face. "Stealing Pokémon. I can't think of much scummier things to do. I'd be more than happy to help."
I knew what was up with him.
Ellie explained what happened. "They took off into the farm forest. The trees are far too thick to wade through so they must be somewhere on the property."
After Ellie healed my Pokémon, I told Hugh to get going.
Me and Hugh ran through the fields to a section with tall grass everywhere.
"Where could Herdier be?" I said. "They're loyal, they wouldn't just wonder off."
Hugh gave me an "Are you serious?" look. "It was stolen. Please. Take this seriously. Look, congratulations on your new Pokémon. But for now, we should focus on this."
I hated it when Hugh got this serious. But I understood why he was. "Well, why don't we split up? We will have less backup for Trainer attacks, but we can cover more ground. And hey, we're strong aren't we?"
"Good idea," Hugh replied. "Best of luck."
I ran one way and Hugh ran the opposite. "Herdier!" I yelled. "Where are you?"
"I know where Herdier is!" shouted a young boy.
"You do!" I asked.
"Follow me!"
I did just that. He took me to the end of the road, which was a dead end.
"Where is Herdier?" I asked.
"Just kidding!" he said. "Now we have to battle!"
Rosa Vs. Youngster Kenny
"Go Patrat!" Kenny shouted.
"I choose Azurill!" I replied. "Okay, come back. Go Snivy!" I honestly knew that Azurill wasn't quite ready to battle yet.
"Bite Patrat!" Patrat bit down on Snivy's tail.
"Use Vine Whip!" Snivy attacked Patrat with its vines, forcing it's grip off the tail.
"Use another Bite!" Patrat went for another attack, but it missed.
"Now use Tackle!" Snivy charged into Patrat, finishing it off.
"Come back Lillipup. Go Psyduck!" Kenny's other Pokémon was yellow and had a large bill with webbed feet.
Psyduck (コダック)
028
Water Type
Duck Pokémon
2'07" (0.8 m)
43.2 lbs (19.6 kg)
When headaches stimulate its brain cells, which are usually inactive, it can use a mysterious power.
"Vine Whip Snivy!" Snivy hit Psyduck with a Super Effective blow.
"Scratch Psyduck!" Psyduck waddled over to Snivy and scratched it.
"Finish with Tackle!" Within close range, Snivy charged into Psyduck. It went backwards and fell on its head, fainting.
"Oh my goodness, I beat Kenny!" I yelled.
After I beat that time wasting brat, I got a call from Hugh on the Xtransciever.
"Where are you?" he asked.
"Sorry, I picked the wrong path. Any luck?"
"Yeah," Hugh said. "You might wanna get here."
I gulped, gave Kenny an evil stare and ran off the other way.
I reached where Hugh was waiting. He had Herdier by his side.
Herdier (ハーデリア)
013
Normal Type
Loyal Dog Pokémon
2'11" (0.9 m)
32.4 lbs (14.7 kg)
This very loyal Pokémon helps Trainers, and it also takes care of other Pokémon.
Lillipup -Lv 16- Herdier
Who was Hugh going against? Well, he was wearing all black. He had a grey facemask that covered his mouth and nose. But it also had a blue letter "P" on it that had a blue lightning bolt go through it. My jaw dropped.
"Are you?" I asked, as fear gripped me.
"Well, not a bad guess," he said. "But yes. I am a member of Team Plasma, but not those N glorifying idiots from two years ago. No. We listen only to our Lord Ghetsis. We are what you would call, Neo Team Plasma."
Hugh was getting noticeably angry. "You… took it didn't you!" he shouted. "Two years ago! You stole it!"
"That wasn't us!" he said. "That was the Team Plasma who are absolutely- urgh. No. We want to rule the Unova region."
"Not gonna happen!" I said. "Hugh, take Herdier and notify Ellie of what's going on."
Hugh nodded, then looked at the Team Plasma Grunt. "Mark my words. You're reign of terror was ended by Hilbert, and your second one will be ended by me and Rosa."
"What?!" I said.
Hugh took Herdier away, as I got my Pokéball ready.
"Nope!" the Grunt said. He threw me a TM. Whilst I picked it up, he put on a jetpack and flew into the air. "Plasma will prevail!" he shouted. In the sky, I could see him flying to the outline of a ship.
"I don't believe it," I said. "Wait... a ship." I went into the Journal to the final page. "Is this a potential link?"
"Hugh told us everything," Ellie said when I got back. "Never in a million years did I think that Team Plasma would return."
"Well, they have but it's complicated," Hugh said. "And we have to do something. If I have to, I will take down each and every one of them. But I'm going to need some training. I'm going to take on the Gyms of the Unova region, get all the Badges, track down Ghetsis and kick his-"
"Well, if you need training, then let's have a battle!" I said. "Right here, right now!"
Hugh grinned. "Yeah. Ellie, as a thank you for our hospitality, you get to have the honour of watching us battle!"
Ellie's face gleamed. "I'd love to! Good luck to both of you!"
Rosa Vs. Hugh
"I choose Tepig!" Hugh shouted.
"Go Snivy!" I replied. "Start with Tackle!" Snivy ran along the grass and into Tepig, who skidded backwards.
"Use Ember!" Tepig fired small flames from its snout. They hit Snivy for Super Effective damage. It couldn't take another one, I knew it.
"Use another Tackle!" Snivy once again charged into Tepig. It was almost down.
"One more Ember!" Tepig fired more flames at Snivy. The rest of its health was burned to a crisp.
"Okay Azurill, time for your debut!" I shouted. I knew Azurill wasn't strong, but I knew it could do it.
"Tackle!" Tepig charged into Azurill. It went flying back and was almost out in one.
"Okay Azurill! Use Bubble!" Azurill fired small bubbles at Tepig. It was Super Effective and Tepig fainted.
"Great!" Hugh said. "I like you're new Pokémon!"
I recalled Azurill. "Thanks a lot Ellie. Okay, we need to tell Alder about this."
Hugh recalled Tepig. "Yes. He needs to know."
"Well, maybe do it tomorrow," Ellie said. She had a point. The sun was starting to set behind the trees and the sun was turning orange-gold. "By the time you get back to Floccesy Town, he'll be as exhausted as you two. I'm scared to, but sleep on it for now and let him know tomorrow."
Location: Floccesy Town
As we got back to Floccesy Town, we slumped on the bench that we sat on yesterday.
"I need to get my head around this," I said. "But maybe here is not the right place to talk about it. When we tell Alder tomorrow, he'll let the Unova region know."
"My Sister's Purrloin," Hugh said. "They'll pay! I'm going to find that Ghetsis right now and give him a piece of my mind!"
I took Hugh by the arm. "Okay wise guy. One; do you know where Ghetsis is? And two; if you were to meet him, what would a guy with no Badges and a single Tepig do? Slowly slowly catching Pansear, that's what I say. I said we were strong back there, but not strong enough for that."
Hugh stopped. "Okay. I'm sorry. But truly, I will never forgive them. Rosa. If you help me take down Team Plasma, I will help you find Hilbert. Have we got a deal?"
I laughed. "Hugh. Even if you didn't help me, I'll always fight by your side! You're my best friend!" We shook hands. "Now let's give those meanies what for!"
I may sound happy, but I'm as tense as Hugh. I hope you can see why he vows this much revenge against Team Plasma; I find it hard to believe they've returned. Team Rocket have come back before, but Team Plasma? I thought they were done with permanently. We'll tell Alder tomorrow; if we told everyone the news, we'd be a laughingstock.