Chapter 11
"Wow, so you beat the Elite 4 and the steel trainer Steven. What did you do next?" Setijin inquired. Arc folded his arms and continued.
"Well, for a while all I had to do was show up to Ever Grande city to take on a challenger, but it was when I started to travel Hoenn again that I noticed something was up; the erratic stories of pokémon being stolen, and mysterious people creeping through the towns at night seemed to be cropping up everywhere. It wasn't too long until word of a criminal organization that originated all the way over in Kanto spread from there league to Johto's and eventually reached us."
"Kanto," Lucia swooned. I've always wanted to go there; Cerulean city is supposed to be so beautiful, and the historic Cinnabar Island sounds so spectacular."
"If the stories about this organization are true, then you might have to. The most popular theory seems to be that the thieves who have begun to strike here are a distant branch of Team Rocket, the group supposedly wiped out a few years back when they spread to the plains of Johto," Arc explained. "The chances are, that the person you have been following is part of them, and is currently collecting all these pokémon to send back to the HQ, wherever that might be as of now. This is when I bumped into Winona yesterday back at Lilycove, and you can work out the rest."
"This all sounds like some sort of movie," Setijin gawped. "To think that my Cyndaquil and all those other pokémon are going to someone who plans on taking over the world...its kind of scary and compelling at the same time."
"This little test was simply to prove to us that you have what it takes to make it further into this conspiracy. We are planning to wait here for a few days, in an attempt to gather as much information as possible. Then, once we're ready, we're going to make our way over to Johto, off to the east," Winona relayed. Setijin and Lucia nodded, confirming their understanding of the situation.
"I'm returning to Ever Grande to see if any more information has been obtained. I'll meet you once you arrive in Johto," Arc continued. "Winona has already explained the situation back at Fortree, so all that is left is to prepare yourselves and keep an eye out for info here."
"Wow, Ever Grande. I've heard so much about it. Would you mind if I tagged along?" Setijin asked. "Arc turned to Winona for her decision. She pondered, and then agreed with his proposal. "Don't worry, I wont be a burden."
"I have faith in you, but perhaps you should work on finding a way back first. We can fly there with my Dragonite, but getting back might be a bit much for your Gyarados."
"No worries," Winona interrupted. "You can borrow one of my bird pokémon. I'll get you one from the pokémon center later. I need to reorganize my team anyway."
"Cool," Setijin replied. "Just out of interest, how are we actually going to be getting to Johto?"
"I'm not too sure myself. It's a long journey for any pokémon, so hopefully Ever Grande might have something for you to use," Arc answered. "For now, I suggest we rest up somewhere first; explore the island for a while. I won't leave until tomorrow, so there's no rush. Take your time to look around. It's a beautiful place. No point missing anything. As for now, I'll try and find somewhere for us to stay for the next few nights." As Arc finished, he waved goodbye and head off into the populated part of the island.
"Well, I'm off to the pokémon center to sort out my pokémon. Like Arc said, explore for a bit. Mossdeep is the kind of place that you won't want to miss."
"I'm going to let my pokémon out to relax for a while. I've caught so many, but I've barely spent any time with any of them," Setijin said. "I think I'll head over to that small islet branching off of the beach over there," pointing down to the coast, indicating a tiny chunk of land, paved with a small mound of sand which had built up, separating the thinning sea on either side. On the islet stood a single palm tree, with a patch of deep green grass strewn underneath it. He grinned smugly as he finished the conversation and sped off back down the steps to the shore. Winona turned to Lucia.
"And you?"
"I'm thinking of challenging the gym here," she said. I'm going to put in a bit of training first, then I'm going all out!"
"The leaders here are very tough," Winona explained, "but I know you have it in you! I've heard they battle in pairs...perhaps you should get Setijin to join you to."
"Yeah, maybe I will. I won't bother him just yet though. He seems to have his heart set on a good long snooze," she said as the pair looked out at Setijin, removing his bomber jacket and sitting at the base of the palm tree, throwing his pokéballs onto the sand of the beach.
"Well, I'm off now. Have fun Lucia," Winona finished. Lucia smiled and made her way off to the back of the island, following the path winding its way up the large hill in the center on which the Space Center stood.
The afternoon sky sweltered in the scorching sun, radiating down on Mossdeep. The heavenly shuffle of the waves rippling up the beach cradled Setijin to sleep under the shade of the leaning palm, as his pokémon played over on the main body of sand. Gyarados rested its almighty head on the surface on the sea, as Medicham and Eevee chased each other, Nincanda simply resting on one of the palm trees gargantuan leaves. Up on the highest point of the cliffs wrapped around the island stood Lucia, with her pokémon leaping about around her. The cliff was elevated high above the rest of the island, herself only a tiny shadow from Setijin's point of view. The occasional shot of electricity, sparkle of water or cloud of poison could just be made out as her pokémon trained for their up and coming battle with Mossdeep's gym.
"Great work everyone!" she congratulated as her pokémon clapped out onto the grassy peak. Gulpin's liquid body slowly spread out on the floor, Plusle and Minun resting with their backs leant against each other and Staryu simply exhausted from the extensive training session. Eevee, still with a spec of energy left, began to traverse down the steep, but rocky cliff face. Lucia, attending her other pokémon remained oblivious. Her Eevee quickly made it to the beach, and sat, watching Setijin's pokémon playing. Gyarados had now fallen asleep and Medicham stood facing the sea with its hands over its eyes as Setijin's Eevee sped across the sandy dunes to look for a place to hide. As it followed the cliffs along, it noticed Lucia's fatigued Eevee, and wandered up to it.
"Eevee?" it whined. Lucia's Eevee sat up, and stared back at Setijin's, as Lucia finally appeared up above, proceeding to call its name out. Both looked back at her, calling their names, Medicham sprinting up behind them, promptly 'tagging' Setijin's. With this, the two Eevee began to bark to each other, Medicham standing and nodding. The conversation ended, and Setijin's Eevee hopped up onto a low boulder protruding from the hill, as Lucia's Eevee and Medicham ran off back to the main beach.
"They've known each other for 2 days and already our pokémon are the best of friends...maybe I should get Setijin to come along to the gym...with our pokémon this close, we'd win for sure!" Lucia said to herself. Winona strode up behind her.
"I see you've been training your pokémon," she began. "Having much luck?"
"They're all doing great...they're just tired. I can't blame them though. We have been going for at least an hour."
"Two actually," Winona corrected. "So, do you think you're ready for the Gym challenge?"
"I hope so. I'm going to ask Setijin, and then go to the Gym tomorrow. We do have enough time, don't we?"
"Sure. Arc won't be off until tomorrow afternoon, so Setijin will be around all morning...provided he's awake," Winona chuckled. "And even then we'll have at least another day to explore afterwards."
"Great! Then I'm challenging Mossdeep Gym!" Lucia paused. "What sort of pokémon do they use?"
"Psychic I believe. Very powerful, so I'd advise against using Gulpin, unless you have some incredible trick up your sleeve."
"None...I'll see what I can come up with. I'm sure Setijin and I can come up with some form of winning formula in time."
"I have faith in you two. I have a strong feeling you'll win spectacularly!" Lucia and Winona smiled at each other before Lucia congratulated her pokémon one last time and returned them to their pokéballs. She stepped up to the cliff edge again and decided to leave her Eevee to continue playing. Winona and Lucia then made their way back into town.
"How dare you come here and try stealing all our pokémon?" Jasmine, Gym leader of Olivine City shouted to the mystery man, who stood at the base of her podium with a battered Quilava lying by his side. Her slowly stepped nervously backwards, before belting towards the door. Jasmine's Steelix rumbled forwards and curled its body around him, blocking the entrance.
"So you've stopped me. But I'm but one member of Team Rocket. You have no idea what you and your other pathetic gym leader friends are in for. The Rockets shall rise once more!"
"Taking over the world again eh?" Jasmine shouted sarcastically. "That cliché worked so well last time, didn't it?" What makes you think things will go any different this time?"
"We've never had a legendary pokémon at our beck and call before..." he sneered. Jasmine seemed to gasp silently while trying to retain her stern composure.
"I...that doesn't matter...all that matters now is that you have been beaten. Your days of thievery are coming to a close," she finished, as a set of police officers burst in through the Gyms doors and circled the man as Steelix slithered away. The officers escorted the man away while Jasmine hopped down the steps from her point of command to aid the Quilava. It lay on its side, breathing heavily. As her hand softly stroked its battered cheek, it became bathed it a sky blue glow. She stood back, and watched in shock and confusion as its body sparked with lightening, before the light faded, and a Cyndaquil remained in its place, pitifully whimpering weakly, Jasmine quickly cradled it in her arms and left for Olivine Cities pokémon center.
"Wow, so you beat the Elite 4 and the steel trainer Steven. What did you do next?" Setijin inquired. Arc folded his arms and continued.
"Well, for a while all I had to do was show up to Ever Grande city to take on a challenger, but it was when I started to travel Hoenn again that I noticed something was up; the erratic stories of pokémon being stolen, and mysterious people creeping through the towns at night seemed to be cropping up everywhere. It wasn't too long until word of a criminal organization that originated all the way over in Kanto spread from there league to Johto's and eventually reached us."
"Kanto," Lucia swooned. I've always wanted to go there; Cerulean city is supposed to be so beautiful, and the historic Cinnabar Island sounds so spectacular."
"If the stories about this organization are true, then you might have to. The most popular theory seems to be that the thieves who have begun to strike here are a distant branch of Team Rocket, the group supposedly wiped out a few years back when they spread to the plains of Johto," Arc explained. "The chances are, that the person you have been following is part of them, and is currently collecting all these pokémon to send back to the HQ, wherever that might be as of now. This is when I bumped into Winona yesterday back at Lilycove, and you can work out the rest."
"This all sounds like some sort of movie," Setijin gawped. "To think that my Cyndaquil and all those other pokémon are going to someone who plans on taking over the world...its kind of scary and compelling at the same time."
"This little test was simply to prove to us that you have what it takes to make it further into this conspiracy. We are planning to wait here for a few days, in an attempt to gather as much information as possible. Then, once we're ready, we're going to make our way over to Johto, off to the east," Winona relayed. Setijin and Lucia nodded, confirming their understanding of the situation.
"I'm returning to Ever Grande to see if any more information has been obtained. I'll meet you once you arrive in Johto," Arc continued. "Winona has already explained the situation back at Fortree, so all that is left is to prepare yourselves and keep an eye out for info here."
"Wow, Ever Grande. I've heard so much about it. Would you mind if I tagged along?" Setijin asked. "Arc turned to Winona for her decision. She pondered, and then agreed with his proposal. "Don't worry, I wont be a burden."
"I have faith in you, but perhaps you should work on finding a way back first. We can fly there with my Dragonite, but getting back might be a bit much for your Gyarados."
"No worries," Winona interrupted. "You can borrow one of my bird pokémon. I'll get you one from the pokémon center later. I need to reorganize my team anyway."
"Cool," Setijin replied. "Just out of interest, how are we actually going to be getting to Johto?"
"I'm not too sure myself. It's a long journey for any pokémon, so hopefully Ever Grande might have something for you to use," Arc answered. "For now, I suggest we rest up somewhere first; explore the island for a while. I won't leave until tomorrow, so there's no rush. Take your time to look around. It's a beautiful place. No point missing anything. As for now, I'll try and find somewhere for us to stay for the next few nights." As Arc finished, he waved goodbye and head off into the populated part of the island.
"Well, I'm off to the pokémon center to sort out my pokémon. Like Arc said, explore for a bit. Mossdeep is the kind of place that you won't want to miss."
"I'm going to let my pokémon out to relax for a while. I've caught so many, but I've barely spent any time with any of them," Setijin said. "I think I'll head over to that small islet branching off of the beach over there," pointing down to the coast, indicating a tiny chunk of land, paved with a small mound of sand which had built up, separating the thinning sea on either side. On the islet stood a single palm tree, with a patch of deep green grass strewn underneath it. He grinned smugly as he finished the conversation and sped off back down the steps to the shore. Winona turned to Lucia.
"And you?"
"I'm thinking of challenging the gym here," she said. I'm going to put in a bit of training first, then I'm going all out!"
"The leaders here are very tough," Winona explained, "but I know you have it in you! I've heard they battle in pairs...perhaps you should get Setijin to join you to."
"Yeah, maybe I will. I won't bother him just yet though. He seems to have his heart set on a good long snooze," she said as the pair looked out at Setijin, removing his bomber jacket and sitting at the base of the palm tree, throwing his pokéballs onto the sand of the beach.
"Well, I'm off now. Have fun Lucia," Winona finished. Lucia smiled and made her way off to the back of the island, following the path winding its way up the large hill in the center on which the Space Center stood.
The afternoon sky sweltered in the scorching sun, radiating down on Mossdeep. The heavenly shuffle of the waves rippling up the beach cradled Setijin to sleep under the shade of the leaning palm, as his pokémon played over on the main body of sand. Gyarados rested its almighty head on the surface on the sea, as Medicham and Eevee chased each other, Nincanda simply resting on one of the palm trees gargantuan leaves. Up on the highest point of the cliffs wrapped around the island stood Lucia, with her pokémon leaping about around her. The cliff was elevated high above the rest of the island, herself only a tiny shadow from Setijin's point of view. The occasional shot of electricity, sparkle of water or cloud of poison could just be made out as her pokémon trained for their up and coming battle with Mossdeep's gym.
"Great work everyone!" she congratulated as her pokémon clapped out onto the grassy peak. Gulpin's liquid body slowly spread out on the floor, Plusle and Minun resting with their backs leant against each other and Staryu simply exhausted from the extensive training session. Eevee, still with a spec of energy left, began to traverse down the steep, but rocky cliff face. Lucia, attending her other pokémon remained oblivious. Her Eevee quickly made it to the beach, and sat, watching Setijin's pokémon playing. Gyarados had now fallen asleep and Medicham stood facing the sea with its hands over its eyes as Setijin's Eevee sped across the sandy dunes to look for a place to hide. As it followed the cliffs along, it noticed Lucia's fatigued Eevee, and wandered up to it.
"Eevee?" it whined. Lucia's Eevee sat up, and stared back at Setijin's, as Lucia finally appeared up above, proceeding to call its name out. Both looked back at her, calling their names, Medicham sprinting up behind them, promptly 'tagging' Setijin's. With this, the two Eevee began to bark to each other, Medicham standing and nodding. The conversation ended, and Setijin's Eevee hopped up onto a low boulder protruding from the hill, as Lucia's Eevee and Medicham ran off back to the main beach.
"They've known each other for 2 days and already our pokémon are the best of friends...maybe I should get Setijin to come along to the gym...with our pokémon this close, we'd win for sure!" Lucia said to herself. Winona strode up behind her.
"I see you've been training your pokémon," she began. "Having much luck?"
"They're all doing great...they're just tired. I can't blame them though. We have been going for at least an hour."
"Two actually," Winona corrected. "So, do you think you're ready for the Gym challenge?"
"I hope so. I'm going to ask Setijin, and then go to the Gym tomorrow. We do have enough time, don't we?"
"Sure. Arc won't be off until tomorrow afternoon, so Setijin will be around all morning...provided he's awake," Winona chuckled. "And even then we'll have at least another day to explore afterwards."
"Great! Then I'm challenging Mossdeep Gym!" Lucia paused. "What sort of pokémon do they use?"
"Psychic I believe. Very powerful, so I'd advise against using Gulpin, unless you have some incredible trick up your sleeve."
"None...I'll see what I can come up with. I'm sure Setijin and I can come up with some form of winning formula in time."
"I have faith in you two. I have a strong feeling you'll win spectacularly!" Lucia and Winona smiled at each other before Lucia congratulated her pokémon one last time and returned them to their pokéballs. She stepped up to the cliff edge again and decided to leave her Eevee to continue playing. Winona and Lucia then made their way back into town.
"How dare you come here and try stealing all our pokémon?" Jasmine, Gym leader of Olivine City shouted to the mystery man, who stood at the base of her podium with a battered Quilava lying by his side. Her slowly stepped nervously backwards, before belting towards the door. Jasmine's Steelix rumbled forwards and curled its body around him, blocking the entrance.
"So you've stopped me. But I'm but one member of Team Rocket. You have no idea what you and your other pathetic gym leader friends are in for. The Rockets shall rise once more!"
"Taking over the world again eh?" Jasmine shouted sarcastically. "That cliché worked so well last time, didn't it?" What makes you think things will go any different this time?"
"We've never had a legendary pokémon at our beck and call before..." he sneered. Jasmine seemed to gasp silently while trying to retain her stern composure.
"I...that doesn't matter...all that matters now is that you have been beaten. Your days of thievery are coming to a close," she finished, as a set of police officers burst in through the Gyms doors and circled the man as Steelix slithered away. The officers escorted the man away while Jasmine hopped down the steps from her point of command to aid the Quilava. It lay on its side, breathing heavily. As her hand softly stroked its battered cheek, it became bathed it a sky blue glow. She stood back, and watched in shock and confusion as its body sparked with lightening, before the light faded, and a Cyndaquil remained in its place, pitifully whimpering weakly, Jasmine quickly cradled it in her arms and left for Olivine Cities pokémon center.