Lighthouse I - Encounters of the odd kind
Slate sighed in relief. After beating the Cerulean Gym he had quickly taken his Pokémon to the Pokémon Center. Unfortunately for him, it was slammed at the time and the moment the Nurse Joy manning the front desk spotted him, she had him change into scrubs to assist her. He did so, and after treating his Pokémon himself, he and Chansey began to help where they could. Ralts, eager to be helpful, even helped bring injured Pokémon food and water.
Due to the power of technology and Chansey Eggs, the crowd was quickly sorted. In between lulls in the activity, Slate asked Nancy, the Nurse Joy, why there were so many Trainers and she was happy to explain.
“The beaches all along the bay are quite popular for Pokémon battles and tournaments. There's always one or the other going on. Some charity organization started offering nuggets for prizes if you could beat five trainers in a row and it's been all the rage.”
While it was a tempting thought, Slate would steer clear of those competitions for the time being. His Pokémon deserved a break and while he needed to start gathering resources, a single nugget would be a drop in the bucket. He needed to expand his vision.
So after bidding Nancy goodbye, who jokingly begged him to stay to help heal the idiot masses, Slate began the journey up the coast to Bill's Lighthouse.
Even from Cerulean City you could see the tall, thin structure rising above the cliffs. There was a light breeze and in the afternoon sun it was really quite pleasant. Even the flocks of Wingulls eyeing him speculatively weren’t enough to ruin the moment, even if Slate made sure to keep an eye on them. In fact, he was enjoying himself so much he released his Pokémon so they could join him.
They all greeted him in their own way and Slate made sure to give them the attention they deserved. Even Ralts, who greeted him shyly, was given a friendly pat on the head that she bore in goodwill, before teleporting to Slate’s shoulders for a lift. Mindful of the recovering injuries and short legs around him, Slate set off at a slow pace.
Here and there battles were happening. A few Trainers called out to Slate, challenging him, but he politely declined despite their mumbling. A few of the more ambitious ones tried requesting trades for his Pokémon instead and he declined those less politely. Only one began following him down the beach, trying to trade a Persian for Slate's Chansey and Slate sent him running after having Scyther stare him down. Scyther’s eyes didn’t leave the Trainer until the crowds blocked him from view.
Which was when things went decidedly less pleasant.
Brad and Lincoln were sitting on a log up ahead of Slate, talking quietly by a fire as the sun set. Slate tried to give them a polite nod, angling himself and his Pokémon away so they would walk away from the pair, but the two boys stood, imposing themselves in his path.
“Well, look who it is,” Lincoln said. Nuzleaf glared beside its Trainer. “The cheat.”
“Guys.” Slate nodded in greeting. He hoped that'd be enough as he didn't have the energy to deal with this today.
“That's all you have to say after cheating my brother out of his rightfully deserved Pokémon?” Brad asked, looking meaningfully at Vulpix.
“I cheated him out of nothing,” Slate said. Brad tsked in disappointment.
“That's not how he sees it and that's certainly not how I saw it. That Vulpix belongs to him.”
“I won her fair and square. If he wants a Vulpix so much he can find his own,” Slate said, gesturing for his Pokémon to go around. Lincoln lunged forward to block them.
“I don't want a Vulpix, I want my Vulpix,” Lincoln said, pointing toward the white fox Pokémon. He then pulled out a Poké Ball and began to toss it up and down thoughtfully. “But we're on the beach, why don't we battle for it?”
“Hard pass,” Slate said. He continued moving and his Pokémon shuffled with him. This time it was Brad who blocked him.
“We're taking that Pokémon,” he threatened.
The beach in this area may have been empty of witnesses but it was thick with tension. Slate locked eyes with the two Trainers across from him and slowly began to close his fists. The sun was almost below the horizon now and long shadows were cast on the beach. Slate knew something bad was about to happen. His hand drifted to his waist, where his knife lay.
“Hello, on the beach!”
The three boys turned to the water to see a boat pulling up near the shore. On it was a man with brown hair dressed for a day on the water. Beside him, looking much more relaxed than Slate had ever seen her, was Ranger Holly wearing shorts and a t-shirt with a torn Ranger logo on it.
Slate felt relief flood through him when she hopped from the boat and waded to shore. A belt of Poké Balls was looped around her waist and Slate could tell at a glance that she had far more than the usual six. Brad was also sharp enough to spot it.
“We're going to get that Pokémon one day,” he hissed through clenched teeth. He then slugged Slate as hard as he could in the gut before dragging his protesting brother away. The pair vanished into the darkness as Slate's Pokémon clustered around him defensively.
“Slate! Are you alright?” Holly asked, sprinting closer. A Poké Ball was in her hand and her eyes tracked the departing pair in the darkness. “Ugh, they flew away on a Charizard. Want me to chase them down?”
Slate shook his head even as his Pokémon greeted Holly. “Thought I'd have to walk all the way to the Lighthouse to see you. Enjoying a romantic evening cruise?” Slate asked. He returned all of his Pokémon except Ralts who hid behind his head.
Holly, for some inexplicable reason, blushed. “Never you mind. Come on, I want to introduce you to Bill. He's been eager to meet you after I told him how you caught your Scyther. Although, who would ever want a Pokémon with knives for hands, I don’t know,” she finished with her nose stuck up in the air. The pair approached the boat.
“Fossil records have indicated that Scyther’s scythes haven’t always been so! There is evidence of other edges present in Scyther’s line, as they lived in different environments. They even managed to recreate the circumstances to induce a new evolution last year, a Kleavor if I recall correctly. Much better than that electric rodent of yours, it still eats all of my ketchup. Hello Slate! I'm Bill and Holly's told me all about you!” Bill said, greeting Slate warmly. Slate blinked at the deluge of information before recovering. He waded closer to the boat.
“Nice to meet you, Bill. Holly told me you were smart but then again, she would consider a rock smart too,” Slate said, hopping into the boat. Holly joined them a moment later with an indignant shout.
Bill chuckled fondly. “This will be the start of a wonderful friendship!” he shouted, accelerating the boat as fast as he could. The trio shrieked in delight as they caught a wave and flew in the air. Ralts, safe and secure clinging to Slate's hair, trilled in glee as they went airborne.
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Bill's Lighthouse was magnificent in Slate's mind. The constant crash of waves on thick stone walls started out deafening but it only took a few minutes for Slate to begin to enjoy it as it faded into background noise. Pictures of Bill's Pokémon team were on the walls, separated by technical diagrams of machines that Slate were quite familiar with as they were in every Pokémon Center in the world.
“These are the prototype drawings of course. I worked with Akihabara to link my Storage System with his Transfer System. Smart man, if a bit odd. He has a fascination with Porygon, which he discovered, although I’ve always found them to be unsettling. Fantastic programmers though, both the human and Pokémon.”
Bill was rambling as he gave Slate a tour of the Lighthouse. And there was a lot to see.
“Oh, these shells are from Lanette and Bebe when we worked on linking our Storage Systems. Don't tell them but mine is far superior. Bebe's still can’t handle mass data transfers without lag. The stuttering effect is an issue we’re helping her resolve but it’s slow going.”
Ranger Holly was trailing behind the two men, paying attention to Bill’s Espeon. The Psychic-type Pokémon was wrapping itself around and through her legs with great affection, and Slate could swear he heard it purring. Slate noted how utterly relaxed and at ease Holly was around another Trainer’s Pokémon and vice versa.
“I got this from Celio. I can't tell you what but he's working on a fascinating project we hope to have completed in the next few years. It should be a great boon to Trainers everywhere though!” Bill excitedly explained, holding up an oddly shaped rock. It seemed to be fossilized metal, which Slate didn't understand.
Before he could ask Bill had already swept off. Holly, bemused, prodded Slate in the side to get him walking again. They finally stopped in a hallway filled with doors.
“You can use that one,” Bill said, pointing to the door next to the entrance. “There's a shower in there, so feel free to use it. I don't miss my travel days although Umbreon sometimes gets antsy. If you're lucky she'll give you a battle later!”
Bill left without Slate getting a word in edgewise. Holly shrugged impishly at him, before reaching down and picking the protesting Espeon up. The pair vanished, leaving Slate and Ralts alone.
“Well he's interesting,” Slate said, opening the door to his room. He thumbed the light on and stopped in his tracks.
From Cerulean Bill’s home looked like a standard lighthouse but as Slate looked around the room he realized it must extend a decent amount into the rock it stood on. The large room would not be out of place at a five star hotel and everywhere Slate looked he saw opulent wealth. He gathered himself and released his Pokémon.
“We'll be staying the night here, everyone, but please be careful of your surroundings. I'd rather not break anything by accident,” Slate said. Barely a moment went by before a soft crunch could be heard from Aron's direction. The tiny Pokémon was latched onto an expensive looking coffee table. Slate sighed.
He quickly showered and changed. While he had used the Pokémon Center's facilities before he had left, ever since Slate had discovered the wonders of indoor plumbing he gleefully took advantage of it whenever he could. Were it not for the fact that Bill and Holly were waiting for him, he would probably spend hours under that luxuriously warm spray.
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His Pokémon had made themselves at home. Vulpix was on the bed, bouncing up and down so she could launch Aron into the air a few feet. Scyther was sniffing curiously at the curtains, mindful of her sharp scythes, while Chansey waddled around the bed, trying to get to Aron so the tiny Steel-type wouldn't hurt itself.
Ralts meanwhile Teleported herself from where she was on top of a wardrobe and landed on Slate's still damp head. He patted her fondly before getting everyone's attention.
“Chansey, you can stop fretting over Aron, the little guy's got a thicker head than me. Vulpix, you know better than to do that. Just because Aron wouldn't get hurt doesn't mean his head won't hurt his surroundings. Scyther, we can check out the view tomorrow, and you,” Slate said, picking up the densely packed Steel-type, “are not a Flying-type. You're more of a cannonball-type if you think about it.”
Aron warbled and wriggled in Slate's hand and he put the Pokémon down. “Let's go eat, I'm starving!” Slate's Pokémon agreed and followed him to the kitchen that Bill had pointed out on his whirlwind tour.
Inside he found Bill chatting to Holly while he stirred a large pot. Holly was tossing little treats to Espeon while a dozing Umbreon, almost invisible in the shadows, lounged on top of a cabinet. Vulpix and Aron immediately crowded around Holly.
“Trying to steal another Trainer's Pokémon, Holly?” Bill asked in a teasing tone. Holly ignored him as she cooed at Slate's Pokémon. “All settled in, Slate?”
Slate nodded. “I am but I'll need to reimburse you for some damages. Some of my Pokémon weren't careful.”
Bill waved him off with a large spoon. “Don't worry about it. But I do ask you don't allow your Pokémon into my workshop. A lot of the machines I have in there are too delicate and expensive to easily replace.”
Slate nodded and sat on a stool at the counter. Scyther eyed the stool next to Slate warily, before she nudged it carefully to the side. Satisfied once it was away, she stood protectively next to him. Chansey went to greet the Espeon and the two Pokémon began to talk in the corner.
However there was one more Pokémon of Slate's that Holly was only just now noticing. “Oh, when did you catch a Ralts?” she cried. She dropped the PokéTreats in her hand to the begging Pokémon below and moved closer to look at Ralts. Ralts shyly hid from her gaze, burying her face in Slate's neck.
Slate for his part frowned. “I actually haven't caught Ralts. She belonged to another Trainer.” He quickly explained Ralts’ sad, tragic tale.
Before he could get through all of the story, one of Holly's Pokémon released itself from their Poké Ball. A Kirlia released itself and quickly pulled Ralts into its arms. The two Psychic-types began to softly cry as their empathetic powers looped off one another.
“So I'm taking her to Saffron City once we're done here,” Slate finished. Everyone in the kitchen, even the Umbreon who was no longer sleeping, were silent with sorrow.
“It's a terrible thing to lose a friend,” Bill finally said, his hands trailing to his necklace. There, a slightly bent spoon on a chain hung.
Holly scooped up Ralts and Kirlia, hugging them tightly to her chest. “Well, you're doing the right thing, Slate. Ralts belongs with her family.”
Slate did not notice the looks his Pokémon gave one another but Bill did. He pursed his lips but said nothing on it for it wasn't his place. Instead he began to hand out bowls of fresh chowder. “I'm surprised a Ranger let you pull escort duty. Ralts are rather rare, even more so in Kanto, and the Pokémon League are usually wary of untested Trainers with them or any other Psychic-type.”
Slate twitched, something Ranger Holly immediately noted. “He did give you escort duty, right?” she asked. He took a moment to hand out bowls of food for his Pokémon, before snagging one for himself.
“I think that means no,” Bill said, amusement coloring his tone.
Holly slapped Bill’s side. “This is serious, Bill! Slate could get arrested for theft!”
“He snapped their Poké Balls.”
Bill and Holly turned to Slate. “What?” they asked in stereo. Slate sighed before looking up.
“I said, Ranger Trevor snapped the Trainer’s Poké Balls. He said it was a way to honor them or something like that.” Slate said with a troubled look on his face. “Something about it rubbed me the wrong way and Ralts didn’t seem inclined to go with him.”
“I’ve heard of doing that for Pokémon you aren’t sure are still alive but never for Pokémon you could clearly see are deceased,” Holly said thoughtfully. “It’s standard Ranger practice, to help prevent Pokémon from trapping themselves in their Poké Balls. Well, before internal release mechanisms were added a few years ago. I suppose it really is just tradition now.”
“I guess?” Slate wasn’t certain about that. And judging by Ralt’s sudden Teleport to his shoulder and her trembling body, neither was she. Bill suddenly froze.
“What happens when you snap a Poké Ball?” Bill asked.
Holly and Slate shared a look. “It breaks,” Slate said.
Understanding flooded Holly’s eyes. “It releases the Pokémon! He was freeing the Pokémon from their Poké Balls by breaking the digital tether that’s linked to their Pokéenergy. It didn’t do anything for the deceased Pokémon because the link was already broken when they died, but it broke the link to the only survivor.”
Ralts shook on Slate’s shoulder more and he gently stroked her feathers. “Judging by Ralt’s reaction I think that’s it. Do Pokémon feel that link being broken?”
Bill and Holly gave Ralts looks of pity. It was Bill who answered. “There are many scientists and engineers who claim that it’s impossible for Pokémon to feel the link. However, most Trainers, and myself, agree that there is some awareness of the link. A Pokémon and their Trainer parting ways is always an emotional moment, one not made any easier by the link.”
Slate frowned. “Are you saying the link is more of a chain?”
Bill shook his head. “No, it’s a link. From the Pokémon to the Trainer. The exact nature is debated but most agree to some sort of symbiotic link between them. It’s widely acknowledged this is why the intelligence and abilities of captured Pokémon is so much higher.”
Something else niggled at the edge of Slate’s memory and after a moment of thought he realized what it was. “Have you ever heard of a black Pokédex?”
Bill froze as still as stone but it was Ranger’s reaction that shocked Slate. He found himself pushed back in his seat with her sharp eyes focused on him fully. One of her hands rested on a Poké Ball while the other gripped Slate’s shirt. The Pokémon all around them began to growl as they reacted.
“Where did you see a black Pokédex?” she hissed. Slate slowly lifted his hands up, holding them in full view and out to the side to show he was unarmed.
“I saw it in Ranger Trevor’s coat. It had a bunch of weird looking cameras and antennas on it. I’ve never seen a Pokédex like that before so I was curious,” Slate quickly explained. He was very aware that Scyther was hovering right beside them, ready to lash out with her scythes should he give the order. “Stand down, Scyther.”
Scyther hissed and for a moment it appeared she would disobey him. Then she stepped back, glaring at Holly. Holly released Slate and fell back in her seat, tapping the table in distracted thought. It was Bill who explained.
“What I’m about to tell you, you cannot repeat to anyone, do you understand?” Bill asked. Slate slowly lowered his hands before nodding. “Slate, do you understand? If you spread this knowledge, you will be arrested at the very least.”
“I won’t tell anyone,” Slate promised. “What’s the deal though? Isn’t it just a Pokédex?”
Holly gave a short, bitter laugh. “If only. They suddenly appeared without warning in the hands of criminals throughout Kanto, despite no manufacturing data confirming their existence. It’s as if they sprung out of nothing to make life more difficult for everyone.”
She shook her head before finally looking at Slate. “We call them Hackerdex. They appear to have a limited range scanner, perhaps ten meters, that allows them to scan nearby Poké Balls and see what Pokémon they’re connected to. That would be a useful tool for any criminal but it’s made worse by their second confirmed function.
“Somehow they can rewrite the ownership of Pokémon in their Poké Balls. So far it looks as though the Pokémon has to be within their Poké Ball, but it’s still a horrifying thing for criminals to have access to. Everyone in the League is furious because we’ve yet to take a working model into custody.”
Slate felt fear in his veins. “Someone can remotely steal Pokémon?” he asked in horror.
Bill shook his head. “They can only scan from a distance. In order to rewrite ownership, the Pokémon needs to be within the Poké Ball and then connected to the device. Fortunately, it’s not an instantaneous process but if a Pokémon is weak or can’t escape the Poké Ball on their own, they’ll be stolen. It somehow even updates the register database of the Pokémon League the next time they’re in range of a receiver. Many Pokémon have vanished.”
“Is there any way of stopping it?” Slate asked. His eyes flickered to each of his Pokémon. The thought of any of them being stolen from him disturbed him far more than he liked.
Bill waved his hand back and forth. “Sort of. The devices only seem to work with the standard Poké Ball. Great Balls, Ultra Balls, Premier Balls, etc., all seem to be incompatible with whatever is being accessed. I’ve been working with the League trying to figure out why but it’s slow going because we’re trying to keep it underwraps. There’s so much technology and coding involved and only a handful of us actually cleared to examine the technology that it’ll take us months, if not years.”
“Years where Pokémon will continue to be stolen,” Holly said sullenly. Espeon headbutted Holly’s leg and she gave it an affectionate rub.
“So not something a Ranger should have,” Slate said. He looked down at his cold meal, his appetite gone. “Do you think he was trying to steal Trainer Lauren’s Pokémon?”
Holly’s jaw clenched and Espeon purred to distract her. She sighed. “Very probably. Did you recognize any of them?”
Slate thought back on it. “Ralts for sure. An Electabuzz and a Noctowl as well. Something long with very beautiful scales and a Pelipper that had an odd green pattern of feathers. Something else that was too torn for me to determine.”
Bill grimaced. “Sounds like she had a Shiny. Poachers love those.”
“A Shiny?” It sounded familiar from his studies but Slate couldn’t remember why.
“Shiny Pokémon. It’s what most people call variant Pokémon that aren’t regionally different but have a different coloration than the standard. There’s no real difference between a Shiny Caterpie and a regular Caterpie other than its outer appearance. Unfortunately, they’re highly sought after by Breeders and Collectors, which when combined with their rarity, makes them highly valuable.”
“How valuable? Slate asked. Holly muttered a price that made Slate whistle. “You could buy a house for that.”
Bill nodded. “And that’s the cheaper ones. My family caught a Shiny Dragonair two or three centuries ago and we’re still living off the wealth from selling it to Blackthorn. Supposedly it died two weeks later during a territorial dispute but that’s their problem.”
“I need to call this in,” Ranger Holly finally said. “It needs to be checked out, especially if Trevor has a Hackerdex. Slate, you’ll probably be questioned too.”
As Holly approached Bill’s phone, Slate sighed. “Do you think I’ll have time for a nap?” he asked.
Before Bill could answer, Holly swore before slamming the phone down. “Slate, grab your first aid kit, leave your bag. You’re being conscripted to deal with an emergency.”
Slate’s heart pounded in his chest. “What happened?” he asked, even as he rose. He returned his Pokémon, as did Bill and Holly.
“A giant sinkhole opened off the eastern coast of Cerulean. Rock Tunnel has partially caved in and the Wild Pokémon are attacking any Trainer they see. We need to be there in five minutes! Go!”
They left two minutes later. And arrived to the aftermath of a disaster.
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Time Tracker:
Days passed in Chapter: 0
Total Days: 61
Trainer Card:
Name: Slate
Occupation: Trainer, Healer, Trainee Joy, Field Healer
Ambitions:
* To find his long lost Starter
* To become a Generalist Master, a Master of all Types
Badges: Boulder(II), Cascade(II)
Trophies: Inter-Regional Rookie Tournament Qualifier (3rd)
Carry Limit: 4/10
Key items: Lucky Pebble, Aron’s Rock
Pokémon: 4
Name: Scyther (F)
Type: Bug/Flying
Potential Moves: Counter, Fury Cutter, Air Slash, Focus Energy, Silver Wind, Agility
Core Moves: Rest, Swift
Name: Alolan Vulpix (F)
Type: Ice
Potential Moves: Moonblast, Ice Shard, Confuse Ray, Draining Kiss, Icy Wind, Mist
Core Moves: Swift, Rest
Name: Aron (M)
Type: Steel/Rock
Potential Moves: Dragon Rush, Iron Defense, Rock Polish, Heavy Slam
Core Moves: Rest
Name: Chansey (F) (Non-Combatant)
Type: Normal
Potential Moves: Seismic Toss, Life Dew, Drain Punch, Calm Mind, Gravity, Heal Pulse, Soft-Boiled
Core Moves: Rest