Episode 9: A Link to the Past, A Link to the Present


I gasped in awe when we stepped into Sycamore's lab. Assistants were scurrying about with paper, a beaker of some kind of liquid, or a requested item for an experiment. Still others were observing Pokemon, typing a report, filing books or papers or on the phone with a colleague. "Welcome to the lab." Sina smiled. "It's usually this chaotic in here, what with all the experiments we do every day."

Erin was about to say something, but Sina assured her "Don't worry, Miss Riolu--we treat every test Pokemon ethically."

[What does tat mean?] Erin cocked her head, confused.

"It means you don't hurt the Pokemon, and treat them well." I explained. I thought about going into detail about infamous experiments and unethical scientists from days of yore I learned about in Pokemon Research 101, but figured Erin would be bored, if not outright frightened, by that lecture.

"The professor's office is on the third floor." Sina snapped me back to reality.

I hurried on board the elevator behind Sina, then followed her down a hallway to a large and spacious room "Professor, I have Serena here." she announced through the intercom near the door.

"Come on inside, then." came Prof. Sycamore's reply, and the door opened, revealing a huge room crammed with books, the professor's desk, and a magnificent view of Lumiose City from a window that took up most of the north wall.

After setting a paper aside, Prof. Sycamore turned to address me. "So this is the lovely Serena...I heard about your victory against Viola."

"It was easy, really..." I smiled. "My Pikachu and now Braixen handled it very well."

"Your first Pokemon's evolved already?" Professor Sycamore asked. "I knew the five of you had potential, but to obtain the second stage evolution so quickly? That takes a lot of love, and a little patience."

I decided to summon Kitsune for the professor to see. "Here she is."

Prof. Sycamore watched as I steadied Kitsune on her wobbly legs. "It's not unheard of for a newly evolved Braxien to be a bit unsteady on two legs for the first two weeks after evolution. Just have her practice, not unlike a human child learning to walk, and she'll be outrunning a Lucario in no time at all!"

[Reely?] Erin grinned. [Ye'll have te rece me when I evolve, whenever tat mey be.]

[Consider that challenge accepted--I should be used to these legs by then.] Kitsune grinned.

"How sweet, your Riolu and Braixen get along very well!" a familiar voice cooed.

I whirled around to find Shauna and Callum had joined me in the room. "When did you guys get here?"

"Not too long ago--Tierno and Trevor are on their way." Callum replied.

"This place is huge!!!" Shauna agreed. "I'm thankful Dexio showed us the way!"

"Well, while we wait for the two others in your party to arrive, would you three like to see some Pokemon from another region in battle?"

"I do!" Callum cried.

"Yeah!" Shauna agreed.

"I would too!" I added before realizing most of my team was already out. "I'd even pit my team against these exotic Pokemon!"

"I accept your challenge, Serena--come at me with all you have!" With that, Prof. Sycamore summoned a small reptilian Pokemon with a large bulb on its back.

[What's that?] Rouge was intrigued.

I fumbled for my Pokedex to get more information on my strangely cute opponent:

"Bulbasaur, the seed Pokemon. For some time after its birth, it grows by gaining nourishment from the seed on its back."

Seeing that Bulbasaur was part Poison, I decided to pit Zelda against it--only to watch in horror as she just barely warped out of the way of a Vine Whip. I'm sorry--this opponent is much too strong for me...

[I'll take it!] Rouge volunteered as I called Zelda back. She then fired an Ember at the Bulbasaur, making it stumble backwards.

After regaining its footing, the Bulbasaur tried Absorbing some of Rouge's life energy, but it didn't weaken Rouge at all. Another Gust and the Bulbasaur was down for the count.

"Very good..." Professor Sycamore smiled. "Here's the second one..." He next summoned a small blue turtle Pokemon:

"Squirtle, the tiny turtle Pokemon. It shoots water at prey while in the water. It withdraws into its shell when in danger."

[This one's mine!] Lita cried as she relieved Rouge on our makeshift battlefield. Granted, neither me nor the professor were going at full power--I didn't want to inadvertently destroy the next huge discovery in the thick of battle.

[Bring it on, pipsqueak!] the Squirtle taunted before sticking out its tongue and retreating in its shell.

[YOU TAKE THAT BACK!!!] Lita screeched angrily as she fired a Thundershock, but the tiny bolt didn't do much, since the Squirtle was in its shell.

A comical game of hide and seek began to unfold there in the room--the Squirtle would peek out, Lita would start charging a Thundershock, and the the Squirtle was disappear into its shell again, negating most of the Thundershock's damage.

Finally, Lita was at her wit's end with the Squirtle, so she darted up to it and headbutted it, forcing it out of its shell as it went flying against the professor's desk. The Squirtle didn't take that too kindly, and sprayed a stream of bubbles at Lita before heaving with exhaustion.

"Okay...Squirtle's had a good fight for today..." Professor Sycamore smiled as he recalled the Squirtle. "Here's your final opponent." With that, he summoned an orange lizard with a small flame at the tip of its tail.

I froze--I didn't have any good Pokemon against a Fire type! I still looked at the Pokedex anyway just to size up my opponent.

"Charmander, the lizard Pokemon. From the time it is born, a flame burns at the tip of its tail. Its life would end if the flame were to go out."

I took a deep breath to calm my nerves--if I had no good Pokemon against a Fire type, I would just fight fire with fire! "You want to take this one, Kitsune?" I asked.

[I guess--i need some practice standing and bracing unassisted.] she agreed.

Next, she mimicked one of the gibberish "spellsongs" I had used in campfire stories! [Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul...]

"What was that?" I gasped as a green aura formed around Kitsune.

"That was a Lucky Chant." Professor Sycamore explained. "Although I've never heard those kinds of words to summon it before..."

The Charmander tried to scratch Kitsune, but her legs got caught in a loose thread, and she fell, making the Charmander miss completely.

Inspired, the Charmander fired an Ember at Kitsune as she struggled to get up. But Kitsune was very much aware of the tiny fireball headed for her, and fired a beautiful rainbow colored beam at the Charmander.

"A Psybeam?" I recognized what Kitsune had fired.

"Of course--Braixen is part Psychic, after all." Professor Sycamore assured me.

The Charmander tried again to fire an Ember at Kitsune, but Kitsune put up a Light Screen to protect herself, making the second Ember fizzle out.

Prof. Sycamore smiled as the Charmander threw up its hands in a "I give up" signal. "All right...I concede defeat, Serena--you obviously have talent..."

"That was amazing to watch!" Shauna agreed.

"I have to agree--you could go all the way to the League with that kind of skill." Callum even applauded.

"We missed a battle? No fair!" Tierno complained as he arrived with Dexio and Trevor.

"You should've seen it! First Lita played hide and seek with a Squirtle, then Kitsune overpowered a Charmander..." Shauna gave Tierno a blow by blow of the battle that had ended minutes earlier.

"Bulbasaur...Charmander...Squirtle...aren't those the starters of the Kanto region?" Trevor wondered.

"Exactly--I received some as a gift from a colleague there." Prof. Sycamore explained as he healed the Pokemon he had used in our battle.

He then released all three on the table. "As a reward for that battle, Serena, I would like you to adopt one of these Pokemon."

[Pick me, please?] the Bulbasaur smiled cutely.

[No, Pick me! Pick me!] the Chamander begged, jumping up and down all the while.

[You're gonna pick me?] the Squirtle grinned

I smiled--all of them were very cute and sweet, but it pained me a bit that I could only pick one.

I then closed my eyes and gently touched each Pokemon on the head. "My mother told me to choose..."

When I opened them, I saw my finger was touching the Squirtle's head. "Squirtle."

"An excellent choice..." Professor Sycamore smiled. "Perhaps the three of them may help me get to the bottom of a mystery...."

"A mystery?" Tierno gasped. "The butler did it, I know it!"

Everyone laughed. "Not THAT kind of mystery!" Shauna giggled.

"Yes...it's not that kind of mystery." Prof. Sycamore chuckled. "This kind of mystery concerns certain Pokemon in this world...a long time ago, some of them were able to temporarily evolve into an even stronger form when a trainer wearing a special ring sang a mystical song that captured the emotions of their heart. It was the resonance of the trainer's and Pokemon's emotions that caused this special evolution to occur--a process known as Mega Evolution."

"Cool!" Tierno gasped.

"Have any of these rings been found, or are they known to exist at all anymore?" Callum wondered.

"That's the problem...no one knows where these rings might be, if they still exist, much less how the special songs may go..." Prof. Sycamore sighed. "All I have to go on is that this special song--known as a Heart Song--was very short, and only consisted of a few words to make it easy to remember. Every Heart Song is also unique to every trainer, so no two trainers will sing the same one."

"So, where do we start looking?" Trevor asked.

"There may be a clue in Camphrier Town, so you could start there." Prof. Sycamore replied. "That is, unless you want to train or explore Lumiose...

"We'll do it!" Shauna cried.

"Leave it to us!" Callum agreed.

Prof. Sycamore grinned as he offered us each some theater tickets. "As thanks for all you've done, please enjoy a night at the theater on me--I have a small role in tomorrow night's premiere."

"The professor, an actor?" Trevor gasped when he saw the ticket in his hand.

"This play I have GOT to see!" Tierno agreed as he dashed out the door. I was not far behind, but I wondered--could my gibberish "spellsongs" potentially be real?