Arriving at the grand ballroom she's been anticipating, Citrata greets the receptionist. Our heroine had never encountered such large or enthusiastic crowds of people back home on TCG Island. Hundreds of visitors not deterred by Team Flare's recent presence are hopeful that they, and their Pokémon, will shine the brightest on the dance floor.
"Hello there." The polite receptionist replies. "I should inform you that you've arrived late, most of our guests have already begun to prepare for the festivities."
"I'll manage, thanks." Citrata's eyes glance toward a detailed map on the wall. "Huh. In this place, even the dressing rooms are a long walk."
"Aw, why did Gramps invite me here?" A frustrated teenager dusts off his case of Pokémon gym badges. "He said the world's best trainers would be itching to battle after the show, but all I've seen are a bunch of tacky dancers!"
"I'm not here for that." Citrata is a bit surprised to hear there will be more activities than just dancing.
She explains she's looking for her friends Misty and Hilda.
"Yeah, I know Misty." The young man's expression displays confusion. "But why would she be here in Kalos? She's not tagging along with that Ash Ketchum again, is she?"
"They weren't together when I met them." Citrata notices a stack of research papers next to him. "My, that's a lot of homework there."
"Homework!?" He holds back his desire to laugh. "I'll have you know I'm Gary Oak, and these are research notes on Kalos I'm collecting for the professor."
Gary tells Citrata about his grandfather, the esteemed Professor Oak, who studies Pokémon at his sprawling laboratory in the Kanto region's Pallet Town. The facility doubles as something of a nature preserve. Many new adventurers visit Professor Oak to receive their very first Pokémon partner. While more seasoned trainers who began their journeys in Kanto, often send Pokémon not on their active teams back to the lab for rest and relaxation.
Because carrying around too many Pokémon deprives them of the proper care they need, the Pokémon League limits official battles to a maximum of six Pokémon per entrant. In practice, however, full six-versus-six battling is uncommon outside major tournament events.
"I didn't get my Chespin from a lab." Citrata cradles her lone Poké Ball, almost forgetting she's in a hurry. "Whoa! I'd better get spiffy for Misty, she could've wandered anywhere in a place like this!"
Our heroine shuffles through the packed crowd, soon reaching the dressing rooms.
"Ugh, Mom didn't tell me how to put this on." Examining the dress her mother gave her, Citrata clumsily begins to change clothes. "The waist is too loose. Maybe I need to pull these strings on the back... ooof!"
Needless to say, THIS lady is not a fairy tale princess! There's no pixie dust that'll automatically conform anything she wears to her figure, no magic slippers to guide her to romance.
Several unpleasant adjustments later, Citrata's spine enjoys relief, but the antennae and wings are attached less than perfectly.
"Your attention please. The ball will commence shortly." A generic voice announces over the public address system. "All participants report to the central chamber."
"Why did I wear heels?" Citrata grumbles for a while, until she's awestruck by the luxurious ballroom. The lighting and architecture are masterfully crafted. "It's magnificent!"
On the opposite end of the room, the Team Rocket trio in disguise is spying on the event.
"Jessie!" The incognito James whines. "How are we supposed to steal Pokémon from this many people?"
"We're not after Pikachu today." Jessie motions him to quiet his voice. "We want to nab whatever treasure Team Flare is after! Why else would they stick around this boring town?"
"Maybe they're shopping for new uniforms?" James asks in an ignorant tone. "I'd look like a convict in their color!"
"Keep your voice down, or that might happen." Even though he's hidden in a vase, Meowth facepalms.
"Welcome to the Champions Pokémon Gala!" An eager emcee standing by a podium waves at the crowd.
He goes on to express his hopes that no one was injured by the fire in town, and advises people that Pokémon battles will not be permitted until the dance is over.
"Get on with it!" Elsewhere in the room, Misty is acting impatient, as she wants to show off her yukata. "I've had enough of Team Flare!"
To everyone's delight, except for those who hate classical music, a song by a world-renown late composer starts playing. It has a slow tempo to accommodate novice dancers.
"I can't dance to this!" Citrata shakes her head, preferring more upbeat genres. "I'll fall asleep!"
Our musically-bored heroine drifts around the room, turning down several potential dance partners.
"Where is Yellow?" A man wearing a sleek black tuxedo muses to himself, almost bumping into Citrata.
"Woah!" Startled, Citrata takes a step backwards. "Are you looking for someone?"
"Never mind that." The man doesn't want to tell a stranger what he's doing. "It was nice meeting you."
As the man resumes the search for his friend, he accidentally drops a black card with a silhouette resembling Braixen on it.
"What's this?" Following an unsuccessful attempt to locate the card's apparent owner, Citrata slips it into her pocket. "It looks like a Pokémon, but it's not a trading card."
"Hey, Cici!" Hilda in a white gown waves to her friend. "Why aren't you dancing?"
"It's classical music." Citrata pouts a bit. "I've been looking for you."
Our heroine shows Hilda the mysterious card.
"I think this is Braixen." Hilda examines the card further. "But it's nothing like any Pokémon card I've ever seen."
Without much better to do, Hilda leads the curious Citrata to a better spot on the dance floor. Meanwhile, the emcee introduces the next song and describes it as a "tango".
"Show some energy!" Hilda spins to try to encourage her friend. "These tunes are made for duets."
"My heels aren't helping any." Struggling with her shoes, Citrata avoids falling by leaning on the vase Meowth is hiding in. "Hilda? Did that vase just say something?"
Before our heroine can peer inside the object, a girl's voice shouts across the room. A fatigued Misty dashes over from the dressing room area.
"I'm glad I found you, Cici!" Panting, Misty gulps a bottle of water in her hand. "I was assisting the cleanup effort, and just got here!"
When Citrata introduces Hilda to Misty, something sparks in their eyes.
"Let's battle!" An excited Hilda grabs a Poké Ball in her handbag. "Kanto gym leaders are a rare sight in these parts."
"What are you doing?" Citrata glances over at a security guard, then slyly changes the subject by showing the card she found to Misty.
"The fire-type Braixen, huh?" Misty remarks, though she isn't too knowledgeable about Kalos region Pokémon either. "It might belong to the knights."
"Oh! I thought so, they would like the next stage of Fennekin." It takes Citrata a moment to recall what she's heard about the marvel known as Pokémon evolution.
Most species of Pokémon undergo one or more drastic physiological transformations in their life cycles. Generally experiencing a significant, yet irreversible, increase in size and strength. Evolved Pokémon may even change their battle type affinity.
The greatest phenomena are temporary, however, occurring in situations such as adverse weather. The Kalos region in particular is conductive to evolution; it possesses an energy source that, when collected and channeled, has astounding effects dubbed Mega Evolution. This technique supercharges the few compatible Pokémon into brief yet powerful new forms.
"Hello again, everyone. How have your dances been?" The emcee is handed a ceremonial Poké Ball by his assistant. "I'm pleased to announce the battling will soon begin! All interested competitors, make your way to the outdoor arena at the conclusion of this last song."
"About time." Gary leans back on a bench, with a large turtle Pokémon standing beside him. "Do you think these challengers will be worth it, Blastoise?"
The Pokémon snorts, grabs the vase with Meowth inside, and inverts it to shake him out.
"Ooops." The talking Meowth has an embarrassed look. "The cat's out of the bag, er... jar."
"It's Team Rocket!" Recognizing the rascally Pokémon, Gary gets up with a determined expression. "I don't need the help of Ash or Pikachu to stop whatever you're planning!"
Sensing they've been found out, Jessie and James ditch the dancer costumes to reveal their classic Team Rocket uniforms.
"To denounce the evils of truth and love." James poses, holding a rose.
"To protect the world from devastation." Joining him, Jessie points upward.
"Something seems missing here..." Meowth grabs the remote control that fell on the ground next to him.
"Jessie!" Jessie shouts.
"James!" Not sure what Meowth means, James stares at the Pokémon. "What are you saying, Meowth? Did we blast off before the battle has even started!?"
"No, you dummy!" Meowth threatens to scratch his partner. "I think this twerp threw off our motto!"
"Who cares about your catchphrases?" Losing patience, Gary gives a command to his Pokémon. "That remote must be their secret weapon, Blastoise! Don't let him press the button!"
Blastoise lunges toward Meowth, chasing him off into another room.
"Wait for us!" The panicked Jessie and James exclaim at the same time, then run after their Pokémon, with Gary not far behind.
"And that's a wrap!" As the music fades, the emcee pretends to not notice Team Rocket. "I must now say farewell to you all."
"Ugh, do I have to battle in these shoes?" Citrata is of course still less than comfortable wearing heels.
"You'll be fine." Hilda encourages our heroine. "Lots of trainers incorporate dance into their fighting styles."
"Please don't go there." A pep talk doesn't interest Citrata right now.
Citrata, Misty, and Hilda follow the other scores of trainers outside. The battlefield has a standard configuration, various lines indicate details like where the trainers stand, or the center position for starting a battle.
Nevertheless, it's an ornate facility throughout. There's considerable lighting for nighttime use, an enclosed press box to accommodate the commentators and staff, and plentiful spectator seating.
"Ladies and gentleman, the Champions Pokémon Gala continues with the event you've all been waiting for!" A pleasant woman inside the press box introduces herself. "Trainers and Pokémon from around the world, of every skill level, have gathered today to demonstrate their abilities. For viewers at home, don't touch that dial just yet! I, DJ Mary, will be calling the action!"
"Cici, can you believe it?" Misty waves to her friends and family. "We're on TV!"
Not used to the spotlight, Citrata fiddles with her costume's difficult to attach wings and antennae.
"Isn't that normal for gym leaders?" Citrata whispers out of unease about being televised.
"At home, my sisters hog the spotlight." Misty laments.
Misty has a sizable family, mainly admired for her beautiful older sisters. The problem is they're rather shallow, caring more about their fashion and shopping than training. Sometimes they'll even basically give away gym badges to free up time to loaf around. In short, Kanto's Cerulean Gym holds a shaky reputation among followers of the Pokémon League circuit.
"Who will battle first?" DJ Mary glances around the gathering of competitors, as they scan into a row of computer terminals, their Pokédexes containing basic identification and a list of their active Pokémon.
A Pokédex is indispensable for any Pokémon enthusiast, most of all trainers adventuring to challenge the Pokémon League. The various Pokédex models offer numerous additional features. Including, but not limited to, tracking the Pokémon species a trainer has encountered or obtained. As well as encyclopedic data such as their battle types, and common habitats and behavioral traits.
"This machine isn't working." Citrata fruitlessly presses some buttons on the terminal, until a message appears on its display screen. "Ah. Dang it, I don't have a Pokédex!"
"Excuse me, young miss." A slender man in a lab coat motions for our heroine to approach him. "Are you by chance the new trainer Professor Juniper told me about?"
"I'm Citrata, Cici." Citrata ignores the amused expression on Gary's face, he has just returned from chasing Team Rocket.
"Splendid. Professor Sycamore." The kind man opens a box with a shiny new Pokédex inside. "Since we're not at my lab in Lumiose City, would you permit me to register you with the Pokémon League right away?"
Our heroine takes a moment to let sink in that the trainer's path in life has now been truly presented before her. It wasn't long ago she nearly became nothing more than a petty thief, having attempted to join the shady Team GR.
"Good riddance to bad rockets." Citrata mutters quietly to herself, then shifts to a thrilled tone. "Look out! I'm going to meet real Pokémon!"
"Registration complete." The Pokédex speaks, using a basic artificial intelligence. "My owner has been confirmed as Citrata, resident of TCG Island."
"Is that so? I've never battled a Pokémon trainer from TCG Island!" Sarcasm can be heard in Gary's voice. "Gramps will have to hear about this."
Needing few words, Citrata and Gary instinctively take their stances in the arena's marked trainer boxes.
"Folks, we have a sight in store for you right out of the gate." DJ Mary brings up the two opponents' records on her monitor. "Our first battle will pit Citrata from the faraway TCG Island, in her last-minute debut as a registered trainer, against Pallet Town's very own Gary Oak!"
"Go get him, Cici!" Hilda cheers from the spectator area.
"I hope she'll be okay." Elsewhere in the stands, Misty expresses worry. "Unlike Ash, Gary isn't going to show mercy to a newbie!"
"What's it going to be, rookie?" Gary calls forth his leading Pokémon. A bulky, doglike fire type emerges. "I choose Arcanine!"
"They call that a type advantage, don't they?" Citrata's options are limited, as she only owns her starter Pokémon. "Go for it, Chespin! Hey, are you asleep in there?"
To the crowd's astonishment, nothing happens. Chespin fails to materialize on the battlefield.
"This is highly irregular!" The scene has DJ Mary befuddled. "Citrata's Chespin appears to be refusing to fight!"
"You've got to be joking." Keeping his cool, Gary demonstrates how he activates a Poké Ball.
"I can do better than that." With a nice windup, Citrata hurls her ball at impressive speed. "Mom taught me her best stuff on the diamond."
Our heroine's baseball technique prompts a mixed response from the audience. The pitching talent is undeniable, but this is supposed to be a Pokémon battle!
"Hmph." Gary taps his foot in anticipation. "Are you satisfied yet? The referee will declare a forfeit any moment now."
"A bat please." In an unorthodox gesture, Citrata requests a baseball bat from whoever happens to have one available.
"I'll help you out of this jam!" An energetic girl watching the match pleads the referee to delay his decision, then hands a bat from her equipment bag over to Citrata. "The name's Casey, by the way!"
"Would you look at that, a generous fan has given Citrata a bat!" True to sportscaster tradition, DJ Mary hypes up the unfolding scenario for dramatic effect. "Will our daring trainer swing for the fences, or does she have other plans?"
"I usually pitch, but I'm going to slug this one for you!" Citrata tosses up a baseball signed by her mother, and hits it toward Casey set to catch it on the opposing end of the battlefield.
The batter is out! Or it would be, in any conventional baseball situation. As if responding to the crowd's reaction to the ball traveling far enough to land squarely in Casey's mitt, Chespin leaps out from its Poké Ball to celebrate.
"Ruff!" Arcanine barks a greeting to its awaited opponent.
"You have guts, or something." Gary returns to a ready position on the battlefield. "Start with Flame Wheel, Arcanine!"
"Taking the hit isn't an option!" Citrata's eyes widen at the sight of the flaming Pokémon about to collide with her partner. "Try digging to slip under it!"
Narrowing avoiding the opening attack, Chespin pops back up behind Arcanine.
"The speed startled my Pokémon!" Gary exclaims, having underestimated his foe's inexperience. "Next up is Flamethrower!"
Virtually the instant it turns around, Arcanine spews a stream of fire at Chespin. A super-effective counterattack! The marvelous agility denies its opponent the time to evade again.
"Pin…" Clinging to its senses, the severely damaged Chespin performs Leaf Blade without waiting for instructions.
"Chespin has chosen a followup attack on its own!" DJ Mary grasps her microphone in anticipation. "How will this impact Citrata's strategy!?"
"Your Pokémon can barely stand!" Gary recognizes the battle is all but finished. "Let's send it home with Body Slam, Arcanine!"
Arcanine howls, then leaps up to crash its weight on top of Chespin.
"Ches, ches!" Refusing to surrender, Chespin struggles to prop itself back into a battle stance.
"This isn't funny anymore!" Gary implores his opponent to stop the fight.
"I…" Instinctively. Citrata picks up Chespin and pets it. "No, make that we. We've had enough."
The referee raises a flag for Gary, declaring him the victor by forfeit.
"A touching ending to an unlikely battle, Citrata has thrown in the towel on Chespin's behalf!" DJ Mary applauds our heroine for protecting her Pokémon. "The victory goes to Gary Oak!"
The next several battles feature trainers far and wide. Among the more noteworthy contests include Unova's Bianca narrowly losing to Sinnoh gym leader Fantina. and Jessie and James returning in disguise to win an upset tag battle against a pair of Knights of Fennekin.
"I want in on this too!" Seeking a challenger, Misty walks out onto the battle grounds. "Meet me, Misty of Cerulean Gym!"
"The Cerulean gym leader has issued an open challenge!" DJ Mary announces enthusiastically. "Who will compete against this rising water-type specialist?"
The crowd murmurs for a while, speculating on the next competitor and their chances.
"Hey." Hilda stands up, then approaches Misty. "Would you like to test me?"
"It's not often I fight Unova trainers." Misty contemplates her options. "But I'll take you on, in Cici's place! We're both here because of her."
"Good news, folks! Misty has found her opponent!" A cheerful DJ Mary sips from a sports drink. "She'll be facing Unova favorite Hilda!"
"I'm leading off with a surprise." Misty summons a tiny yet chubby white Pokémon. "Let's show her our best, Seel!"
"A cold choice, friend." A spiral-shaped insect materializes in front of Hilda. "Whirlipede's rolling will break the ice!"
"Yuck! Bug Pokémon bug me!" Misty's face makes a disgusted expression. "Slow it down with Aurora Beam!"
A chilling blast from Seel squarely hits its target! The residual ice tends to reduce an opponent's agility.
"The water prodigy has changed up her game with an icy opening move!" DJ Mary continues to call the action. "What will be Hilda's first strike?"
"This isn't good. The tactics we went over are risky on a slick surface." Hilda momentarily pauses to revise her strategy. "Luckily, I have my own speed-cutting attack! Sleep Powder!"
Whirlipede spins around in a circle, spraying a dust that may induce brief slumber upon contact.
"A great comeback!" DJ Mary admires Hilda's quick thinking. "Seel is counting sheep!"
"Don't take a nap here, Seel!" Misty shows early signs of panic. "We'll be defenseless!"
In these situations, trainers often swap their currently-active Pokémon for another member of the team. Pokémon substitution removes certain status effects, it can also be employed in response to an unfavorable type matchup.
Nevertheless, an ill-advised switch could backfire as well! The process of changing Pokémon takes time, leaving its replacement open to attack. Bringing a previously-damaged Pokémon back into the fight is especially dangerous.
"The ice has thinned." Hilda jumps at the opportunity Seel's condition presents. "Rollout gets faster and stronger the longer it's kept going!"
Whirlipede curls up its body even further, resembling a tire, and slams into the snoozing foe.
"Seel, return!" Misty recalls her Pokémon, taking the chance it could still be asleep when needed again. "Staryu, counteract that rolling with your own Rapid Spin!"
Staryu emerges from its Poké Ball in a similar spinning motion, albeit with the intent to block Whirlipede's path. Both opponents tumble backwards, dazed by the impact.
"It's a dizzying double knockout!" DJ Mary watches the referee affirm her keen observation. "Will Seel be alright? It has to face its next opponent, while still asleep!"
"Staravia, let's finish this!" Hilda goes with a dark bird Pokémon. Despite its ordinary appearance, Staravia excels in the skies.
"Please be awake!" Due to the two-on-two battle format, Misty can't swap for another Pokémon, she has to bring out Seel in its present condition.
Yet things don't always play out as expected. Misty's carefree, disobedient Psyduck instead appears on the field! The stern referee responds by issuing a warning to its trainer.
"We are witnessing a strange turn of events! Misty has been penalized for her Psyduck's outburst!" DJ Mary explains to viewers at home. "In this contest, trainers are not permitted to substitute a third Pokémon."
The silver lining is this embarrassing delay affords Seel the rest it needed to awaken.
"All competitors, please reset to the starting lines of the battle area." The referee directs the trainers and their Pokémon to their places.
"You're looking refreshed, Seel!" Misty praises her Pokémon for being ready. "Icy Wind should ground that bird!"
A chill in the air surrounds Seel, followed by wind currents disruptive to foes who get too close.
"Staaa!" Staravia flies in a zigzag motion to keep its body warm.
"Now isn't the time to complain about the weather!" Hilda recognizes that Seel is paying more attention to its own move, than fighting. "We have our opening, it's not focused on you directly! Go, Steel Wing!"
Staravia stiffens its wings, diving toward the ground to tackle Seel.
"Slide under it!" Misty commands smartly.
"Ouch! Staravia dived too fast, only managing to kick up dirt!" DJ Mary is relieved the Pokémon avoided slamming itself into the earth.
"Blow away that nasty dust!" At the moment, Misty has difficulty seeing the precise locations of the battlers. "On my cue, use Blizzard!"
Observing the swirling dirt until its foe is visible enough, Seel looses a barrage of snow across the battlefield. The flurry crashes Staravia into the clear barrier protecting spectators from misfired Pokémon attacks. It's a frigid knockout victory!
"Staravia is unable to battle!" The referee raises the flag for Misty's side. "The winners of this match are Misty and Seel!"
"Thank you, Psyduck!" Misty hugs the scatterbrained duck's Poké Ball. "You probably don't understand, but we won!"
"Congratulating the Pokémon who gave you a penalty." Gary mocks the situation. "Ash's friends are good for a laugh sometimes."
"What was up with that?" Misty's victory surprises Jessie. "The twerp's brainless bird actually did something useful!"
"I dunno, what about your Wob…" James tries to reply, but is interrupted.
"Even Wobbuffet doesn't ask stupid questions!" Not wishing to be discovered as the battles wind down, Jessie leads James and Meowth toward the exit to flee.
"It looks like this is where we part ways." In an attempt to make wearing her dress more convincing, Citrata curtsies toward the audience. "I have a gym challenge ahead of me!"
"I'm not sure being that polite suits you." Hilda giggles a little. "Oh, did you find the owner of that card yet?"
"No dice." Citrata remains uncertain who the Braixen card belongs to.
"I don't like it." On the other hand, Misty is suspicious of the object's dark ambiance. "The card's color is spooky somehow."
Bidding farewell to the arena, and the awkwardness of dressing up for a ball, the next stop on our heroine's journey will be Santalune Forest. A woodland ideal for beginner trainers to develop the outdoor skills essential for any trainer.
Those seeking to become Pokémon experts must brave the wild, venture to inhospitable environments, to assemble the finest possible team combinations. Raising rare Pokémon to develop their talents is ultimately the most rewarding approach. Alternatively, many trainers enjoy trading or bartering to improve their lineups.
For the not-so-benevolent route, there are numerous syndicates such as Team Rocket, devoted to stealing and poaching Pokémon.
What varieties of Pokémon most interest Citrata, and where will she find them? Stay tuned!