Nothing says romance like Grimer-infested sewer water.

My Great Big Adventure

Castelia Sewers… you will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.

I think this is the unofficial Team Plasma HQ. It has their name written all over it.

No, seriously, there's Plasma graffiti everywhere.

I found Iris out near one of the ship docks, inspecting a sewer manhole. Not sure why she would assume they were hiding down there… but whatever. She ordered me to go down and investigate, because, as she put it, she "can't risk falling down the hole and dying!"

So you'll risk me instead? Gee, thanks.

For once, however, I was lucky. I didn't have to go down there alone; someone came with me. In fact, more than just someone.

Hugh.

Before I'd done so much as stuck a leg down the manhole, Hugh came running up to us, panting and catching his knees.

"Rosa!" he said, with such care and determination that my heart started beating like crazy.

"So you know where Team Plasma is?!"

…

Jerkass.

That's all he really cares about.

So he dragged me down into the sewers with him, little jerk. Still… we were alone, together, in the dark! Well, in the sewers, so hardly romantic I suppose. But STILL. We were alone! Even if he was griping about Team Plasma the entire time, he held my hand! (mostly because I was walking too slow) Sighh…. my one date with Hugh… in the sewers. I hadn't pictured it this way, but I suppose it was better than nothing.

We also had a double battle! We found two Team Plasma grunts lurking in the sewage, and we tag-teamed them! Hugh is an excellent battler. He looks incredibly hot when he is determined…

Right, anyway!

They ran off before we could finish them, and who should appear, but gym leader Burgh! He told us he'd scoured the rest of the sewers with no luck (though Hugh seemed suspicious of this). Whatever. I was tired and dirty and really needed a shower, and at that point I just wanted to leave, preferably with Hugh. However, stupid idiot ran off after Burgh, probably to challenge him, and left me alone in the dark sewers.

Stupid Hugh. I wish I could hate him. It would make my life a lot easier.

I don't remember why, but it was probably because I was lost in thought about Hugh… anyway, I kept trekking through the sewers, even though Burgh had found nothing. I just wasn't ready to go back to reality I think; I was still reveling in my not-really-a-date thing with Hugh, and the sewer water was running in a calming manner, despite its nasty odor.

I came upon a strange tunnel in the sewers, and, not thinking much of it, decided to see what was on the other side. However, out of the darkness…

A creepy albino stalker bird-man!

Creepy albino stalker bird-man!

Apparently I'd said that aloud, for he started chuckling as I pointed to him in surprise and fear.

"Why do you call me a bird?" he asked me, tilting his head.

Out of all the other adjectives, he's most concerned with the feathers? Or was he admitting to being a creepy albino stalker? I remember frowning.

"You have large blue feathers sticking out of your head," I proceeded to explain. Several long moments of silence passed.

"That's my HAIR. It's called fashion, my dear. But, as I see you have none, I'll let your comment slide. This time."

I have fashion sense! It's not my fault Mom kicked me out in my pajamas! Though I suppose I could buy some warmer clothes at a department store…

Unperturbed by my silence, he barreled on. "I was watching you. That was an excellent demonstration of battling! Simply astounding. Interesting as well!"

"AHA!" I exclaimed, jabbing a finger at his chest. "So you were watching me, stalker!"

He smiled creepily. "I'm always watching."

….holy hell I have a creepy albino stalker!

"But I am neither creepy nor albino (I am BLOND, little girl). I am merely a man interested in the connection between Pokemon and humans. And I'm very interested in… you." And then he licked his lips in a very predator-ish way.

He was blocking the tunnel, and I wasn't too sure I wanted to go in the direction that he came from anyway (sewer king?), so I spun on my foot and ran like a Dodrio back from where I'd climbed down. I could hear him laughing after me, but he didn't appear to be chasing me.

I climbed that sewer ladder faster than anything! I didn't stop to catch my breath until I was safe inside the Pokemon Center.

I spent probably an hour at the Pokemon Center. Not because my Pokemon were healing. Rather, I was too disturbed from my sewer encounter to focus on anything. Why is such a creepy, young scientist-looking whackjob fixated on me? I wonder, had I been the one to initially flee and leave Hugh behind… would the stalker have been just as interested in Hugh? Though somehow, the way that guy was looking at me… as if devouring me for lunch… it's unsettling.

But! Never one to give up, I had to press on and take on the gym.

Burgh had finally returned, so the bouncer let me inside this time. No sign of Hugh, though I did spend a lot of time at the Pokecenter, so his battle was probably long over (his Pignite probably took them all out with one hit). The place looked like something out of an alien movie. There was spider silk everywhere, covering the floor and the walls. And there were these freaky cocoon-things that sucked you in and spat you out in a different part of the room.

The gym leader himself was not hard to beat. I have both a Growlithe and a Tranquill, so I had the type advantage in the bag. The battle was over fairly quickly.

And so I have my third badge!