Having arrived safely in Aquacorde Town, Citrata's first order of business is to locate Hilda. But our heroes must be on their guard! The impending grand ball hides an ancient secret, one certain to entice adversaries more menacing than bad haircuts!
"This has to be Aquacorde Town!" Impressed by the bustling plaza, Citrata looks around for signs for her friend. "Where am I going to find Hilda in all these shops?"
"Excuse me, ma'am." A polite boy gets her attention. "Have you seen a Pokémon Center nearby?"
"Sorry, kid." Citrata replies. "But there is a pharmacy behind us."
"Thanks!" The boy runs off soon after finishing what he has to say. "You're a nice lady!"
"Uh..." Having yet again failed to keep up her image, Citrata talks to herself about it. "Maybe he's new here too."
Oh dear, Citrata is being dramatic. The shopping bug soon proves irresistible however! Kept occupied browsing the abundance of local goods, she continues to fail to catch up to Hilda.
"I think I'm almost done." Tired from her detour, Citrata sits down on an occupied bench.
Watch who you're sitting next to! It's the orange-ponytail girl I know all too well, and she was fast asleep!
"Oooohh!" The girl erupts, berating our heroine's carelessness. "You blockhead!"
"Okay, okay!" Citrata steps back to protect her ears."
"It's not okay! A certain SOMEONE woke me up!" Once the girl's outburst ends, an apologetic frown appears on her face.
"Finally... I'm Citrata, or Cici if you like." Citrata's offer to shake hands is ignored.
"And I'm Misty, one of the Cerulean City gym leaders." Misty proudly reveals her name and rank. "Don't think we're buddies just yet!"
"Is that right? Your gym won't keep me from the Kalos League!" In a violation of trainer etiquette, Citrata calls out her Pokémon without asking. "Let's rumble, Chespin!"
"We'll see about that! Go, Staryu!" Eager to accept the challenge, Misty tosses one of her Poké Balls on the ground. "My Pokémon and I trained throughout Kanto and Johto alongside Ash!"
"Hah, type specialists are too predictable." Citrata doesn't think much of her opponent's strategy. "I want strong Pokémon to teach Team GR a lesson! Now, try that Vine Whip we practiced earlier!"
"Chespin?" Having just been told Staryu is far better trained, Chespin objects to the battle. "Ches! Pinpin!"
It looks like we have a problem here! Nobody told our heroine how Pokémon may disobey commands that danger themselves or others. Trainers who abuse their team's trust are certain to face great hardships in life.
"Chespin! It's just a Staryu!" Citrata raises her voice a bit. "You already know how to fight water-types!"
"Ches..." The Pokémon sighs.
"Cici, how long have you owned Chespin?" Misty asks, her intuition spot-on. "I think it's not ready for a gym leader."
"Don't let her intimitate you, buddy!" Ignoring the advice, Citrata issues new orders. "Use Razor Leaf!"
"Chespinnnn!" The Pokémon emits a weak stream of leaves.
"Very well, don't say I didn't warn ya!" Misty clenches her fist. "Counter it with Rapid Spin!"
An incredible one-hit knockout! Staryu's impact sends Chespin spiraling right into its trainer!
"Uuuggh... You're a lot heavier than a football." Taking a moment to regain her strength, Citrata pets the wiped-out Pokémon. "We'll have to work on me dodging attacks too."
"Listen, pal. It's irreponsible to start fights your Pokémon aren't ready for." Misty returns Staryu to its Poké Ball. "They could get hurt!"
"I guess so, this is all new to me." Citrata has to admit. "I was a Trading Card Game player."
"You must be a long way from home, I've never met a card player before." While less surprised than Ash, Misty's reaction is still one of curiosity. "To collectors, I'm just another pretty face."
"Heh. TCG Island takes so long to adopt new cards, we don't see you often." Citrata chuckles, then shows off her latest deck. "Team GR all but forced the Team Rocket set upon us."
"I can't stand those guys!" Disgusted, Misty''s tongue sticks out. "They're always hatching stupid plots to nab Ash's Pikachu!"
"You can say that again." Citrata nods in agreement. "They looked awesome in pictures, yet..."
After listening to a rambling opinion of the Team Rocket trio, Misty sighs.
"I'd be a thief too if Team GR hadn't turned me away!" Sensing her new friend is losing interest in the conversation, Citrata asks a question the shopkeepers were little help with. "By the way. Have you seen a girl in blue shorts kinda like yours, around here?"
"Nope." Misty is swift to confirm.
"Come on, then!" Finished talking, Citrata resumes the search for Hilda. "I still have shopping to do!"
"Ooh!" Although annoyed by her friend's sudden exit, Misty decides to accept the invitation to follow her. "You're energetic!"
Meanwhile... Our other heroes, Hilda and Oshawott, are out training by the river. And they're not alone! Strange characters of a medieval sort have set up camp nearby!
"Osha! Oshosh!" Oshawott's efforts to spray enough water to ride like a wave, prove unsuccessful. "Oshawott..."
"There, there." Hilda reassures her Pokémon. "Surf is an advanced technique. It takes time to master."
*Clang!* Hearing a barrage of metallic sounds, Hilda returns Oshawott and gets herself a closer look. It appears to be a band of knights practicing swordplay! What kind of quest do they think they're on!?
"Attention, loyal Knights of Fennekin! These are dark times for our world!" The honorable captain gives a speech to his troops. "We must bravely stand up to those who threaten people and Pokémon!"
"Um, hello sir." Caught off guard by the horde of attractive men, Hilda hesitates a moment. "What's going on here?"
"Fear not, fair maiden." The captain politely responds. "You would do well to attend tonight's grand ball. My legion and I will be stationed to protect it from Team Flare's mischief!"
Startled by the noisy sword fighting on their way to the next shopping center, Citrata and Misty decide to check out the mock battle.
"Are these really knights, in armor!?" The scene has Citrata puzzled.
"Sometimes I wish Ash were more like them." Misty remarks.
"Huh? Are you talking about the same Ash?" Surprised to hear the name, Citrata presses for more detail.
"Yep, Ash Ketchum and I traveled Kanto and Johto together!" Talking about her own adventures perks Misty right up. "Good old Brock kept going without me a while, now even he's moved on."
"I've heard of him!" Citrata's memory is jogged. "My island's players don't use his cards."
"The card artists had too much fun with me." Misty sarcastically says. "What's TCG Island like anyhow?"
"It's next to GR Island, near Kanto." Happy to talk about her home, Citrata explains a little more. "But unlike the Orange Islands, nobody trains wild Pokémon."
"Aww, Pokémon are so much fun!" Finding the idea of life without Pokémon unthinkable, Misty's expression changes again. "Myself, I specialize in water-types! They're the cutest!"
"I'd rather have a strong squad to get back at Team GR." Citrata boasts. "They rejected my attempt to enlist with them!"
"You've got to be kidding!" Misty replies, upset by the comment. "Joining a bunch of Team Rocket wannabes is such a waste, don't you care how Celebi or Latios were treated!?"
"I didn't ask for preaching." Pausing to think about the news reports of Team Rocket's more heinous crimes, Citrata slumps her shoulders.
An awkward silence follows, until Misty changes the subject in an attempt to cheer her up.
" Hey, did you know the town ball is tonight!?" Misty's eyes sparkle in anticipation.
"Too bad they'll toss you out the door, dressed like one of Jessie's old biker pals!"
Before our not-so-cultured heroine can object, she's pulled by the arm to an opulent boutique.
Its shelves are packed with gowns and tuxedos fit for the sharpest aristocrats.
"What are we doing here?" Horribly out of her element, Citrata's gaze drifts all over the place. "This stuff is so... so girlish!"
"You can handle being fixed up for one day." Misty unties her ponytail to try and break the ice. "Let me show you something."
"I don't get it, it's just hair." Citrata misses the point.
"Cici, even I accessorize once in a while!" As a demonstration, Misty steps forward and gently slides a hand through her hair.
"Hello, handsome! Would you like my phone number?" It seems a nearby young man has swiped Citrata's fancy. "I could take you out for ice cream, everybody loves extra fudge!"
Well, well, another familiar sight for this narrator. The pickup lines even less effective than Brock's are quickly interrupted by Misty, who nudges her toward a pharmacy stocked with Pokémon supplies.
"Hey, mister! Where is the Pokémon Center!?" The unfazed Citrata asks the pharmacy clerk.
"They're not accepting patients right now, the staff are probably treating too many burns." The clerk replies, concerned about his town's well-being. "There's been an outbreak of fire Pokémon attacks lately."
After buying various items to heal their teams, Citrata follows Misty back to the clothing shop.
"Do we have to look at this place again?" Mutters Citrata.
"You're NOT wearing that to the..." Misty's reply is cut short by an explosion outside.
"It's Team Flare!" A startled knight across the street shouts. "What are you kids standing around for? Get to shelter!"
"Don't worry about us." In a dazzling motion, Misty dashes toward the burning trees and tosses a Poké Ball on the ground. "Staryu, help the knights stop those flames!"
Panicked, Citrata grasps the ball holding her own Pokémon partner.
"Aw, does the poor child think they'll catch a Pokémon here?" A sarcastic member of Team Flare taunts our heroine. "We've scared them away by now."
"Fear is for the weak!" Tossing a bucket of water at the nearest fire, a slender middle-aged woman takes several leaps to make her way down from a rooftop. "Cacnea-Man told me villainy was afoot in the area!"
The flickering light from the flames causes the woman's custom made lab coat to display rarely-visible shades of silver. In ordinary conditions it appears to be the standard white.
A more prized possession is her necklace. Its baseball-shaped locket holds a tiny picture of her in uniform, meeting the undercover mascot who would later become her husband. Tending the ballpark in the offseason inspired the curious career shift to botany upon retiring from sports.
"Mom?! You always told me you weren't a superhero!" Citrata shouts at the sight of her athletic mother.
"I'm a botanist, not a caped crusader." The woman confidently replies. "The name's Dr. Mikania, to you Team Flare hoodlums!"
"A plant doctor is your backup!?" Laughing, the Team Flame grunt summons a bulky Rhydon from its ball. "Try harder next time!"
"What are you doing?" An older Team Flame member shouts to his ally. "She's the brainiac I told you about! This lady is how Cacnea-Man defeated my former gang!"
"Anybody but her!" The annoyed Team Flame grunt remembers something he heard before. "Are you still there, Charmander? Stop hiding and help us!"
A small, reptilian Pokémon emerges from underneath a group of felled trees.
"There's the rascal who must've caused the fires!" Misty has fond memories of the Charmander whom Ash once rescued and raised. "Charmander are tougher than they look!"
"Two on one isn't nice!" Wishing to protect her mother from harm, Citrata for a moment forgets she dislikes heroics and calls forth her Pokémon. "Chespin, use Bubble Beam on that giant!"
"Ches...pin?" Confused by the command to perform a water-type move, Chespin is bounced aside by a tackle attack from Rhydon.
"Quit joking around, Cici!" Misty ridicules the blunder. "Staryu and I are busy holding off Charmander's heat!"
"Such lackluster tactics dishonor your family." One of the knights states, as he distracts Rhydon using his shield.
"Everyone says that about Dad." Citraga giggles. "His effectiveness as a crime fighter is long behind him."
Now hold on a minute. This narrator doesn't tell superhero origin stories! My plate is full chronicling Citrata's journey in the world of Pokémon. How did a respected man of the law become the Cacnea-Man we know today, with a blurred seperation between his costumed identity and civilian life? The mysteries of the mind are not so readily unraveled...
In the meantime, let us return to current events, where first responders have at last arrived on the scene.
"Stop!" A hurried police woman shouts. "You're under arrest for damaging our beautiful forest, and attacking innocent people and Pokémon!"
"Hello, Officer Jenny!" The familiar face catches Misty's attention.
Few people can tell apart members of this widespread yet eccentric law enforcement agency. They follow a code of always being women named 'Jenny' and, with the exception of a few adventurous individuals, their hairstyles, uniforms, and Pokémon partners are kept amazingly consistent throughout the geographical region they've been assigned to.
This particular Officer Jenny is of the Kalos variety, serving Aquacorde Town. She seems to be more approachable than her down-to-business colleagues.
"Great. If we fight her, more will show up!" The younger Team Flare grunt exclaims, as he attempts to call back Rhydon.
"That's my line." His ally retorts, then tries to follow suit. "Return, Charmander!"
"Batter up!" Citrata taunts. "You should've listened to the doctor!"
Utilizing her baseball knowledge, Citrata lobs a chunk of rubble from the fire at Team Flare's Poké Balls to disrupt them.
"I think she's bluffing!" The puzzled Team Flame members exclaim nearly simultaneously, as they scramble to retrieve their Poké Balls.
"Office Jenny, we'll be okay, take care of the flames!" Now more composed, Citrata points at her Pokémon. "Chespin and I aren't down yet! Aim Vine Whip at Rhydon's feet!"
It's a hit! A vine temporarily emerges from Chespin, tripping the rhinoceros-like creature as it attempts to charge at anyone in its path. Startled, Charmander glares over at Staryu, expecting to also be attacked imminently.
"Bulbasaur would like that." Misty cheers her friend on, as she reminisces about one of Ash's Pokémon. "We're still in this too! Staryu, use Bubble!"
The experienced starfish leaps into the air, spinning around as it emits bubbles that sharply pop upon contact with Charmander.
"Cha..." Disliking water attacks, Charmander stumbles around dizzy from the impact.
"It's no good!" The older Team Flame grunt calls back his Pokémon. "I wasn't prepared to fight a gym trainer!"
"How about you, Rhydon?" Mikania wags her finger in disapproval. "My Cici has a ball to attend, and you're not invited!"
"Accept defeat." The knight gives off a similar glare toward Team Flare. "It would be unwise to force the Knights of Fennekin to intervene in this battle."
"Hmph!" Scowling, the younger Team Flame member retreives the tripped Rhydon. "Heroes, always boasting!"
To everyone else's relief, the outnumbered Team Flare duo finally retreats to parts unknown.
"Did I hear that correctly?" Citrata semi-sarcastically inquires. "The nerve of calling me a hero!"
"Cici." Her arm raised in delight, Misty returns Staryu to its ball. "You stepped up against REAL thugs! They weren't just printed on trading cards."
"But I wanted to join Team GR." The reluctant Citrata grumbles.
"Cycas was so upset the day you darted to their doorstep." Mikania remarks coldly. For obvious reasons, she no longer takes her husband's costumed identity seriously. "He nearly quit believing he has superhuman abilities!"
Returning from summoning the fire department, Officer Jenny's expression turns to surprise upon overhearing Cycas' name.
"Hey." Officer Jenny greets Citrata and company. "Were you talking about Cycas?"
"He's my father." Citrata responds, in a disappointed tone. "At least when he's not playing superhero."
"You should be proud of him!" Gears click in the thoughts of Officer Jenny. "When I was taking the police exam, many of the other cadets told me they were inspired by the great sleuth Cycas."
"With my technical help." Mikania gently laughs. "I maintained his disguises and equipment."
"That's nice, but we'll be late for the ball if we share detective stories." Misty taps her pocketwatch.
"The ball!" Reminded of a reason she's in town, Mikania opens the clothing suitcase attached to her motor scooter. "I have something for you, Cici."
Mikania unfolds a Dustox-patterned dress she had prepared for the senior prom Citrata missed during her efforts to enlist in Team GR. The outfit has a slim, purple torso, and shifts toward green around the knees. It also includes yellow hair pieces that vaguely resemble antennae, along with detachable wings.
"Is that a dress, or a bug?!" Misty promptly complains, in her aversion to insects.
"It's..." Citrata pauses for a moment when her mother unveils the shoes. "You found the heels I misplaced! Dad gave me extra allowance to buy them too."
"Looks like everything is fine here." Officer Jenny bids the group farewell. "Behave on the dance floor!"
Citrata frowns a little. Unfortunately, dancing is not a talent our heroine possesses.
"I'm not letting bugs hog all the fun." Her competitive spirit revitalized, Misty readies herself to revisit the shopping area one final time. "We'll meet up again, in style!"
Her journey's interruption by Team Flare thwarted, for now, Citrata accepts the remarkable clothes her mother provided. As she makes her way to the reception office of the opulent building hosting the ball, where she expects to reunite with Hilda, the next chapter is about to unfold...