FREE TO A GOOD HOME. if you're a gym leader.

[leaguechallenge]

[And suddenly THERE IS A FLURRY OF SNOW in the middle of the CMA.]

...Mom? Mom? [a sneeze.] Mom, please answer, if you’re there-

[Out of the snow comes a chilly-looking Red, who seems to have brought a bit of the mountain weather with him on his way in. He’s holding an arm in front of his face to block the snow from getting in his eyes, and

Comments

[aquaboss]

[Well, this guy's not a Gym Leader, and he's sure as hell not your mother. But he might be kind of interested in that kid who just came out of nowhere with some random snow blowing in behind him. In fact, he'll just stay right here leaning on this tree while you get your bearings. Or he would if a certain shark Pokemon of his didn't decide that it would be cool to greet the newcomer.]

[Say hello to Sharpedo! He's not attempting to attack you, but you are wearing red and red = Team Magma. So he's just sort of curiously nudging at your clothes and probably abusing them with his Rough Skin.]

Hey, Sharpedo, calm down. He's obviously not with Magma. [He'll just pull that shark off you. Sorry 'bout that.] He's a bit... energetic. [Understatement of the year.]

[leaguechallenge]

[Red really can't do much but stare at the whole display. Unknown location, unknown trainer, unknown pokémon - he hardly has any idea what to ask first.]

...Magma?

[aquaboss]

Yeah, Team Magma. Our enemies. [He jerks a thumb at himself, but it's also an indication of Sharpedo and the Aqua insignia on his jacket.]

So, seems you're new here. [That would be the only reasonable explanation, but this island is anything but reasonable.] I'll tell ya this much; you won't be goin' home any time soon. This island's not too fond of lettin' people go, from what I've seen.

[leaguechallenge]

[Exactly one part of his explanation sticks.]

Can't go home? But - no. There has to be some mistake - where am I?

[aquaboss]

[In one ear, out the other, huh? Well, that's okay because Archie didn't even listen the first time someone tried to explain it to him and had to find out the hard way.]

Nope, no mistake. You're stuck here. This place? It's called Awesome Island, but I can assure you, it's anything but "awesome." It has a mind of its own, it seems.

[leaguechallenge]

Awesome Island?

[aquaboss]

That's what I just said. [Learn to listen, kid. It'll help you in the long run, promise.]

[leaguechallenge]

Sorry. I'm just confused - if I'm on an island, how did I get there from Mt. Silver? Did Team Magma do that?

[aquaboss]

... [It takes him a couple of seconds to figure out where you even got that idea.] No, no; I don't know how the island pulls people in, but it's not Team Magma's fault. [Unfortunately. Then he'd have a reason to go after them. Not that he needs a reason to begin with but...] Team Magma's my rival's group. Sharpedo here was just makin' sure you weren't one of them. [Your outfit doesn't even look the same. Learn2see, Sharpedo.]

[leaguechallenge]

Oh. So - you're fighting Team Magma? Are they criminals?

[He kind of missed the fact that Archie is on a Team himself.]

...And what do you mean by 'pulls people in?' The island?

[aquaboss]

Yeah, you could say that. [And that's perfectly fine by him. No need to point out that Team Aqua is pretty much exactly the same but way cooler because expanding the sea is a totally awesome idea.]

Yeah, the island. Dunno how it does it. I wound up here instead of the city I was goin' to. [It was actually Aqua's base, but there's no need for such details.]

[leaguechallenge]

So they're like Team Rocket.

...What city were you going to? Your pokémon isn't from Kanto. Or Johto, I think.

[aquaboss]

Basically, yeah. [Sure, let's go with that. They probably don't abuse or steal Pokemon half as often, but well, it's Team Magma.]

Lilycove - in Hoenn. Sharpedo's from there, an' so am I. [Oh, so you're from Kanto? Nice place, that's where he picked up his Tentacruel.]

[leaguechallenge]

I guess there's people like them everywhere.

You said...you said there's no way to get home? Are you sure?

[aquaboss]

Yeah. [Well, people are good and bad. That's how life is.] And I'm sure. I sent my Tentacruel out the other day, but he couldn't leave. I'm not sure what it is - some kind of barrier or somethin'? - but it's keepin' us here for good.

[leaguechallenge]

Can we at least call people outside?