Anom's Super Mega Egg Run II

Chapter 3: My Pokemon Ranch

Route 19

Bianca: "And THAT is how you capture wild Pokemon!"

"Please NEVER, EVER do that again. That was disgusting and I feel like I want to kill myself just from watching that."

Bianca: "Okay!"

She skipped away. Glad to be on my own, I waded through the tall grass, catching a Patrat and a Purrloin along the way.

Youngster: "Watch this!"

He jumped off a small ledge.

Youngster: "Boing!"

"Impressive."

Youngster: "I have a brother on Route 2 by the way. But he injured himself jumping."

I ignored him and continued on.

???: "You there, trainer!"

I looked up the tall cliff near me, and saw Alder perched at the edge.

"Oh, Alder!"

???: "Hah, you already know me. Of course, that should come as no surprise, Anthony."

"Huh? Wait, you know me from last time?"

???: "Of course. I can see through such changes to time and space. Anyway, one of my goals is to tell people about how wonderful it is to walk toward the future together with Pokemon."

He jumped off the ledge and landed gracefully, unhurt despite the ledge being tall enough to kill a lesser man.

Youngster: "Whoa, I'm gonna try jumping from that ledge too! It's like the ultimate ledge!"

Alder: "I would like to train you, Anthony. Now that you're reset to a new trainer."

I followed him into Floccesy Town, while the Youngster went splat behind me.

Floccesy Town

Alder walked on toward his house, and I followed.

Alder: "By the way, why are you holding two Town Maps and a picture of a Musharna's hindquarters? Ah, I see, they're for your friend with the Tepig. He's on Route 20 training. Why don't you go there first?"

"Yessir."

Route 20

I walked toward a bridge, only for a Youngster to stop me.

Youngster: "I am best trainer! Go, Patrat!"

Snivy whipped his Patrat until it fainted.

Youngster: "I am still best trainer."

Lass: "My turn now!"

My Patrat tackled her Lillipup until it fainted.

Lass: "I am still best trainer."

Youngster: "No, I am!"

They went to fight, but since their Pokemon were fainted they just had a fistfight. I went to go down some stairs, but a Hiker blocked my path.

Hiker: "If you feed me a badge, I will move out of your way."

Ignoring the obvious roadblock, I turned around and wandered up to Floccesy Ranch.

Floccesy Ranch

"Bah, smells disgusting here."

I walked forward despite the manure smell, and was stopped by Hugh.

Hugh: "Found you! Come at me!"

"Listen, I'm here to give you a-"

Rival Battle

Vs. Hugh

My Patrat delivered a Leer and subsequent Tackle to Hugh's Tepig, before I recalled it for Purrloin, who predictably couldn't do any damage with Scratch. Purrloin fainted after using Growl twice (Tepig wasted time using Tail Whip), and I sent Patrat back out. Patrat defeated Tepig.

Hugh: "You're thinking about how to bring out your Pokemon's strength, aren't you?"

"Please don't tell me 'bringing out Pokemon's strength' is going to be a recurring platitudal theme this time around."

Hugh: "Deal with it."

I gave him the Town Map and photocopy, which he pocketed. The ranch owner, his wife, and a Herdier showed up.

Ranch Owner: "Yup, I reckon that was an exciting battle."

"Uh, not really..."

Ranch Owner: "By the by, you seen any Herdiers around here?"

Hugh: "There's one behind you."

Ranch Owner: "Oh, there she is! Thanks, friend."

Ranch Owner's Wife: "Honey, we're missing a second Herdier, remember?"

Ranch Owner: "Oh, right! Well, go find the other one, would yeh?"

Hugh: "Of course! Right away! Missing Pokemon is a really bad thing!"

I followed him, and we went behind into the woods. A janitor battled me.

"Why is there a janitor here at the ranch?"

Janitor: "Because I clean the woods up of any intruders!"

I soundly defeated him.

Hugh: "Come on, get a move on! That Herdier could be bleeding to death on a spike trap or something!"

"Will you shut up? Not every missing Pokemon suffers some awful fate. It's probably just playing."

I wandered in deeper, and heard a human scream of pain. I eventually found the source, a grunt-ish looking man dressed in black being bitten on the arm by a Herdier. He pried the dog off, and looked at me.

Suspicious Guy: "Tch... You little pest! I'm a member of-"

"Let me guess. Team Plasmoron?"

Plasmoron Grunt: "Aww, how did you know?"

"You're wearing the logo."

He threw a Frustration TM at me and ran off.

"Ow..."

The Herdier followed me around, and I returned it to the owner.

Ranch Owner: "Yup, thanks fer returning my Herdier."

Hugh: "No problem."

"Credit stealer."

We left.

Ranch Owner: "Yup, nice kids."