The hot springs were, without a doubt, pure bliss.
However, Kashiwagi hadn't forgotten the real reason he'd trekked all the way to Lavaridge Town: The Gym Challenge.
Having been on the road for so long with only three badges to show for it was getting a bit embarrassing. At this rate, he was moving even slower than Ash.
But he had his reasons. To properly train Mawile and the rest of the team, he'd stayed in various cities for extended periods—anywhere from a week to over fifteen days.
His stay in Verdanturf Town had been especially productive.
Not only had he conquered the Double Blue Simulation, but he'd also cleared the Standard Simulation three times. If he kept this momentum up, another Blue Simulation was right around the corner.
After some thought, he decided not to wait for the next simulation to challenge the Gym. Zweilous had recently hit Level 57, and with the five-level reward from before, he was effectively Level 62.
Professor Rowan had always said that while level makes evolution a natural progression, it isn't the absolute determining factor. Being just two levels shy of the "official" mark shouldn't be a dealbreaker.
The real key was Zweilous's own heart and will to evolve.
Kashiwagi planned to let Zweilous take center stage during this Gym battle... along with Blissey. If the opportunity arose, he'd let Porygon jump into the fray as well. It might be a grueling fight, but he had total faith they would bring home the win.
...
Kashiwagi packed his gear and prepared to head out to register. He glanced back at Raikou, who was still soaking in the hot spring, eyes closed and motionless.
Ever since the legendary beast had discovered the water, he hadn't budged.
Well, that wasn't entirely true. He hopped out for meals—in fact, mealtime was the only time he showed any real initiative. Grooming and headpats were a close second.
Other than that, the guy was practically a permanent fixture of the pool. He wouldn't even go for a walk, despite the wild mountains being just a wooden fence away.
The "Legendary" Slacker, Kashiwagi thought.
"You really going to sit in that tub all day?" Kashiwagi called out as he reached for the door. "Not interested in going out to, I don't know... defend the weak or something?"
Raikou didn't bother responding. He sat as still as a statue, a small white towel folded neatly over the black iron plate on his forehead. The towel was meant to keep a Pokémon's head cool and prevent heatstroke, but for Raikou, it was purely decorative. The guy could probably soak for a year without breaking a sweat.
"Fine. Stay 'cool' then," Kashiwagi muttered.
He didn't take the silence personally. Raikou rarely responded to his voice unless he was being teased; usually, the only "feedback" Kashiwagi got was a sharp glare or a warning spark of electricity to remind him not to overstep.
Click.
The door closed.
Raikou's eyes snapped open. A second later, they narrowed again as the door creaked open just a tiny crack. A curious eye peeked through the gap, watching him.
After a few seconds of Raikou remaining perfectly still, the eye vanished. The door closed fully this time with a definitive click.
Raikou: "..."
This kid is so annoying!
He stood up, slowly climbing out of the misty spring. He shook the white towel off his head and gave his fur a vigorous shake, sending water flying everywhere. Then, he bolted toward the towering Mt. Chimney outside the town.
He didn't know when Kashiwagi would be back, but he had his own business to attend to.
...
The Lavaridge Gym sat in the southwest of town. With its high gates and traditional red-tiled roofs, it looked like a miniature ancient fortress—practically a cultural heritage site.
Perhaps influenced by the architecture, the registration process was equally "ancient." You actually had to shout for someone.
"Hello? Is anybody here?" Kashiwagi yelled at the top of his lungs.
It wasn't that he liked making a scene, but the sign on the front door literally said: 'If you can't find anyone, give us a shout.' There wasn't a phone number listed, let alone an automated registration machine.
He'd checked their official blog before coming—it was managed by League staff and only had a few grainy battle clips. It was as if the place was completely disconnected from the digital age.
Is Flannery really a young person? Kashiwagi wondered.
He speculated it might be because she spent all her time with her grandfather, obsessively studying how to raise Pokémon.
When your grandpa is a retired member of the Elite Four, the pressure to match or exceed his legacy must be staggering.
Who has time for the internet when you're under that kind of shadow?
Kashiwagi wandered through the massive Gym for a while without seeing a soul. Just as he was about to peek into one of the side rooms, an old man with curly white hair and glasses stepped around the corner.
"I'M HERE!" the man bellowed with surprising vigor.
"...Elite Four Moore?" Kashiwagi asked instinctively.
"Oho! It's been decades since I've heard someone call me that," Moore said, looking slightly stunned.
The world moves on quickly. A few years after retirement, people might still remember you, but decades? After countless new champions and challengers have come and gone? Most people only knew him as the friendly neighborhood grandpa.
"Hello, sir. Is Gym Leader Flannery in?"
Kashiwagi smiled, getting straight to the point. "I'm here for a challenge. If she's busy, I'd like to make an appointment."
Moore waved his hand dismissively. "No need for an appointment! Just head up to the Jagged Pass on Mt. Chimney. She's up there training; probably won't be down for another week or two."
"A week or two? Doesn't she have a phone?"
"Nope! I'll let my Wingull show you the way! Off you go!"
Moore let out his Wingull with a hearty laugh. The seagull Pokémon, common along the Hoenn coast, had a massive beak for scooping up food and wings that were built for long-distance gliding.
Most importantly, it had the Keen Eye ability—perfect for spotting chips at a pier, or in this case, a granddaughter who liked to disappear into the mountains.
Kashiwagi stared up at the circling Wingull. "..."
Training in the mountains? Without a phone?
Gym Leaders in this region certainly had... "personality." It looked like earning the Heat Badge was going to be an uphill battle—literally.
"Thanks," Kashiwagi bowed slightly and started following the bird.
A Wild Encounter
...
Meanwhile, as Kashiwagi searched for his humanoid mobile badge...
on the Jagged Pass...
"Flamethrower!"
"Ma-guu!"
A stream of fire erupted from the mouth of the lava-slug Pokémon, slamming into a nearby boulder with a violent WHOOSH. The rock's surface blackened and cracked instantly before shattering into a pile of rubble.
"Meg! That was amazing!"
A young woman with her hair tied in a distinctive, blooming ponytail rushed over to her Slugma, rubbing the Pokémon's head affectionately.
Even though the twin flames on Slugma's brow licked at her skin, she didn't seem to notice the heat at all.
This was, of course, Flannery—the phone-less Gym Leader—and her Slugma, "Meg."
Determined to earn her grandfather's respect and surpass his achievements, she frequently hiked up Mt. Chimney to train and battle passing Trainers.
Unfortunately, she was still far from her grandfather's level.
However, she felt like she'd hit a wall lately. Her Pokémon's growth had plateaued.
Should I really be looking for a new Pokémon to catch? Flannery wondered, rubbing her chin in thought.
Suddenly, a flash of yellow blurred past the edge of her vision.
She snapped her head up and rubbed her eyes. "Wait... was that... Raikou? Meg! Did you see that? That was definitely Raikou, right?!"
"Ma-guuu..."
Meg sounded uncertain. The Slugma didn't really know what a "Raikou" was, but something yellow had definitely zoomed past.
"After it!"
After a split second of hesitation, Flannery sprinted in the direction the legendary beast had vanished.
She might be a Fire-type specialist, but there was no rule saying she couldn't catch an Electric-type—even her grandpa had a Water/Flying Wingull, after all!
Slugma wobbled along behind her as fast as its molten body could carry it. Together, they gave chase, following the fading trail of the legendary Pokémon.
...
...
Mt. Chimney—Hoenn's highest active volcano. It stretches 24 kilometers north to south and 18 kilometers east to west, with a massive footprint of 250 square kilometers.
While its summit is perpetually shrouded in volcanic mist, it's a blessing in disguise. The geothermal heat powers Lavaridge Town, and the rich volcanic ash drifting toward Fallarbor Town makes the local crops grow like crazy.
Flannery knew this mountain like the back of her hand. She'd grown up here; it's where she met her first partner, Torkoal. In theory, there was no way she could lose a trail on her own turf.
In theory that is...
"I lost him?"
Flannery stared at the barren, red mountain path, her face a mix of confusion and disbelief. Raikou's pawprints had simply... vanished. It was as if the legendary beast had suddenly sprouted wings and ascended to the heavens.
How could the "Girl of Mt. Chimney" lose a target on her own mountain?
"Agh! He's gone!" she groaned, ruffling her hair in frustration.
If she'd never seen him, she wouldn't be this annoyed, but to find a Legendary Pokémon and then lose it halfway? It was agonizing.
Her Slugma, Meg, looked at its Trainer and then flattened its molten body against the ground, sensing the vibrations and heat of the earth.
"Ma-guu!"
Meg chirped, having sensed something unusual. It began to slither like a stream of lava toward a specific rock face. Flannery watched as Meg didn't splat against the wall like a mud pie, but instead... passed right through it.
A second later, Meg popped back out.
"Wait! A fake wall!" Flannery realized. She looked at Meg, guessing how the Pokémon found it. "Is there lava behind there?"
"Ma-guu!" Meg nodded. As a Pokémon that naturally sleeps near magma, finding heat sources was its ultimate survival instinct.
But who would put a fake wall here?
And why did Raikou run inside?
Flannery hesitated for only a heartbeat before diving in.
Between her curiosity about Raikou and her duty as a Gym Leader to keep the peace, she couldn't just walk away. She had a responsibility to protect the town's peace; most people could choose to ignore it, but she had to set an example.
Unexpectedly, just as she was about to enter inside, a massive, blurred shape of blue and crimson rushed out of the tunnel.
Thanks to her lightning-fast reflexes, Flannery dove to the side just in time to avoid a head-on collision. When she looked up, she saw a magnificent Salamence hovering in the air.
Standing on its back was a short-haired girl in a black uniform with a Whismur perched on her shoulder. The girl was laughing.
"I'm not the kind of person you can just chase! Give it up!" the girl shouted.
ROAR!!
Raikou leaped from the cave, his body crackling with electricity. He unleashed a massive Thunderbolt that ripped through the air with a deafening crack! Yet, the Salamence dodged the fierce strike with effortless grace.
"You're quite the feisty one, I wouldn't mind—"
the black-haired girl started to crouch, revealing a spiral anklet, but her eyes suddenly snagged on the stunned Flannery. "Ugh... a witness? I guess I can't play with you anymore. See ya, Raikou!"
"Sala!"
Salamence let out a final howl, dodged another bolt of lightning, and streaked away into the distance at incredible speed.
Raikou glared at the retreating girl, ready to give chase, but then he noticed Flannery and Meg sitting on the ground. He paused, his ears twitching as if sensing something at the foot of the mountain.
"...Hmph!"
It let out a frustrated growl and bounded away with a series of agile leaps.
Flannery finally found her voice, hugging Meg tightly. "Meg... what was that? Was that a red 'R' on her uniform? Team Rocket?"
She looked back at the fake wall, a cold shiver running down her spine. "There's a Team Rocket Secret Base right here?!"
Just as Flannery was about to head inside to investigate, she saw her grandfather's Wingull soaring toward her. Close behind was a young man approaching from the trail below, accompanied by a very cute Blissey.
"Ah! A challenger!"
Flannery realized why he was here. She looked at the fake wall and bit her lip. She shouldn't involve a civilian, but what if there were more Team Rocket members inside? She had to scout it out.
"I'll have to tell him to wait at the Gym," she muttered.
But when she looked again, the young man had moved with incredible speed. In the blink of an eye, he was standing right in front of her.
...
"Hello, Leader Flannery," Kashiwagi greeted her politely. "Did something happen? I thought I saw Raikou jumping away from here?"
"Ah... um... well... yes," Flannery forced a smile. "I'm sorry, are you here for a challenge? I can't accept right now. Please head back to the Gym and wait—HEY! Don't touch that!"
She cried out in alarm, but it was too late.
Kashiwagi had already reached out and shoved his hand right through the "rock" wall, confirming the existence of the base.
"Something wrong?" Kashiwagi turned to her, looking puzzled.
He took a moment to observe the Gym Leader. With her flame-like ponytail, side-swept bangs covering one eye, and her midriff-baring top and bell-bottoms, she looked every bit the Fire-type specialist.
Curiously, her Poké Balls were all clipped to her lower back, and she wasn't carrying a bag. How does she even carry snacks? he wondered.
"That place is a secret base for a criminal organization. It's dangerous! I wouldn't go touching it if I were you!" Flannery took a deep breath, her tone suddenly professional.
"Understood." Kashiwagi pulled his hand back.
He didn't have X-ray vision, but he'd followed Raikou's prints straight to this spot. As for the "criminal organization"... he assumed it was Team Magma.
In the Emerald version of events, their base was right here on Mt. Chimney.
Wait, was Raikou here to pick a fight with Team Magma? He thought back to the Salamence he saw flying off. It had been too far away to identify the rider.
"Could you tell me which organization this belongs to? I'd like to stay alert," Kashiwagi asked with a smile.
Flannery hesitated, then sighed. "It's Team Rocket. You might not have heard of them..."
"Actually, I have," Kashiwagi interrupted. "The syndicate that operates in Kanto and Johto, right? This is their secret base in Hoenn?"
"Yes... I saw someone in a Rocket uniform fly out. Raikou was chasing them," Flannery nodded. "Actually, Team Rocket has been active in Hoenn for three or four years now."
Is she talking about the Trio?
Kashiwagi remembered that one of Flannery's Slugma evolved into Magcargo after a fight with Jessie, James, and Meowth.
But he hadn't expected the owner of a whole secret base to be Rocket... Has Raikou been visiting Lavaridge for a long time?
"Are you planning to go in alone?" Kashiwagi asked. "That seems pretty risky."
He remembered that she didn't have a phone on her—meaning she couldn't call Officer Jenny. She was clearly planning to play the hero.
"Have you notified the authorities?"
"Uh..." Flannery stiffened and looked away. "I was just going to... peek. I'll be fine. I am a Gym Leader, after all."
Kashiwagi stayed silent for a moment before pulling out his own phone. "How about we call Officer Jenny for backup first? What do you think?"
"..." F
lannery said nothing, which was a silent "yes."
...
A short while later, Officer Jenny arrived with a squad of officers to take over the investigation with Gym leader Flannery.
Kashiwagi was forced to leave. He was curious about the base, but Jenny wasn't about to let a "civilian" wander into a crime scene.
However, before he left, Flannery personally promised him a Gym battle that afternoon.
Not a wasted trip then, he thought.
Back at the hotel, Kashiwagi headed straight for his room. He opened the door and looked out at the outdoor spring.
Raikou was sitting in the water exactly as he had been before Kashiwagi left. The only difference was that the towel on his head was gone.
Kashiwagi narrowed his eyes and approached slowly. "So... you went out, didn't you?"
"..."
"I literally saw your lightning."
"..."
"Looking for the Rocket base on the mountain? How did you find that place? Have you been to Lavaridge before?"
"..."
"Oh, so we're doing the 'mysterious silent type' thing now?"
Kashiwagi sighed.
"Why won't you tell me? It's not like I can't help. Even if I'm not as strong as you, I've got other skills."
Raikou finally opened his mouth. Under Kashiwagi's expectant gaze, the legendary beast... let out a long, lazy yawn.
He gave Kashiwagi a look that clearly said: I have absolutely nothing to say to you.
Kashiwagi: "..."
I really want to poke this cat in the eye. Is that a crime?