Thursday, June 1st, 1978, 1730. THE PREVIOUS DAY

Sula was tired down to her core. Her hair was soaked, and the frigid cold she had endured over the last six hours chilled her to the bone.

In fact, Sula wasn't sure if she would ever be warm again. Even though the trip between Fuchsia and Cinnabar was familiar, it never became any easier.

One might think that because Fuchsia and Cinnabar were neighbors, they would have an easy way back and forth.

Nope.

Not even a little bit.

Sula gave an exhausted sigh as she mentally recounted her day so far.

She had dinked around for a few hours around town, double checking she was well stocked and provisioned, before heading down to the beach to embark toward Cinnabar. The beach had been empty, a rare sight indeed. It was usually heavily populated by young people trying their hardest to impress members of the opposite sex with their strong pokemon or rippling muscles, both of which were more than a little effective on the average Fuchsia gal or guy, who grew up valuing strength.

Today, however, they had been either in school or headed off on their journeys. She enjoyed the beach mainly to herself, only spotting a few stray Krabby and an elderly couple enjoying the rare quiet while she passed through.

The route from Fuchsia City to the islands was well-policed, and there were only rare sightings of stronger pokémon. Every once in a while, a Tentacruel or Gyarados were seen, but it had been years since the last serious incursion on the route. Sula remembered the previous incident well. As well as one could from stories. Legends, really.

Several thousand Tentacool had been migrating through the area, shepherded by several huge Tentacruel that must have been ancient. Sula hadn't been there, of course, but Kiriel had. She had regaled Sula with the tale of how she had used her Arbok to pump thousands of liters of virulent poison into large swathes of water, killing and maiming most of the invasive species of pokemon. She had personally confronted the ancient pokemon, using her Vileplume to take it down through a battle of spores, poison, and lots of draining, all from the back of her own Tentacruel.

Craftsmen in the city had rejoiced at the influx of cheap pokemon materials hitting the market.

So cool. Taking down threats, while also supporting the local economy? Yes, please.

Sula was proud of her mom and hoped to live up to the high expectations placed upon her shoulders. She personally thought she was doing a good job, but she didn't want to rest on her laurels until she won the Indigo Conference.

The seafaring division of rangers constantly patrolled the area and even marked out the edges of the patrolled area for ease of travel. Today, in contrast to the stories, Sula had enjoyed a comfortable and easy ride on her Lapras, who was intimidating enough that even if tougher pokémon had come looking for trouble, they would have been sent packing before long.

Thus, she only had a few brief sightings of pokémon such as Goldeen and Magikarp checking them out on their travels with looks of barely sentient curiosity before going about their merry way, surely soon to be consumed by hungry fisherman or even hungrier predators.

Sula had decided if she had to choose a pokemon to be reincarnated as, any type of fish species was at the bottom of the list. Fish were food, not friends. At least that was the prevailing attitude in most of Kanto, where they heavily relied on maritime produce to support their population's food needs.

The islands themselves, though, were a different story. The real issue with traveling from Fuchsia to Cinnabar was the lack of visibility. Most of the water between the two areas was inundated with dangerous rocks, making it nearly impassable for all but the most seasoned trainers. If you tried to fly, you somehow mysteriously ran into a thick, opaque cloud bank that iced up most pokémon's wings to the point of critical failure. If you tried to swim around the islands, you were subject to the dangerous rocks, paired with the limited visibility.

If you skipped the passage through the islands, you were headed more or less into a death trap, as far as she could tell.

It was a reasonably well-known pokémon mystery, but most researchers interested in solving it lacked the solid pokémon to safely spend enough time in the caverns. The most widely accepted theory about the mystical nature of the islands was that some type of Legendary pokémon made its home there, but there had never been anything more substantial than rumors.

Sula was skeptical of the theory, only choosing to believe in things she had seen with her own two eyes. In her multiple trips through the islands, she had never seen, heard, or smelled anything resembling a legendary pokemon. Instead, she found Seel, Seel, Seel, and more Seel. She drowned in Seel in her nightmares, their thick fur choking her to death. Every so often, a Dewgong was herding their young along, but for the most part, the trek consisted of wading through snow, ice, and teeming throngs of young Seel.

Sula knew there were other pokémon in the caverns if you looked hard enough, but who wanted to go swimming through ice-cold cavern pools searching for a water type when you could find a perfectly good one anywhere in the ocean? It was idiocy at its finest, and society generally tended to agree with her; there was hardly any travel at all between Fuchsia and Cinnabar, with most travelers choosing to travel to Pallet down and then South to Cinnabar on the regular ferry that crossed periodically between the two cities.

Why, then, had Sula gone through the Seafoam Islands, if it was such a dreary journey?

Character building. Always character building.

My character is developed enough, please, and thanks!

Thus, although Sula was willing to make the dangerous journey through the islands to appease her mom, she had made it a point to speed-walk through the cavern as swiftly as possible, using her pokémon to scare away the teeming throngs of adolescent pokémon crowding the walkway, sometimes grabbing a snack or two for her more carnivorous pokemon.

Nobody said character-building couldn't happen quickly, did they? And nobody had to do it while hungry, at least in her opinion—least of all her darling pokemon.

Fortunately for Sula, the journey passed relatively uneventfully, if not nearly as quickly as she would've liked. She made a few wrong turns, but due to her previous experience, she was able to catch her errors and get back on track. The cavern wasn't dangerous if one had a powerful pokémon to ward others away, and she had those in spades. The danger came in the fact that it was all too easy to get turned around, and if one lost their bearings or became hypothermic, they became easy prey for the normally docile Seel roaming the place.

People forgot they were carnivores in the face of their cuteness. Fluffy faces hid rows of sharp teeth more than capable of crunching through human bones like brittle glass.

There were many stories of swimmers getting lost in the caverns and other travelers finding their half-eaten, frozen corpses. Sula had no intention of making the news in such a way if she had anything to say about it.

After nearly six hours of wandering through the icy cavern, Sula had finally reached the Cinnabar end of the Islands, mostly unscathed, leading to her present circumstances. Of course, her hair was frozen, and she had stepped in several puddles of slushy water on the way through, but that was only to be expected. All in all, she considered it an efficient passage. The difference in climate was immediately noticeable, considering it boasted an average temperature of nearly ten degrees higher, courtesy of the local volcano.

The day had started so well, but now all she wanted to do was curl up into bed after a warm bath, reading one of her favorite manga before falling asleep to dreams of pummeling unsuspecting young trainers, one of her favorite vocations.

Along with teasing her brother, of course.

Recalling Mare's face when he was caught off guard this morning in front of everyone had been far too amusing! She felt slightly guilty that she hadn't told him what to expect, but her mom had told her in no uncertain terms that he was to be left in the dark. Sula didn't really agree with the decision, but she had a long way to go before she could reasonably stand up to her mother.

However, her smile faltered when remembering how she choked on her food in front of everyone. Embarrassing. Even she wasn't immune to making a fool of herself, it seemed. She put the memory behind her as she considered her little brother while heading into the Cinnabar Bay for better pastures.

Mare was always so serious and stoic that she rarely had the opportunity to see him in a moment of vulnerability around other people. Sure, he was a bit softer around her, but that was only to be expected. Anytime else? He tried so hard to ensure he was never seen as slightly lacking, especially in front of anyone in the family, their mother most of all. It was sad to watch.

Not that she wouldn't miss poking fun at him.

On the Cinnabar side of the area, the journey was quite pleasant. The warm water led to an abundance of swimmers in the area. Many looked in awe as she rode her Lapras towards the main island.

Sula couldn't help but feel proud; although they had only been together a few short years, her Lapras had grown into a marvel. Although the Seiichi main clan family's pokémon were much larger than average, her Lapras was unique, just like all of her pokemon. Her mom made sure she only received the best.

The average Lapras clocked in at about two hundred kilograms, give or take a few, and was no taller than three meters at the maximum. Sula's Lapras, on the other hand, weighed over twice as much, although it stood... swam? Floated?—Only a slightly taller than average.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

Gotta love my thick boy, Sula thought as she rubbed his head lovingly.

Before long, she had made it to the main landing site on Cinnabar; it was a long, beautiful beach coated liberally with fine black sand. Mare had explained the phenomenon once, when they were visiting last year. Sula smiled fondly as she vividly remembered the argument.

"Sula, I'm telling you that it's due to the high Iron content, not because there's a volcano here! The volcano has nothing to do with the sand. You're thinking of igneous rocks. There's no such thing as igneous sand!"

Mare was red with frustration; he was usually calm, but they had been going back and forth about this same argument for the last thirty minutes, and he was finally losing his cool in a rare lack of control.

"And I'm telling YOU that that's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Iron isn't even black. It's clearly due to soot from the volcano. It's just common sense. Iron is silver-colored or that weird orange color when it rusts, at best. I don't see a rusty beach here, do you? Rusty beach, hehe. That sounds funny," Sula chuckled to herself.

"SULA! We're visiting the library to talk to an expert. I'll find someone you can't question since you don't believe me. I will not rest until we settle this."

"NoOPe! Got better things to do, like hang out on the sooty beach. Later, loser," Sula shot back with her tongue stuck out playfully, making it evident to anyone less dense than the iron they were arguing over that she was just messing with Mare.

It was only day one, but Sula could already tell she would miss picking on Mare. They spent most of their time together, and he usually accompanied her on assigned trips. She had argued with her mom to let them go together on his first journey, but Kiriel had put her foot down. The winning argument was that if they traveled together, her spotlight would leave no room for Mare to make a splash at all, and to this, she had no rejoinder.

Why does it matter if Mare has the spotlight? I can do enough, so he doesn't have to do anything at all. He's just a kid.

Sula didn't understand her parents' plan and thought it would just put more stress on Mare, who hardly needed that in his life. The guy is already a walking cloud of solemn gloom.

Sula's musings were interrupted as she realized she had absently made it all the way to the gym doors and was standing aimlessly in front of the already open automatic entrance.

"Can I help you, Miss?" the receptionist asked from within the building. "If not, can you please shut the doors? We pay big bucks for the air conditioning here since we're stationed adjacent to an active volcano. Times are tough."

Sula coughed into her hand, embarrassed at her lapse in observing her surroundings, before trotting into the room to make an appointment. The automatic door closed behind her and the receptionist gave a sigh of relief as the temperature shot down.

"Hi there! My name is Sula Seiichi, and I'm here to challenge Blaine's personal team!" Sula announced, sweeping her arm out for a bit of flair.

"Miss, can I please ask you to quiet down a bit? Students are studying nearby," the receptionist requested tersely with a bit of bite in her tone.

Only then did Sula notice that there were, in fact, a myriad of different students who were looking up at her in annoyance from a variety of comfortable looking chairs and desks. The gym appeared to be doubling as some type of afterschool program.

That's a novel idea, Sula thought. I'll suggest that to mom next time I chat with her.

"Yes, I'm so sorry. This wasn't a thing the last time I was here," Sula apologized. She continued on in a softer voice. "Can I register for a battle, though, please?"

The receptionist looked at her skeptically. She was an older woman, and her wrinkles belied a calm demeanor that had surely sorted out unruly trainers for years. Good receptionists were not to be underestimated. Just like farmers.

"Can I see proof of credentials, please? I hope you know the requirements if you're making a personal challenge. I'll repeat them anyway for liability reasons. You need at least six pokémon to make a challenge and a referral from another gym leader. Personal challenges are a much bigger deal than normal matches, after all. Lots of bells and whistles, as they say."

Sula fished around in her backpack for the written recommendation from her mom, finding it promptly and handing it over to the receptionist to evaluate. She also pulled out her trainer ID and slapped it on the counter.

"That should be everything you need," Sula grinned as she waited patiently for the approval she knew was coming.

After checking her documents, the receptionist looked up at Sula with a newfound interest. "You're Kiriel's daughter, aren't you?"

"The one and only! Although people sometimes get me mixed up with my brother," laughed Sula, thinking of how upset Mare usually got when somebody accidentally called him 'Sula' if they saw him from behind. "Why, do you know my mom?"

The receptionist gave a sad smile that didn't reach her eyes. "It's not so much that I know your mother, more that I know of her. My husband served under her command in both wars. He was special forces. He passed this last year but only ever said positive things about her. Mostly, anyway. A bit cold, that one. Or so I hear. I hope she's doing well."

"She is! I'm sorry to hear about your husband, miss," responded Sula solemnly, which seemed to perk up the receptionist at least a tiny bit, as she gave a supportive smile.

"I look forward to seeing your match this evening, young lady! I'm sure I won't be disappointed."

Sula smiled happily; this wasn't the first time she had had encounters like this. Kiriel was known far and wide for her service, and Sula loved hearing stories about her mom when they came up.

"Thanks! I'll be sure to take Mr. Blaine down. You can bet on it!"

The receptionist chuckled at her unbridled enthusiasm.

"Your match is scheduled for eight thirty tonight, so you have about," she paused to check her watch. "Three hours or so. That should give you enough time to check in and shower; you look like you need it. Just come back around eight, and we'll get you all sorted out and up to the volcano."

Sula held her hand up. "Wait. Hold up. What do you mean, up to the volcano?"

"I mean up to the volcano. Blaine takes any and all personal matches up in the volcano arena. Standard gym matches are usually demure enough to be easily contained by the psychic fields put up in the gym, but when his personal team gets involved, it's a different story. There isn't a crowd section in the volcano arena, but we have a media team that helps to record and transmit it for viewing, but it usually means that it gets released a day later."

Sula's eyes practically gleamed with glee at the curveball.

"That. Is. SO. BADASS! I can't fucking wait. I mean, I can't wait. Sorry. Habits die hard," she said apologetically. "Any advice for me?"

The receptionist raised her eyebrows at the shameless bid for aid. "I can't say much since I work for the gym, but if I had to say anything, it would be to make sure you bring a water bottle or two."

Sula bowed in gratitude at the helpful advice. "Will do! Anyway, thanks for all your help! What was your husband's name? I'll tell my mom about him if you're okay with that?"

The receptionist smiled openly at her request. "His name was Earl. Earl Shalke. I'd appreciate that, young miss. See you in a few hours."

Sula left the gym with a spring in her step, already feeling restored from her chilly journey through the islands.

Now, to find a place to stay. Although she had been here a few times, Cinnabar was still a big city and it was easy to get lost. Contrary to Fuchsia City, which was much more traditional, Cinnabar had fully embraced the rise of modern technology. Gleaming towers of metal and glass had sprung up across the island, and the city served as one of Kanto's primary hubs for innovation.

The crown jewel of the city was its esteemed pokémon lab. It had been instrumental in synthesizing Ditto technology into medical fields, drastically reducing the mortality rate in pokémon battles and single-handedly allowing the rise of the modern gym circuit.

Indeed, the gym circuit was only possible because of Cinnabar's advancements. Twenty, or even fifteen years ago represented a period when pokémon battles were, by and large, lethal for both humans and pokemon. They still were sometimes, of course. Playing with dangerous beasts made it impossible to avoid casualties at all times.

Pokémon used to be trained to hunt, to kill, and to defend territory. Nobody battled just for fun due to the inherent risks in the practice. Due almost entirely to this lab, conflicts could suddenly be solved without death. The battles were still just as violent, but there was no longer the ever-present concern that one's life was at stake. Most pokémon, with exception to those in military service, like her clan, made it through their careers without ever being seriously injured or maimed.

Sula recalled that Mare had been telling her about an article he read in a recent science magazine. Apparently, this lab was funded by Blaine himself, who was working on a device that was supposed to synthesize pokémon DNA from fossils to form a living, breathing ancient pokemon.

She personally thought that if they went extinct, they might as well stay that way. Going extinct meant you were so poorly suited for life that your species couldn't cut it in the game of evolution. All was fair in love and war, and extinct species held no interest to her. The same applied to trainers. If you couldn't cut it, then you may as well quit instead of struggling hopelessly onward. Not everyone was like her, after all.

Sula continued her stroll through the city in search of appropriate lodgings. As she wandered, she passed by a logo she recognized: PokéCell. It was bright and red and featured a Meowth talking into what appeared to be a comically large black box with a wide grin on its feline face.

PokéCell was the manufacturer of the satellite phones that Kiriel had required her and Mare to take with them. They were clunky and didn't work in all areas, but they were a lot better than only being able to use the video call functions of the Pokécenters. The technology was outdated and rarely worked well, not to mention that they were caked with the residue of years of use.

Sula thought about calling Mare but decided against it after some thought. Knowing him, he would likely be offended and would react poorly. He was very prickly about certain things, especially the thought that anyone might be looking down on him. He didn't mind accepting Sula's help in areas he was learning, but when he felt like she was giving him deferential treatment or babying him, he threw a huge fit—not that she would ever say that to his face.

Sula didn't get it; why squander a resource when it's available? She had been milking her place in the Seiichi Clan for all it was worth, using every connection, every bit of advice, and every credit available. This ruthlessness and willingness to take advantage of every edge set her apart from other Clan trainers, who tended to avoid using clan resources as an antiquated show of respect, not knowing that them being weaker served no one.

It was why she was going to beat Blaine tonight.

Finally, after about thirty minutes of wandering through the city, Sula encountered an inn that caught her eye: Licky-Licky's Lucky Lodgings. Contrary to what you might think from the name, it was a small, innocuous-looking inn. It was tucked neatly away into the edge of the volcano. The branding displayed a curvaceous Lickitung holding towels and a steaming cup of tea.

So cute, thought Sula as she made her way into the building, which appeared strangely empty.

"Hello?" she called out tentatively. "Is there anyone in here?"

"Just a minute, dearie! I'll be right out to help you; I just don't want these potatoes to burn! Burnt potatoes are a sin here in Cinnabar!"

The voice was comforting and maternal in all the right ways and reminded her of her dad, Jamie, and his Chansey energy.

At the mention of potatoes, Sula could feel her stomach rumbling. Although she had made sure to keep her caloric intake up, something about being cold for extended periods of time really took it out of you no matter what you did. The smell of garlicky roasted potatoes made her mouth water and her stomach grumble. Her instincts had definitely led her to the right place.

While waiting for the proprietress to greet her, she explored a bit. It was small, but not in a bad way. It seemed the perfect place to post up with a steaming cup of tea and watch the snow fall.

Not that there's any snow right now anyway, Sula thought. In fact, she doubted that Cinnabar ever got snow at all.

There were a few chairs and cushions spread about the cozy space, and she decided to sit down while waiting for the owner. Her feet were tired, and something about the space was inviting. She would just sit for a minute; there was nothing wrong with resting, right?

A few moments later, the aged owner of the inn finally made her way out to the common room, only to find a damp and disheveled young woman snoring in contentment on her favorite cushion.

"Oh heavens, what do we have here," she chuckled before gently laying a blanket over the tired trainer's shoulders.