Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon. It belongs to Nintendo and Game Freak.

Hi all,

This one is a slow chapter but transitions into some excitement in the next. Lucas goes to Viridian City for the first time.

Chapter 11

Lucas finished his work that afternoon and went to the inn where Sabrina was staying. Salem chose to stay with him rather than return to his companion, which bothered him slightly. The aura emanating from Salem after they met the scientists in the lab was not only repulsive, but he was wondering if Salem had been following him on Sabrina's orders.

Lucas rapped on Sabrina's hotel room door, which she promptly opened. She was dressed in another of her kimonos. Despite his current reservations about her, he could not deny that he liked how kimonos looked on her.

"Lucas? Is there something I can do for you?" Sabrina inquired, and Salem appeared beside him. "Oh, bother. You were not supposed to reveal yourself to Lucas."

"Would you mind explaining that?" Lucas asked, his brow furrowed. "Did you order Salem to follow me?"

"Salem does not listen to my orders," Sabrina said primly, deflecting his question. "Remember, he is not technically my Pokemon."

"You have already given yourself away," Lucas observed. "So, don't ignore the question."

Sabrina stepped out of the doorway, peering down the corridor in both directions, before grabbing his arm and dragging him into her room. "You were not supposed to come here. You could endanger yourself by being seen with me."

Sabrina shut and locked the door behind her before motioning for Lucas to sit. She walked into the kitchen and turned on the kettle.

Salem landed on Lucas' head, taking him by surprise. The Pokemon felt unusually warm, not cold in the least. Given what Sabrina had said about the nature of ghost-type Pokemon, it was a foolish assumption to think that he would be cold.

"Would you like some tea?" Sabrina asked.

"Sure," Lucas replied. "Could you please explain what you meant by your last statement?" I already have some suspicions, but I would like to know what I am getting myself into."

Sabrina took her time responding, softly humming as she prepared a tray for the tea. Lucas was enthralled as he watched her, marvelling at how even the most mundane tasks appeared elegant in her hands.

"I have purposefully avoided you for the last two weeks to protect you from some dangerous elements in this town," Sabrina finally admitted. She brought the tray over and set it on the table, then poured him some tea.

"You mean, you wanted to see more of me?" Lucas grinned, but his smile faded when he noticed the frown on his face. "I appreciate the thought, but I am curious if these dangerous elements are related to the conversation I overheard in the lab."

"What do you mean?"

Lucas repeated the conversation he overheard. Sabrina frowned. The scientist's words made it clear that she was in danger, and he could see why that would worry her.

"I never expected to find two of the culprits when I assigned Salem to keep an eye on you," Sabrina sighed.

"Did you take my privacy into account before making that decision?" Lucas scowled. How much had Salem seen? He always made sure he was alone before performing actions that could reveal his secret, such as retrieving and storing items in his inventory. But he had no defence against ghost-type Pokemon, which could turn invisible and phase through walls.

"I didn't do it all the time, and I did not invade your privacy." Sabrina bowed her head in apology. "It was mostly while you were at work because I suspected that some of the lab employees were involved in something I was investigating."

"Why do you feel the need to keep an eye on me?"

"I am afraid I should not have stayed with you after meeting you at the harbour," Sabrina replied. "I suspect I was already being watched, and as a result, I may have inadvertently endangered you and the Ketchums. Since this is not something I typically do, I made a rookie mistake."

Lucas massaged his temples, feeling a headache coming on. "Would you mind explaining what is going on?"

"When I mentioned my plans to visit here during my sabbatical, I was asked to assist in the investigation of the Fearow Gang."

"How come you agreed to do it if you have never done anything like this before?"

Sabrina looked into her cup as if enthralled by its contents. "As a gym leader, it is expected of me to provide assistance to the government in dealing with criminal matters. Because of my unique circumstances, I have been given a lot of leeway. Despite my reservations, I did not believe it was appropriate for me to decline the responsibility."

Despite her lack of prior experience in such matters, she was thrust into a dangerous situation. Whoever made the decision to use her was a complete asshole. "What about the Viridian City gym leader?" Why didn't they get involved?"

He was aware that Giovanni was the Viridian gym leader in the games, but he wasn't sure if the same held true here. It wasn't a good idea to have the leader of Team Rocket investigate the Fearow Gang.

"It would be too obvious if Giovanni showed up," Sabrina said. "He would be the obvious choice because he is the nearest gym leader and is in charge of overseeing the area."

Either the Kanto government did not know that Giovanni was a criminal mastermind, or he was someone other than the character portrayed in the games.

"What are you investigating?"

Sabrina hesitated for a moment before telling him. "The Fearow Gang has recently delved into illegal Pokemon research and has developed a drug that forces Pokemon evolutions, even those that are not ready."

"That sounds dangerous."

"This is, indeed, a very serious matter. Not only could it harm the Pokemon involved, but it has also been linked to negative side effects such as inducing rage in the Pokemon, which could endanger the safety of many people."

"What are the advantages of this drug? Since it has such negative effects, it appears that there is no marketable value in selling it."

"Such a drug has a lot of marketable value," Sabrina said. "Consider the situation in which you have a Pokemon that is either unwilling or unable to evolve. What about Pokemon species known for their difficult evolution conditions or those whose evolutions are still unknown? There are many people who own Pokemon for the sole purpose of companionship, with no regard for the potential impact on their combat ability."

"I see," Lucas replied thoughtfully. "What led them to establish their operation in Pallet Town?"

"There are two main reasons," Sabrina explained. "There is a harbour nearby, allowing for easy distribution of their product through maritime channels. Second, we believe that the Mayor of Pallet Town is assisting the gang, giving them more leeway in conducting their operations within the town."

Lucas considered what Sabrina had said. It was clear that he should avoid getting involved in her investigation, and that was exactly what he planned to do. But he could not help but be concerned about Sabrina. How was she going to deal with the challenges that the gang had in store for her?

"What are you going to do?" Lucas eventually asked. "You should be cautious because it appears that you will soon become a target."

"I assure you that there is no need to be concerned about my well-being," Sabrina said. "I have taken adequate precautions to ensure my safety. I am more worried about you. I strongly advise you to consider temporarily leaving town until things settle down."

Lucas seriously considered the idea. He had already decided to go to Viridian City and possibly set up a base of operations there in the near future. But he didn't want to leave his job at the lab until he got his Breeders licence.

"How long will I need to leave town?"

"A week or two," Sabrina replied.

"There is no way I can take that much time off without losing my job," Lucas said, shaking his head.

Sabrina looked at him with a perplexed expression. "Have I not articulated my reasons sufficiently? You might be at risk, particularly considering you came here to visit me."

"I understand the risks, but I refuse to let a gang interfere with my plans."

"Did I mention the gang might be working with Team Rocket?"

That gave Lucas pause because they were on a completely different level than the Fearow gang. He had no desire to become involved with Team Rocket, a notorious criminal organisation within the United Regions of Kanto. A thought occurred to him that could benefit them both.

"Have you thought about informing Professor Oak of the current situation?" Lucas asked. "He would be curious about what is going on in his own town and might be able to help."

"I haven't approached him because I am unsure if he is involved in the gang or not."

"I seriously doubt it," Lucas said. "Besides, if I am wrong, we could always corner him and ask questions to gauge his responses and prevent him from summoning his Pokemon."

Sabrina furrowed her brow as she considered the suggestion.

"If we tell him, then I can take that time off and still keep my job," Lucas added, trying to persuade her.

"Very well," Sabrina agreed, nodding. "I will rendezvous with you at the Pokemon laboratory. We cannot travel together, so I will have Salem accompany you as a precaution in case of any problems."

"What is the meaning of this?" Professor Oak's annoyance was evident in his tone of voice as Lucas and Sabrina entered his office. His expression quickly changed to one of surprise when he saw Sabrina. "Miss Kuroi? What are you doing here?"

"I need to speak with you about something important, Professor Oak," Sabrina said as she closed the door behind her. "Please excuse me for my impoliteness."

Sabrina reached into her purse and took out a ball, summoning a Pokemon. Lucas was entranced by the newcomer. It was a tall humanoid Pokemon with an impressive moustache and a pair of twisted spoons in its hands.

Species: Alakazam

Level: 64

Condition: Perfect

Threat Level: Zero

When she summoned Alakazam, Professor Oak half-rose from his seat, looking outraged. "What are you trying to do?"

"I am making sure no one is listening in," Sabrina said as Alakazam erected some barriers around the room.

"Do the barriers keep sound from escaping?" Lucas asked with interest.

"Yes," Sabrina replied, taking a seat across from Professor Oak, who had reseated himself. "Professor Oak, I need to talk to you about an investigation I have been working on for the last two weeks, which involves some of your employers."

Professor Oak frowned as he listened intently to Sabrina's detailed account. Lucas stood nearby, ready to intervene if the professor reached for a Pokeball. Meanwhile, Salem appeared from nowhere behind the professor, staring at him with a creepy expression.

Professor Oak removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes after Sabrina finished her story. "It is troubling to think that something like this is going on in my own town and I am completely unaware of it."

Professor Oak turned to address Lucas. "How are you involved in all of this?"

Lucas related how he met Sabrina at the harbour.

"So Delia is inadvertently involved in this," Oak sighed. "Before we move forward with this investigation, we must address this issue."

"Are you going to help me?" Sabrina inquired, her voice filled with surprise.

"Yes, I have had my head stuck in the lab for too long, and it has blinded me to what is going on around me," Oak replied. "Lucas, who were the two scientists you overheard speaking?"

"I don't know what their names are," Lucas admitted, "but I can describe them."

Oak's face darkened as he heard the men's descriptions. "I know who you are referring to, and it is disappointing that my own employers would engage in such criminal activity."

"How would you like to proceed from here?" Sabrina inquired. "I have reason to believe that the Fearow gang's leader intends to target me himself."

"It is about time I put my old team to work," Professor Oak said. "Before that, I would like Delia, Ash, and yourself to leave Pallet Town for the next few weeks while we clean up this mess." I have a house in Viridian City that you may use."

"What about my job?" Lucas asked.

"It will still be here when you get back," Oak assured him. "In fact, there may be a few tasks you can complete for me while you are in the city. This way, you can continue earning a paycheck."

"Okay."

"Then let us go to Delia's house," Oak said as he rose to his feet.

"This is so exciting!" Delia exclaimed as the carriage approached the majestic city walls of Viridian City. She quickly packed a suitcase for Ash and herself after Professor Oak explained the situation to her, and she joined Lucas in travelling to the city.

Lucas raised his head to fully appreciate the walls' immense height. They appeared to be thirty feet tall, with watchtowers strategically placed along their length to monitor any potential threat from wild Pokemon attacking the city. Although he had seen the walls from afar while exploring the area south of the city, it was only now, up close, that he could truly appreciate their scale. Unlike Pallet Town, the city made no compromises in order to protect itself.

"You still haven't explained why we have to move to the city for two weeks," Ash grumbled, sitting on his knees and gazing out the window.

"There is no need for you to be concerned about that, Ash," Delia said. "Let us concentrate on all the exciting things we can do while we are here!"

When they arrived at the gates, they were inspected by the guards before being allowed into the city. The recognition of Professor Oak's personal carriage, on the other hand, accelerated the proceedings, and the carriage clattered into the city.

The first thing Lucas noticed as he walked in was a large square. A monument stood in the centre, displaying a colossal statue of an explorer dressed in adventurous garb, accompanied by an Arcanine lying at his feet. Roads extended east, west, and north from the square.

Delia noticed the direction of his gaze. "That man is Oswald Viridian, the city's founder. Arcanine was a pseudo-legendary who completely dominated the league during his era."

"Having my own Arcanine would be cool," Lucas said. Despite what he said, he had another fire-type Pokemon that he wanted.

The carriage travelled west on the main road, towards the city's residential area. The city was divided into three distinct districts: the main business district to the north, the residential district, and an agricultural district to the east. The farms were built within the walls, giving the residents a more secure food supply. The city was massive, not to the extent of Saffron and Celadon City, but much larger than Pallet Town.

The carriage arrived on a street lined with stately two-story homes. These elegant homes featured expansive porches, immaculate lawns, and carriages neatly parked in driveways. Lucas imagined that having your own carriage in a city was more important than having one in Pallet Town. They arrived at one of the houses and disembarked from the carriage. The driver assisted them with their luggage, and they unlocked the door and entered the house.

"It is getting late," Delia said. "I will whip up something quick for dinner. There are seven rooms available, so choose one for yourself."

Lucas went into his room and summoned Icarus and Max, who went off to explore their new surroundings. He ate his own dinner after feeding them and settled in the living room with a book he had been meaning to read for a while. An Introduction to Pokemon Evolutions.

What is Pokemon Evolution?

Evolution is the process by which a Pokemon transforms into an entirely new species, going beyond merely cosmetic changes. This transformation may result in a change in type, though at least one type from the pre-evolved form is usually retained. Furthermore, the evolved Pokémon may learn new moves and have a different special ability.

Evolution Families

An evolution family is a group of Pokémon that are all related by evolution. Within an evolutionary family, the species at the lowest stage of evolution has the potential to evolve into any member of that family. The evolutionary families of Pokémon consist of one to three stages. In a one-stage family, there is a single Pokémon that does not have the ability to evolve. In a two-stage family, any member of the family can evolve once, transforming from the unevolved form into one of the evolved forms. In a three-stage family, at least one of the evolved forms has the potential to undergo an additional evolution.

Let us look more closely at one-stage families that are incapable of further evolution. Although some evolutionary families lack the ability to evolve, their overall strength and potential should not be considered inferior to those that do. They are essentially the same, with the exception of their inability to change species and alter their fighting style. This characteristic can be viewed as both an advantage and a disadvantage. Some trainers find that not having to worry about evolution saves them valuable time and resources. Others argue that certain evolutionary families reach their full potential only when they evolve into their ultimate form.

There are also evolution families that are classified as branched evolution families. In this scenario, the member has the ability to evolve into a variety of Pokémon. Eevee is an exceptional example of this, as it has the ability to evolve into eight different forms.

How do Pokemon Evolve?

First of all, a Pokemon needs to possess the desire to evolve, which may disappoint some people who wish to pursue their Pokemon's ultimate form. This is not a detriment, as there are powerful Pokemon out there who remain unevolved.

Second, each evolutionary family has specific requirements that must be met before it can evolve. Many of them are well-known, such as reaching a certain level, requiring an evolutionary stone, knowing a specific move or a move of a specific type, or having attained a certain level of affinity. Certain conditions, on the other hand, are relatively unknown. This means that some evolutions are less common because they cannot be accurately replicated. Instead, they were discovered entirely by chance. There may even be undiscovered Pokemon evolutions out there, as certain evolutions do not occur naturally in the wild and require human intervention.

Lucas was astonished by the complexities of Pokemon evolutions. He hadn't even gotten into the finer points, like how a Pokémon's size after evolution was influenced by its size before evolution or how giant Pokémon progressed to the next stage of evolution.

He took a moment to reflect on his Insight skill. Would he be able to learn the evolutionary conditions of every Pokémon if he levelled it up further? Imagine if he possessed the key to a rare or previously unknown evolution. He could monopolise an entire Pokémon's evolutionary stage and charge exorbitant fees to assist others in evolving their Pokemon. Unfortunately, Pokemon Eggs always ended up being the lowest stage in the evolutionary family, or he would have been able to increase the value of his eggs substantially.

Lucas needed two more skill points to raise the level of his Insight skill. He made it a priority because he wanted to know the granular details of Icarus' evolutionary conditions before he evolved. What if there were unknown conditions or other factors, and he missed out on the opportunity to improve Icarus further before he evolved? He would be disappointed if that happened.

The following morning, Lucas left the house early to explore Viridian City. He let Icarus and Max out to see the sights and go shopping. He left the main residential area and headed towards the city's bustling heart, where all the shops, services, and main attractions could be found. Despite the city's abundance of skyscrapers, there appeared to be height restrictions in place, as they did not exceed six or seven floors. It could be because wild flying Pokemon could attack at any time, and the upper floors were more likely to be targeted.

Lucas first looked for a store that sold precious stones. The nugget and two pearls sold for nine thousand pokedollars, which was one thousand more than he had anticipated. He then went to the PokeMart to get some supplies. He looked through the available TMs, but the cheapest ones cost at least three thousand pokedollars. It wasn't something he was willing to invest in right now.

He went to the public library, which was much larger than the one in Pallet Town. After searching for information on the Pokemon he was interested in, he could not help but feel a pang of disappointment. It came as no surprise to him when he discovered that Vulpix were extremely rare Pokemon that could only be found on Route 7, west of Lavender Town. Although he could have hired a Pokemon to fly him there, the cost was prohibitively expensive.

Instead, he shifted his attention to another Pokemon that piqued his interest—or, more specifically, a specific type of Pokemon. Viridian City's harbour was located on the eastern side, where the peninsula met the main continent, forming an inlet. The harbour had a popular fishing spot where you could catch water-type Pokemon. He would spend the rest of his day at the location because it had a good selection of Pokemon species to catch.

"What do you think, guys?" Lucas asked his companions. "Shall we spend the day fishing?"

Max yawned, and Icarus tucked his head under his wing, both clearly disinterested.

"Well, it's not like your opinion really matters," Lucas grumbled.

Lucas walked through the city until he reached the harbour. The designated fishing area was located to the right of the bustling harbour, complete with a wide dock and its own supply store. He entered the store and went straight to the counter, where an elderly man in overalls and a bucket hat was standing.

"Can I get you anything?" the old man gruffly welcomed him.

"I need a fishing rod," Lucas replied.

"Is this your first time fishing?" the old man inquired. "If that is the case, there are a few things I need to go over with you before you begin."

"I'm listening."

"My name is Jeremy." The old man introduced himself, motioning for him to follow him out of the store. It's always a pleasure to see youngsters getting interested in fishing."

"I am Lucas," he said, shaking Jermemy's hand.

"Look at those," Jeremy said, pointing to the twelve square platforms extending from the dock. Each platform had a pool that was approximately one hundred square feet in size. The majority of the platforms were occupied by people casting their lines into the sea.

"These platforms are where you will fight sea Pokémon that you have caught on your line," Jeremy explained. "The Pokemon you will find in this inlet are generally not higher than level twenty. The population is controlled on a regular basis. This is to protect trainers and keep powerful Pokemon from causing problems for the boats and ferries that navigate the inlet. Most of them haven't yet learned how to move outside of the water due to their low levels. Therefore, in order to give them a fair opportunity to fight, you must cast them into the pools. It is a matter of proper etiquette."

"I understand," Lucas said, nodding. "This place must be in high demand, given that there are only twelve spots available."

"The dock has a fee of ten pokedollars per hour," Jeremy confirmed. "This measure is implemented to reduce demand and help pay for its upkeep. If you are unwilling to pay, you must leave the city because fishing is prohibited elsewhere within the city limits."

"All right," Lucas said, nodding. "Can I reserve a platform until around five in the evening?"

"That you can," Jeremy said, taking out a notebook to jot it down, and Lucas handed him the required amount. "Another rule states that any Pokémon that has not been captured must be returned to the sea in order to keep the pools from becoming overcrowded."

Jeremy escorted him back into the shop. "Let me show you the different types of fishing rods we have available."

He showed Lucas a selection of fishing rods, the majority of which were out of his price range. Fortunately, he only needed the cheapest option available to catch the Pokemon in the inlet, known as the Old Rod, which is similar to the ones found in the games. Despite the lack of additional features, the basic model would suffice for his needs. He was not interested in capturing a Pokémon right now because he wanted to try fishing first, but he did want to earn some easy experience points by farming a notoriously weak Pokemon.

"You can also rent fishing rods, but they are much more expensive in the long run, so I do not recommend it," Jeremy said as he led him to another section. "These are the Pokemon lures." While they may be expensive, these items are worthwhile if you want to increase your capture rate or catch specific Pokémon."

"What about Magikarp?"

"You won't need a lure for those," Jeremy grinned.

Jeremy led him to an unoccupied platform and demonstrated how to use the fishing rod. "You might want to use your Elekid to catch the Pokemon if they prove too much for you."

He cast his fishing line into the sea before settling into the chair that had been provided for him. Icarus perched on the railing and gazed out into the sea.

"Kid!" Max stood in front of Lucas, holding out a hand for the fishing rod.

"Ah, so you are still interested," Lucas smirked as he handed over the rod. "Just remember to cast the Pokémon into the pool behind us, and you will be the first one up to battle."

Wild Pokémon between levels ten and twenty give one hundred experience points each, which is double the amount given by Pokémon below level ten. They could avoid the level restriction if they caught Pokémon at level eleven or higher, and both he and his Pokémon would gain experience points.

Lucas took a book from his bag and read it while waiting for Max to catch his first Pokemon. After a few minutes, Max exclaimed in delight as his rod began to shake.

"Take your time and reel in the catch," Lucas advised.

Max steadily pulled in the catch before jerking the rod, and a Magicarp flew over the platform and landed with a splash in the pool.

Species: Magikarp

Level: 12

Condition: Excellent

Threat Level: Low

"Go get him," Lucas instructed.

Max dropped the rod and dashed to the pool's edge. Magikarp emerged from the water with a graceful leap, its body wriggling as it soared through the air.

"Thundershock."

Max released a powerful Thundershock, shocking the Magikarp and sending it crashing into the water. It reappeared a moment later, floating motionless on top of the water. The text above its head indicated that it had already fainted.

"Kid?" Max turned to Lucas with a look of befuddlement on his face.

Lucas sighed and reached for a net that was lying near the pool. He carefully scooped the Magikarp from the water and released it back into the sea. Fortunately, sea Pokemon could breathe automatically underwater, so being unconscious didn't matter.

He felt a little bad about farming the Pokémon in this manner, but he could not pass up the opportunity for so many easy experience points. No one else would abuse Magikarp in this way because they would gain nothing from participating in such an easy battle.

For the next two hours, Max effortlessly accumulated experience points for both Lucas and himself by farming Magikarp. Because of the quick fights, Max's condition deteriorated at a slower rate, but he applied salve to the Pokemon to keep it at a safe level.

Lucas was about to tell Max to take a break when he heard a shout from the next platform over. An orange-haired girl screamed in terror as an enormous form emerged from the sea. A Gyarados.

Lucas took a deep breath before leaping into action to help the girl. Was it his fault for abusing so many Magikarp?

So, what do you think? In the next chapter, Lucas is faced with the task of rescuing a familiar canonical character and learns of the location of a dragon-type Pokemon.

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Thanks for reading.