Trainers, why doesn't Quilava evolve when purified?

a) Because it doesn't evolve by level.
b) Because it evolves at a much higher level than Croconaw, Bayleef and Flaaffy.
c) Because it doesn't evolve.

*EMAIL! EMAIL!*

Wes opened his P*DA, and quickly skimmed through the message.

"What happened?"

"Mt. Battle is under attack by Cipher." Rui nodded, and they set out to defeat the gang.

"You truly formidable foes… come here so quickly!" Dakim, the head of the invasion, bellowed at the top of his lungs.

"Yes. Yes we are. And now, if you don't mind, I'll be sending you on your way.

"As if!"

CIPHER ADMIN DAKIM would like to battle!

CIPHER ADMIN DAKIM sent out METANG and GOLEM!

Go! FERALIGATOR and QUILAVA!

Croconaw had evolved into the much fiercer Feraligator after purification! Feraligator capitalised on his newfound power by Surfing, defeating the Golem and bringing the Metang to low health… which Quilava ducked in and took out with a Flame Wheel.

CIPHER ADMIN DAKIM sent out MARSHTOMP and CAMERUPT!

Wes gave pause at the Marshtomp. Commanding Feraligator to use Surf, he switched Quilava for the similarly evolved Meganium. Meganium used a Razor Leaf to knock out the Marshtomp.

CIPHER ADMIN DAKIM sent out ENTEI!

Rui's eyes widened. Both from fear, and identifying the Entei as Shadow.

"How did you get your hands on an ENTEI?" she cried out.

"Little girl came along with beasts. We Snag them all."

"Oh… oh my… what have I done?" Wes panicked. He threw a Snag Ball at Entei, Snagging it.

WES defeated CIPHER ADMIN DAKIM!

"…You powerful. Select few good to challenge you. Must warn Ein!" Dakim fled Mt. Battle, leaving Wes alone with Rui. Wes sunk his face into his hands.

"What? What is it?" Rui asked.

"The last mission I did… we found a girl, exhausted from travel. Snagem forced me to steal every last one of her Pokémon. They even showed me one of them turning Shadow. That was why I betrayed them in the first place. But… I never knew she had an Entei… and from what Dakim said, she had a Suicune and a Raikou as well."

"I hope she had more Pokémon in reserve… but we must make sure to find all of the Shadows. Maybe we can find hers, and return them to her."

Wes and Rui had no clue where to go next, so they decided to go to Miror B.'s hideout in Pyrite Town to look for one. Sure enough, they found an elevator they had passed by on their first visit.

"And it looks like Cipher left the key here!"

The two descended into the dark, dank Under.

The Under was like Pyrite, except worse. Everything was worse. The musicians in the corner were making better music, though.

"I wonder what happened. There doesn't seem to be many girls here…"

"Rui, you will be absolutely fine."

"I know. I've got you, remember."

At that moment, the giant billboard/TV that looked over the entire city was switched on. Both Wes and Rui, along with the entire Under, turned to watch it.

"Hello, gentlemen and ladies, it's the Under Time again! With no introductions necessary, welcome the lovely leader of your beautiful town, Lady Venus!"

"Sounds like a narcissist," Wes snarked. Rui giggled.

"Hello, everybody! It's me, your Lady Venus! Everybody's Venus, that's who! Today's news is of critical importance, so listen closely. You there, in the corner. You there, robbing the store. You there, everywhere, drop what you are doing and listen up!

"There are spies here in the Under! A boy with the power to steal Pokémon, and a girl who can sense what should not be sensed. That's all the information we have, but if you meet anyone who appears suspicious, please let us know!"

The TV turned off. Rui looked at Wes.

"They know we're here!" Rui panicked, trying not to let any of the men overhear.

"And I think I have an explanation of why there aren't many women here…"

"WES!"

"You really think I'm going to fall for it? Rui, I thought you knew me!" Wes said, faking wounded pride.

"Oh, stop it. But there must be somebody in the Under who can resist Lady Venus's… charms… where would I look?"

"Well, I think we can count out the adults… wait! Are there kids in the Under?"

"Better check."

"Hello, and welcome to the Kid's Grid, Wes and Rui."

"Hello to you to, little guy. So what's been happening?"

"We've been trying to hack into Venus's computer data, and find some information on the Shadow Pokémon plan."

"Cool. Whatcha got?"

"Nothing yet. She's got more protection than you'd think on first glance. We're close, though…"

"But in case my brother finds anything, can we quickly get your P*DA number?"

"Sure." Wes gave the number, and left the room.

"You're not from around here, aren't you?" a Cipher Peon asked. Her appearance surprised both Wes and Rui.

"…Maybe."

"…You're the spy! I can crush you right here!" She sent out a Shadow Ledian, which was immediately Snagged.

"…Dangit, I left all of my Pokémon with Dagur!" The Peon ran off, leaving behind a key.

Using the key to commandeer a floating platform, Wes and Rui arrived in a filming studio. Lady Venus, sure enough, was in here. She turned at the sound of Wes opening the door.

"You? Well, aren't you the cute one?"

"Cute… CUTE? ONLY I CALL HIM CUTE!" Rui called out.

"Yeah, you're claim to him died the instant I saw him."

"DON'T YOU EVEN DARE, YOU… you…"

"Me what? I can tell you've never swore before."

Rui had no words left. She pointed, and Summer jumped up, preparing a Psybeam.

"So be it."

CIPHER ADMIN VENUS would like to battle!

CIPHER ADMIN VENUS sent out DELCATTY and VILEPLUME!

Go! QUILAVA and HITMONTOP!

What? QUILAVA is evolving!

Time stood still, as Quilava stood up once more. He became larger, as did his flames. He flashed a much more sinister grin.

Congratulations, your QUILAVA evolved into TYPHLOSION!

Typhlosion used a Flame Wheel to burn the Vileplume to cinders, while the Hitmontop kicked the Delcatty into submission without second thought.

CIPHER ADMIN VENUS sent out STEELIX and BANETTE!

Steelix used an Earthquake, knocking out Typhlosion and nearly Hitmontop. Hitmontop tried to attack Banette, which was his downfall.

Go! QUAGSIRE and MISDREAVUS!

Misdreavus knocked out the Banette, while Quagsire took out the Steelix with a mighty Earthquake.

MISDREAVUS makes GROUND moves miss using LEVITATE!

CIPHER ADMIN VENUS sent out SUICUNE!

Rui's eyes widened.

"Wes, the Shadow!"

"I'm on it!" Wes charged forward. Rui hurriedly switched to her Meganium and Ampharos. Wes leaped into the air, and threw his Snag Ball down on Suicune's head.

… … … …Gotcha! SUICUNE was caught!

RUI defeated CIPHER ADMIN VENUS!

Venus ran in terror. Rui started fuming.

"Rui, I'll go follow her. I need to see where Cipher is headed."

"I'll come too. There'll be Shadow Pokémon to Snag."

Following Venus, Wes and Rui did indeed find Shadow Pokémon: Gligar, Stantler, Piloswine and Sneasel. They also found Venus at the end of the line. She panicked upon seeing them, and fled, leaving them to operate the train she was trying to use.

"I don't think she meant to do that." They took the train, and entered the Shadow Pokémon Lab.

*BOOM*

"Yeah, we're not getting through this way," Wes snarked. Two Cipher Peons had blown up their passage through this route. What they could do, though, was pick up a key to the Lab from the main gate.

"We're going the long way around."

"Can't we sit down for a bit?"

"Not here. We might once we get to the Kid's Grid, but I'm not comfortable taking a break in their headquarters."

The correct answer is b) Because it evolves at a much higher level than Croconaw, Bayleef and Flaaffy. 36, as opposed to 30 or 32.

Next time, on Shadow Pokemon Plan, we storm the Shadow Pokemon Laboratory. Because Laboratory sounds scarier than Lab.