Writing Project: Johto Journeys (Part 6)
A few days' of time at once, just to get a complete picture so far.
Day #22
The Ice Path was indeed a freezing area, and the floor was very slippery. It reminded me of Pryce’s Gym, and of a few places in Sinnoh. However, I was no stranger to the cold, and took Typhlosion out to handle the wild Pokemon. Pidgeotto helped, and wound up evolving into Pidgeot along the way. I ran into one of the Kimono Girls who had gotten stuck, and thanked me kindly for my effort to release her from the icy patch she had gotten stuck in. A few more cryptic comments later, and she left. I followed, and found myself in the high city of Blackthorn.
Home to Dragon Trainers, from what I could learn, Blackthorn’s Gym Leader was one from a clan who were expected to train Dragon-types compassionately and potently. I expected the Gym Leader to be Lance, but I heard it was a woman named Claire instead. Oh well, I can’t always be right . . . but how to handle Dragon-types? There’s very few ways to deal with them, from what I recall, and I don’t feel up to specializing a team just to handle the Gym.
I set my team up the same way I had for the Radio Tower, and headed in to begin my challenge. The trainers inside were tough, but respectful when beaten. As I stood before Claire, she showed disdain in my team. “I can take on trainers who are the same caliber as the Elite Four. You think you have a chance at beating me? Fine, let’s make it quick.”
Her first entry was a Gyarados, which met my Ampharos head on and came out the loser. Nevertheless, it left the poor Pokemon too wounded to continue this round, so I threw in Feraligatr to mix it up with the two Dragonair which followed. Claire has taught these two some seriously dangerous sets of moves, combining Agility with Thunder Wave to ensure her Pokemon gets the first blow in. Despite that, Feraligatr had Ice Fang, which made it significantly easier to handle. It was the final Kingdra which caused the most trouble. It slammed Feraligatr hard with a Dragon Pulse, then followed up by demolishing Typhlosion, Meganium, and Allakazam in quick succession. Pidgeot managed to keep ahead of it, if brely, and whipped up Twisters which kept the Kingdra chipped away. Claire was stunned at the final blow which landed, where Pidgeot barely remained standing. She demanded I undergo one final test in the Dragon’s Den tomorrow, before I could be deemed worthy of her badge.
I’m utterly outraged at this . . . the League rules don’t prohibit this sort of behavior, exactly, but it would surely frown on the way this was handled. Whatever comes, I’ll handle it though. I won the right to the badge, and any test which remains before me will be passed.
Day #23
Into the Dragon's Den cave, which was a bowl-like depression with a shrine in the center. Not to mention the members of this clan of trainers Clair belonged to, all of whom challenged me along the way. Some of them mentioned small details, about how their family considered Dragon-types sacred and wondrous. At the shrine, an old man beckoned me closer and sighed about the implied burden Clair had started. I was asked a simple question by means of a test of character: "What do Pokemon mean to you?"
"Pokemon are my friends, my allies, my partners. I win my battles by choosing carefully how to proceed, and hoping my Pokemon are strong enough to win. Anyone who wishes to duel me is welcome to, and a loss is not necessarily something to be ashamed of. I give what I can to make sure they remain safe with me, and in turn I ask them to keep me safe."
The old man listened with a neutral expression until Clair stepped in, saying it was clear I hadn't passed the test. Suddenly the master of the clan turned his attention past me to her. "Clair! Whether or not you agree with this trainer, he has beaten you. Your duty as a Gym Leader is clear: give him your badge. Or must I inform Lance about this?" She looked angry at first, then a flash of shame crossed her face as she reached into a pocket and handed me the Rising Badge. She stormed out, not saying a word. The old master sighed and apologized since her temper was quite slow to cool down. With eight badges, I was now permitted to travel to the Indigo Plateau and challenge the Elite Four. The old master paused a moment, and turned away to collect a Pokeball from a cupboard, handing it to me.
"Here. This Pokemon is for you. I expect you can train it properly, and it would be a great honor to see it taken care of by a good trainer."
"Thank you very much. Who is Lance, anyway?" I tucked the ball away, as the master shook his head and gave me no explanation further than I had already determined. Lance was a trainer born from this family, which is why he trains Dragon-types. He also must be a truly spectacular trainer for his name to be held in such high regard. I received a call from Professor Elm, asking me to stop by the laboratory on my way to the Indigo Plateau. I had Pidgeot take me south to New Bark Town, and had Professor Elm look over the Pokemon he gave me so long ago. Declaring it was an amazing amount of data I had helped him acquire, he handed me a special Pokeball. "This Pokeball was designed for use by us Professors and researchers, to be capable of holding any Pokemon we needed. I think, however, you can put it to better use than I. Please accept this gift."
How could I say no? But I will need to head out in the morning to trek to the Indigo Plateau, and the Pokemon League of Johto and Kanto.
Day #24
The best laid plans often go aside, and this is no exception. I received a call about the Kimono Girls looking for me, so I wound up in Ecruteak City. There at the studio, I noticed there was nobody else present except the five Kimono Girls, all of them almost identical. "We have been waiting for one such as you. You have the Silver Wing, which is a sign you are almost ready to undertake a great challenge."
A second one spoke up, then. "Understand, there is a legendary Pokemon who sleeps in the depths of the ocean. It waits for a trainer who is compassionate and capable of empathy with them. You have shown the signs of filling that place, and so we have called you here."
A third girl put in her words, shaking her head slowly. "However, showing the potential to meet your destiny and having the power to do it are two different things."
"Therefore we must test you."
The fifth girl stepped forward, and removed a Pokeball from her sleeves. "As witnesses of your compassionate spirit, we will now test your bond with your Pokemon. Are you ready?" As I nodded, she called forth an Umbreon to fight for her, and I sent out Typhlosion. One after another, they each sent out only a single Pokemon; all of them were evolutions of Eevee, but none were taking this lightly. I was not permitted any pause between the five of them, and at last I wound up victorious.
"We have tested you, and you have passed. We will take this Tidal Bell and travel to the depths of the Whirl Island caves, and will wait for your arrival. Do not tarry long, for destiny is upon us all." I stopped to refill my medicine supply, pondering how to deal with this. I removed my Lapras, which I was grateful would be able to carry me into the rough seas around those islands. Leaving from Olivine City, it was indeed a rough trip; the weather seemed much choppier than I expected. Once there, I found the caves dark and difficult to navigate. Finally I reached a cavern where an old man stood with a lantern in hand. He demanded to see the Silver Wing, then ran his hands over it carefully. "Yes . . . young man, you have been granted an opportunity to witness a legend. The Kimono Girls are below, preparing the ritual for calling Lugia. The guardian of the seas awaits sleeping."
Down a roughly hewn ramp of rock, spiraling down around a chamber of water . . . to a stone island where the five girls waited. Two large spires framed a glassy waterfall, each holding a large golden bell on a heavy rope. The Tidal Bell was sitting on a stand in the center of the rock. As I approached, the girls motioned me to be silent and began a slow dance around the stand of the bell. The waterfall shimmered, and rippled as two glowing eyes peered out of the cascade. Finally a spray of water arced out into the chamber as a great silver-white bird pushed through to stare down at the six of us on the platform. I stared back, standing in awe of the majesty and power represented.
After an amount of time I could not count, there was a slow shake of its head and Lugia dived down into the water swiftly. The Kimono Girls bowed their heads, and turned to me. "You are not yet ready. Though you might be at some point in your life, today is not the proper time to meet it."
Another girl spoke up, walking forward. "Do not be upset. Knowing one's destiny is a good thing, and knowing you are worthy is an exceptional gift. But take this token as a symbol, to help you remember." She held out her hands, which cupped a gold ribbon tied into a complex bow, a crystal pinning it together.
"You have met legends before." The third girl spoke quietly. "We saw it in you, but did not know until this day what it meant. It is a rare honor to bear witness to even one of the legends who dwell in this world or beyond. Hold to it."
"For Lugia, and whomever else you have encountered, to intersect your life and destiny . . . you must be meant for great things. We shall pray you have the power to seize that destiny when it arrives."
"When the day is proper, when the time has come to meet your destiny, we will be waiting. Find us again in Ecruteak, and we will be prepared."
I departed, uncertain of what to make of all of the talk and what I had seen . . . I put it out of my mind by the time I reached the surface - there was more imminent concerns I had put on hold. The Indigo Plateau was waiting for me, and with it the Elite Four of Johto and Kanto.
Day #22
The Ice Path was indeed a freezing area, and the floor was very slippery. It reminded me of Pryce’s Gym, and of a few places in Sinnoh. However, I was no stranger to the cold, and took Typhlosion out to handle the wild Pokemon. Pidgeotto helped, and wound up evolving into Pidgeot along the way. I ran into one of the Kimono Girls who had gotten stuck, and thanked me kindly for my effort to release her from the icy patch she had gotten stuck in. A few more cryptic comments later, and she left. I followed, and found myself in the high city of Blackthorn.
Home to Dragon Trainers, from what I could learn, Blackthorn’s Gym Leader was one from a clan who were expected to train Dragon-types compassionately and potently. I expected the Gym Leader to be Lance, but I heard it was a woman named Claire instead. Oh well, I can’t always be right . . . but how to handle Dragon-types? There’s very few ways to deal with them, from what I recall, and I don’t feel up to specializing a team just to handle the Gym.
I set my team up the same way I had for the Radio Tower, and headed in to begin my challenge. The trainers inside were tough, but respectful when beaten. As I stood before Claire, she showed disdain in my team. “I can take on trainers who are the same caliber as the Elite Four. You think you have a chance at beating me? Fine, let’s make it quick.”
Her first entry was a Gyarados, which met my Ampharos head on and came out the loser. Nevertheless, it left the poor Pokemon too wounded to continue this round, so I threw in Feraligatr to mix it up with the two Dragonair which followed. Claire has taught these two some seriously dangerous sets of moves, combining Agility with Thunder Wave to ensure her Pokemon gets the first blow in. Despite that, Feraligatr had Ice Fang, which made it significantly easier to handle. It was the final Kingdra which caused the most trouble. It slammed Feraligatr hard with a Dragon Pulse, then followed up by demolishing Typhlosion, Meganium, and Allakazam in quick succession. Pidgeot managed to keep ahead of it, if brely, and whipped up Twisters which kept the Kingdra chipped away. Claire was stunned at the final blow which landed, where Pidgeot barely remained standing. She demanded I undergo one final test in the Dragon’s Den tomorrow, before I could be deemed worthy of her badge.
I’m utterly outraged at this . . . the League rules don’t prohibit this sort of behavior, exactly, but it would surely frown on the way this was handled. Whatever comes, I’ll handle it though. I won the right to the badge, and any test which remains before me will be passed.
Day #23
Into the Dragon's Den cave, which was a bowl-like depression with a shrine in the center. Not to mention the members of this clan of trainers Clair belonged to, all of whom challenged me along the way. Some of them mentioned small details, about how their family considered Dragon-types sacred and wondrous. At the shrine, an old man beckoned me closer and sighed about the implied burden Clair had started. I was asked a simple question by means of a test of character: "What do Pokemon mean to you?"
"Pokemon are my friends, my allies, my partners. I win my battles by choosing carefully how to proceed, and hoping my Pokemon are strong enough to win. Anyone who wishes to duel me is welcome to, and a loss is not necessarily something to be ashamed of. I give what I can to make sure they remain safe with me, and in turn I ask them to keep me safe."
The old man listened with a neutral expression until Clair stepped in, saying it was clear I hadn't passed the test. Suddenly the master of the clan turned his attention past me to her. "Clair! Whether or not you agree with this trainer, he has beaten you. Your duty as a Gym Leader is clear: give him your badge. Or must I inform Lance about this?" She looked angry at first, then a flash of shame crossed her face as she reached into a pocket and handed me the Rising Badge. She stormed out, not saying a word. The old master sighed and apologized since her temper was quite slow to cool down. With eight badges, I was now permitted to travel to the Indigo Plateau and challenge the Elite Four. The old master paused a moment, and turned away to collect a Pokeball from a cupboard, handing it to me.
"Here. This Pokemon is for you. I expect you can train it properly, and it would be a great honor to see it taken care of by a good trainer."
"Thank you very much. Who is Lance, anyway?" I tucked the ball away, as the master shook his head and gave me no explanation further than I had already determined. Lance was a trainer born from this family, which is why he trains Dragon-types. He also must be a truly spectacular trainer for his name to be held in such high regard. I received a call from Professor Elm, asking me to stop by the laboratory on my way to the Indigo Plateau. I had Pidgeot take me south to New Bark Town, and had Professor Elm look over the Pokemon he gave me so long ago. Declaring it was an amazing amount of data I had helped him acquire, he handed me a special Pokeball. "This Pokeball was designed for use by us Professors and researchers, to be capable of holding any Pokemon we needed. I think, however, you can put it to better use than I. Please accept this gift."
How could I say no? But I will need to head out in the morning to trek to the Indigo Plateau, and the Pokemon League of Johto and Kanto.
Day #24
The best laid plans often go aside, and this is no exception. I received a call about the Kimono Girls looking for me, so I wound up in Ecruteak City. There at the studio, I noticed there was nobody else present except the five Kimono Girls, all of them almost identical. "We have been waiting for one such as you. You have the Silver Wing, which is a sign you are almost ready to undertake a great challenge."
A second one spoke up, then. "Understand, there is a legendary Pokemon who sleeps in the depths of the ocean. It waits for a trainer who is compassionate and capable of empathy with them. You have shown the signs of filling that place, and so we have called you here."
A third girl put in her words, shaking her head slowly. "However, showing the potential to meet your destiny and having the power to do it are two different things."
"Therefore we must test you."
The fifth girl stepped forward, and removed a Pokeball from her sleeves. "As witnesses of your compassionate spirit, we will now test your bond with your Pokemon. Are you ready?" As I nodded, she called forth an Umbreon to fight for her, and I sent out Typhlosion. One after another, they each sent out only a single Pokemon; all of them were evolutions of Eevee, but none were taking this lightly. I was not permitted any pause between the five of them, and at last I wound up victorious.
"We have tested you, and you have passed. We will take this Tidal Bell and travel to the depths of the Whirl Island caves, and will wait for your arrival. Do not tarry long, for destiny is upon us all." I stopped to refill my medicine supply, pondering how to deal with this. I removed my Lapras, which I was grateful would be able to carry me into the rough seas around those islands. Leaving from Olivine City, it was indeed a rough trip; the weather seemed much choppier than I expected. Once there, I found the caves dark and difficult to navigate. Finally I reached a cavern where an old man stood with a lantern in hand. He demanded to see the Silver Wing, then ran his hands over it carefully. "Yes . . . young man, you have been granted an opportunity to witness a legend. The Kimono Girls are below, preparing the ritual for calling Lugia. The guardian of the seas awaits sleeping."
Down a roughly hewn ramp of rock, spiraling down around a chamber of water . . . to a stone island where the five girls waited. Two large spires framed a glassy waterfall, each holding a large golden bell on a heavy rope. The Tidal Bell was sitting on a stand in the center of the rock. As I approached, the girls motioned me to be silent and began a slow dance around the stand of the bell. The waterfall shimmered, and rippled as two glowing eyes peered out of the cascade. Finally a spray of water arced out into the chamber as a great silver-white bird pushed through to stare down at the six of us on the platform. I stared back, standing in awe of the majesty and power represented.
After an amount of time I could not count, there was a slow shake of its head and Lugia dived down into the water swiftly. The Kimono Girls bowed their heads, and turned to me. "You are not yet ready. Though you might be at some point in your life, today is not the proper time to meet it."
Another girl spoke up, walking forward. "Do not be upset. Knowing one's destiny is a good thing, and knowing you are worthy is an exceptional gift. But take this token as a symbol, to help you remember." She held out her hands, which cupped a gold ribbon tied into a complex bow, a crystal pinning it together.
"You have met legends before." The third girl spoke quietly. "We saw it in you, but did not know until this day what it meant. It is a rare honor to bear witness to even one of the legends who dwell in this world or beyond. Hold to it."
"For Lugia, and whomever else you have encountered, to intersect your life and destiny . . . you must be meant for great things. We shall pray you have the power to seize that destiny when it arrives."
"When the day is proper, when the time has come to meet your destiny, we will be waiting. Find us again in Ecruteak, and we will be prepared."
I departed, uncertain of what to make of all of the talk and what I had seen . . . I put it out of my mind by the time I reached the surface - there was more imminent concerns I had put on hold. The Indigo Plateau was waiting for me, and with it the Elite Four of Johto and Kanto.