Episode 111:
The Heated Memory

Last time…

Our heroes were celebrating their victory over the Yellow Island gym leader, Trevor, when Gamma and his henchmen took over the power plant. Icy and Trinity were able to defeat Gamma and rescue Buttercup, but they were too late to find out Gamma had planted a bomb. And this is where our adventure continues...

«« INTRO »»

As the clouds part, the camera flies over a vast green landscape, lined with numerous flowers and small trees and pokémon running around. Finally, the camera zooms past Icy, Sara, and Trinity as it soars into the sky.

Scenes change as we see each of the Spectral League gym leaders in dramatic poses with their pokémon and their respective island in the background. As we reach the final leader, the world begins to change into lines and becomes the Virtual Plane.

A slightly more foreboding music plays as shadows of a small winged pokémon, a duck-shaped red-bluish pokémon, a young boy, and an older man with a staff pass by. A tear drops from the boy’s face as he drops a small locket, causing the scene to switch again.

The ripples of the tear drops fade into a scene of Icy and his friends having a picnic and a few shots of battles with other trainers and a short spar with Gamma and Eamudo. Finally, the camera zooms out to show a large portion of the world, but with an ominous figure looming behind it.

«« END INTRO »»

“This just in from a small remote town in the Northern Plains... Earlier today, a small trailer park was struck by a high energy weapon of some sort. Authorities have not yet commented on the origin of the attack but we believe it is still unknown.” Icy and Sara were listening to the news while Trinity got some drinks. The group was lucky to have caught the last ferry to Red Island that night.

“This just in… I’m being told that the area where the trailer park was thought to be is no longer there. It’s as if the place never existed to begin with...” Icy suddenly shivered.

“Is something wrong Icy?” Sara asked. Icy’s thoughts were focused on what the reporter just said. “Icy?”

“Huh? Oh, sorry,” he said.

“You don’t look good... What is it?”

“I know what just happened out there... If I’m correct, the whole world is in serious danger.”

“What do you mean? What do think happened?”

Suddenly, Frosterpie popped out of Sara’s bag. “It’s the weapon which erased the Gi Dessert.”

“What!!! How is that possible? I thought the Mew ship was destroyed by you and Icy.”

“Apparently not. The question is, who’s using it.”

“What are you all talking about?” Trinity asked.

“The latest news. Something terrible has started,” Icy said. “If our suspicions are correct, we have to find out who’s controlling the weapon and stop them before more people get hurt.”

“Yeah, but how?” asked Sara.

“For now, let’s stay on track. Me and Trinity still have a few more gyms to beat. And we still have Gamma on our tail.”

“Ok. In that case, let’s goto the pokécenter. We’re at Red Island finally.” Trinity stepped onto the dock followed by Icy and Sara.

Icy still looked a bit nervous. “Icy, you ok?” Sara asked.

“Huh, yeah, I’m fine, let’s go.” The trio headed down the main road toward the pokécenter. Above the horizon was the restful volcano, Mt. Magby. Icy tried focusing on other things as the sight sent shivers down his spine.

Sara held his hand warmly, smiling. “C’mon, I know just how to cheer you up.” After leaving their pokémon with Nurse Joy, Sara dragged Icy over to the café section. “Now you just wait there, I’ll be right back.”

Sara ran up to the counter and in a few minutes came back with three big ice cream sundaes. Icy couldn’t help but smile as Sara happily spoon-fed him a scoop. “Good huh?” she asked. Icy nodded and they all ate their sundaes.

But meanwhile…

“Those foolish kids think they can escape so easily from me do they? Just you wait Icy. The power plant was just a warm-up compared to what I have in store for you this time. Mwhahahaha!!” Gamma laughed evilly from atop Mt. Magby.

“Sir, all the preparations have been completed.”

“Excellent.”

“So, this will be badge three, the fire ruby. Think you can handle it too Icy?” Trinity said.

“Huh… Oh, yea yea… a fire trainer…” Icy was still looking rather down.

“Hey, c’mon. I know you can do it. You gotta trust your skills. I’ll be there to cheer you on too.”

“Thanks Sara. I’ll give it my all.” Icy smiled back at her.

“Hey c’mon. Less talk more action. I’m ready to take on this gym leader.” Just then, Suihou leaped onto Trinity’s head. “Huh?” Suihou blinked and giggled happily.

“Hehe… is that your secret weapon for beating this gym?” Sara asked while she laughed.

“Huh, this little guy? I’ve never used him for battles. I’m not even sure he knows attacks.”

“Oh well. That’s too bad. He looks like a water type pokémon. See, he’s all bubbly and stuff hehehe.” Sara tickled Suihou who was still sitting on Trinity’s head.

“Ok, ride’s over.” Suihou jumped down into Trinity’s arms. “I’m going now. Don’t wait around too long Icy. I don’t like standing idle very long.” Trinity gathered her pokéballs and headed out toward the gym.

“That girl… she’s really out to win it all.”

“Well, so are you, right? I didn’t want to talk about it in front of her, but I know you are feeling nervous because of Buttercup. You and her have had a lot of hard times. Just try to think positive and give it your best. I’ll be there cheering for you too!”

“Thanks Sara,” Icy said giving her a hug. She was right; the main thing on Icy’s mind was Buttercup ever since the incident at the power plant. Now, all the memories of her battles against Blaine and Lance were coming back to him. “We’ll be alright this time. I’m not about to give in.”

“Yeah!”, Sara shouted triumphantly. “Oh, I wonder how Trinity is doing? Come to think of it, we don’t know a thing about this leader, not even their name.”

“She’s probably putting on the finishing touch right now.”

Meanwhile, at the Red Island Gym…

“Typhlosion, go!” Kate was on her fifth pokémon, but Trinity still had three remaining. Sneasel stood firm as the giant fire rodent scowled at her.

“Is that all you got? Honestly, an ice type pokémon usually has the disadvantage to you fire types, I expected more.” Trinity was taunting Kate, but inside she knew this could be bad for Sneasel. She needed to buy some extra time.

“You’ve been lucky up till now. Typhlosion, fire blast.” Sneasel leapt clear of the amazing fire attack, but her ice claws were no use against Typhlosion’s burning fur. “Swift attack now!” Typhlosion used its swift attack to weaken Sneasel. Unable the dodge, she fell to the ground and Trinity was left with no choice.

“Sneasel… return.” She recalled Sneasel and had only two pokéballs left to choose from. “Ok then, Kingdra, I choose you. Rain dance now!” A storm began forming as Kingdra did its rain dance in the hot springs.

“Clever, but it won’t be enough. Let’s really turn up the heat, fire blast!” Typhlosion sent another fire blast attack out but Kingdra was ready. It danced for the storm to extinguish the firery attack in mid-air. “No way,” Kate said in disbelief.

“Yeah, now it’s our turn. Hydro pump Kingdra!” Kingdra’s strongest water attack, hydro pump, was amplified by the downpour caused by its earlier rain dance, and it was all Trinity needed to force Kate into recalling Typhlosion.

“Grr… well, I saved the best for last.” Kate raised a shiny red and gold pokéball above her head and got ready to throw it. “It’s all up to you now, I choose Ninetales!!” Suddenly, the rain clouds vanished and the sun became intense. Kate was wearing her sunshades but Trinity could tell underneath she was sneering. Ninetales was glowing as it used its sunny day ability. Kingdra tried to keep most of its body in the springs just to prevent it from burning due to the sunlight, but it was no use.

Trinity knew Kingdra would become exhausted from the heat if she ordered him to fight and wisely recalled the sea horse dragon. “Well, I guess you were right, I’m gonna hafta use my secret weapon after all. I’m counting on you little buddy.” Trinity threw her last pokéball into the field revealing…

“SSSSSUUUUUUUUIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!” cooed the watery bubble shaped pokémon. Atop its head were some leaves, and its eyes. Its body was composed primarily of water and had a tail like a polywag. Suihou happily bounced around the field making Trinity wish she’d just stuck with her regular pokémon. But she had to see just how powerful a pokémon Suihou was, and gym leaders were the ultimate test.

“W..What is that thing? Is it even a pokémon?” Kate asked.

“According to the pokécenter, he’s a pokémon. I found it on Rainbow Island during the practice rounds. And now, you’re gonna bear witness to its watery rage!!!” Trinity’s grand pose failed as Suihou stood there motionless.

“Umm… he’s not moving,” Kate said sighing. Trinity facefaulted but recovered herself.

“C’mon… don’t you know any attacks? Water beam? Bubble beam? Anything?”

“You’ve never trained it? That’s not like you to use an untrained pokémon in battle, especially when it’s a gym badge at stake. Do you mean to insult me with this?”

“What!?!” Trinity became furious.

“Well then, I’ll show you why practice DOES make perfect, Ninetales, fire blast!” Ninetales blew its powerful flame blast at Suihou who ducked. Both trainers looked on in disbelief.

Suihou was meanwhile running in circles while the leaves on its head were burning. “Suiii!!! Suiiii!!!!!!!!!!!!!” he cried. Suddenly he stopped.

“Is it… over?” Kate thought.

Suihou looked up at Ninetales. Fear no longer clouded his mind, and rage was building up like a firry furnace inside him. His eyes narrowed and body glowed a bright blue. “Suiiiiiii!!!!” Without further delay, Suihou executed his most powerful attack, Bubble Cannon. Ninetales didn’t expect such a tremendous attack to come from the tiny water bubble and was thrown off balance. It slowly got back up only to be met by a water fist to the face. It’s beauty shattered and firry pride ruined, Ninetales admitted defeat and Kate accepted her loss.

“Good job Ninetales, you’ve earned a long break for a great effort.” Kate recalled Ninetales and looked over at Trinity. “I was wrong about you. You do know what you are doing with that pokémon. He’s very special, I can tell that for sure. Be careful with him, and with this.” Kate handed Trinity the Fire Ruby Badge. “Good luck on your journey.”

Trinity thanked Kate and took Suihou as they exited the gym. “Well, not too bad for your first gym battle. Thanks for coming through there.” Suihou took a heroic pose causing Trinity to giggle slightly. She froze when she looked up and saw who was walking her way.

“No no, don’t stop now,” Icy said while trying to hold back his laughter.

“Gah, put a sock in it would ya. Sheesh. You better hurry up and win that Fire Ruby badge. I’m not waiting around for slowpokes you know.” Trinity raised her head and continued walking back to the pokécenter.

“Icy, come on let’s go.” Sara tugged on Icy’s hand. “Huh, now what’s the matter?”

“I don’t think I can do it.”

“What?”

“I can’t do this. Ever since we got here, I’ve been having flashbacks of my battle with Blain back on Cinnabar Island. I can’t let that happen again, and not just that, I don’t think I can win this battle…”

“Hey, what are you talking about? You’re gonna give up?”

“Sara…”

“Pull yourself together. You want to be the greatest trainer ever don’t you? Being the best isn’t easy. And sometimes, winning comes with a high cost.”

“I’m not willing to pay such a high price a second time.”

“That’s not gonna happen again Icy. Both you and Buttercup know what to do now. But you know what? I’ll love you no matter what happens Icy, I just wanna see you give it your best!” Sara smiled and gave Icy a kiss.

“Thanks. Alright! I’ll give it everything I’ve got.”

Trinity stepped out of the bushes nearby laughing. “You two are too much… Why don’t you both just… err, nevermind that. Anyways Icy, you had better do your best. This isn’t just a normal gym battle. Losing this battle means you can’t continue.”

“What?!?” Sara gasped.

“In the Spectral League, they eliminate trainers even during the gym battle season. Besides the time limit, trainers must win consistently, otherwise, they are eliminated and hafta wait till next year to try again. That’s what makes it such a challenge. I’ve heard of championship battles consisting of only 4 or 5 trainers out of over hundreds from the start.”

“That won’t matter. I’m gonna win this battle and continue,” Icy said boldly. Sara’s eyes glimmered as she watched Icy march triumphantly towards the gym.

“Hey, no pressure. You better finish before the boat gets here though!!!” Trinity finally headed back to the pokécenter for real this time.

Icy entered the gym. “Welcome the Red Island Pokémon Gym. I’m Kate, the leader of this gym. Are you here to challenge me?”

“Yes. I’m Icy from Saffron City, Gym Leader of the Viridian Forest Bug Gym.”

“Well well. Quite the decorated one. The Indigo League is nothing compared to the Spectral League. You’ll be sorry to underestimate me. Shall we begin?”

“Let’s go!”

Sara sat in the stands to watch and cheer Icy on.

“This battle is for The Fire Ruby Badge. The challenger Icy must win to continue his league journey. This will be a six-on-six battle with no time limits. Are the trainers ready?”

“Ready!” Kate called.

“Yea!” Icy shouted.

“BEGIN!!!”

Kate spun her pokéball into the stone-covered field. Out of the pokéball popped Magby, the pre-evolved form of Magmar.

“Ready to fight, come in sight! Icy calls…” Icy sent his pokéball in releasing… “STATIC!!!” Static jumped out of the pokéball and took a fighting stance. “Let’s get to it, thunder attack Static.” Static immediately began charging his attack while Magby let loose a small flamethrower attack. It burned Static’s ear slightly.

“Keep it up Magby!” Kate looked over to Icy and was confused.

Icy held his head as images from his past memories flashed before him. “No… This can’t be happening again.”

Sara saw Icy was in trouble and began shouting from the stands. “You can do it Icy. Believe in yourself and your pokémon, and I know you can do it.”

Icy tried to get a grip on things but he was too late to save Static who had succumbed to Magby’s flamethrower onslaught. “Static… return.” Icy had to think hard about his next pokémon. “Neptune, go!”

“The challenger Icy is using a water-type, Horsea. Let’s see if it gives him an advantage.”

“Neptune, use your bubblebeam!” Neptune was very agile and managed to douse Magby with bubbles before the baby pokémon could escape. Kate was forced to recall it.

“Good comeback, but we are far from finished. Cyndaquil, go! Roast that fish!”

“No! Neptune, bubblebeam.” Neptune wasn’t fast enough this time, and as Cyndaquil dodged her bubblebeam attack, it countered with a devastating flamethrower. “Return Neptune.”

“Kate’s Cyndaquil gives her back the lead in this gym battle. The challenger, Icy, is down to only four pokémon.”

“What is wrong with me… I can’t concentrate on the battle… All I see are memories…” Icy pulled himself together again and threw in his next pokéball. “Cyber, go!”

“Huh? What the?!?”

“Now!” Cyber used the moment of confusion to attack Cyndaquil. While Kate was too busy wondering how a Porygon was in physical form, Cyber nailed Cyndaquil with a strong tackle attack sending it flying into a wall. Cyndaquil was unable to continue and Kate recalled it.

“I dunno how you got a Porygon of that type, but it’s not gonna win much longer. Okay Quilava, I choose you!” Quilava, Cyndaquil’s evolved form, appeared before the computer code pokémon. It started with a flamethrower, but hit nothing but air. “Huh? Where’d it?!?”

“He’s right there,” Icy said pointing behind Quilava. Cyber transformed to match Quilava’s fire type as it sent another flamethrower right at him. The flames went right past Cyber, not even singeing it. “Ok, now finish it.” Cyber struck back with its psybeam attack, and Quilava was done for.

“Impressive… You might actually be able to win.”

“Heh. What, oh no…” Cyber wasn’t looking too good. The excessive heat from the battle was starting to take effect on his circuits and Icy had no choice but to recall him and choose a new pokémon.

“Go Magmar!”

“Hocus, go!”

Hocus waited patiently for the clever Magmar to make its move. Magmar stood there, inspecting the waiting Kadabra, trying to select the best point of attack. Suddenly, as if for no reason, Magmar slammed its fist into the ground causing the gym floor to crumble and revealing a pit of lava below with the exception of a few left standing pillars of stone. Hocus teleported to one while Magmar waited once again.

“Hey, what was that?”

“That, is how I change the field. Ok, do it!” Magmar leapt to action, coming straight at Hocus. Hocus charged up a psybeam and fired directly at Magmar, but he was too late. Magmar was soaring above him now and counterattacked with a fire blast attack. The attack was so strong that it ripped apart the platform Hocus was standing on as Icy recalled him.

“What power…” Icy said to himself in amazement. He was out of options now. His last two pokémon were Leafy and Buttercup. Both would be no better than marshmallows waiting to be roasted over a campfire. And with the ground taken out except from a few places, Leafy would be useless. Buttercup was Icy’s only option.

“Is that it? You’re quitting now?”

“No. I must forfeit Leafy, my Gloom, she’d only be injured under these current conditions.” Kate concurred. It was unfortunate, but this sorta thing happened quite often to trainers when a field change happened. “Ready to fight, come in sight. Icy calls… BUTTERCUP!!!” Icy’s butterfree appeared over the boiling lava pit. “Ok Buttercup, please be careful.”

“Lets win this Magmar!” Magmar aimed and fired its Flame Blast attack.

“NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!” Icy shouted as Buttercup was converted back into energy and swooped into his pokéball just as the flames ripped past her last location. “I accept defeat. It’s not worth her being hurt again.” Sara was shocked, but she held her head high and ran to Icy’s side.

“Well. That’s that I suppose. Sorry Icy, you were good, but, I guess your specialty in bug-types really can’t compare to fire type pokémon. Who knows, next year, you can prove me wrong eh?” Icy was on his way out as she finished. “Oh well… I think that’s enough for one day.” As Icy was leaving, a young boy ran past him. Icy and Sara were too busy to take any notice.

“You are Kate?” the boy asked.

“Yeah, that’s me. Sorry kiddie, but the gym’s closed for today.”

“I’m not here for a battle… unless I need to have one.” A dark, sinister looking figure loomed behind the boy.

“Target… locked…” Gamma gave the signal to Eamudo. The steel bird sliced through the rocks which had been plugging the flow of magma previously on the volcano. All the while, the young kid had successfully persuaded Kate to cooperate in setting off the volcano from inside the gym.

“Who the hell are you?” Kate yelled. Her hands were tied behind her back and she was against the wall.

“Me? You wouldn’t care who I am, who I was, who I will be. All that matters is what will come. I control destiny, I control fate. I am, the Dark Lord…” Floating behind him was a strange looking pokémon Kate had never seen before. But one thing was for sure. It had a vile, evil aura around it, and Kate could only look on as they hatched their scheme.

“Icy… are you gonna be alright…?” Sara said. “You… you want some ice cream? That’ll cheer you up. Yea, c’mon, we’ll meet up with Trinity at the pokécenter and…”

“GET DOWN!!!” Icy shouted knocking Sara down. Eamudo swooped by them both, cutting Icy’s back slightly with its razor sharp wings. Icy cried out in pain. “AGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!! Sara… are you… ok?”

“Oh no, Icy. I’m fine I’m fine, you’re not. C’mon.” Sara helped Icy to his feet and threw a shiny, crystal pokéball out. “Sapphire, protect us please.” Her blue gem butterfree flew into action to combat Eamudo. “C’mon Icy, hang in there.”

“Damn!!!” Gamma hissed. Eamudo went to attack Sapphire while Icy and Sara got away. Sapphire slammed Eamudo with a psybeam then rejoined Sara. “Gah… Well, you’ll have nowhere to run in a few seconds. You’ll never get off this island in time. Bwaaahahahaha!!!”

Just then, a cloaked figure appeared beside Gamma. “You do realize… by killing Icy with the magma… you’ll undoubtingly kill Frosterpie with him.” Gamma growled.

“Shut up. Do you think I care? You wanted Icy dead, and that’s what I’m doing.”

“Not before we have Frosterpie.”

“Well then… Guess you got your work cut out for ya?” Gamma sneered and vanished with Eamudo.

“Damn you…” The cloaked man drew his cape and murmured strange words to himself. In his hands, a small ball of ice formed. “Ice magic… Freeze!!!” In seconds, the area around the pokécenter was surrounded by ice. The magma flowed past it, not even melting the ice.

From inside the pokécenter, many trainers feared for those outside. Others were wondering how long their protective igloo would hold up. Meanwhile, Sara was trying to make sure Icy was ok. “Icy, please hang in there.”

“I… I’m fine Sara… It’s only a little cut really.”

“Don’t talk. Save your strength.”

Nurse Joy came back with some medicine and disinfectant to put on the cut, but she didn’t really have much in the way to treat humans. Luckily, the cut wasn’t too deep, and Icy would be fine but couldn’t walk too easily. That was the least of their troubles now.

From a few blocks away, The Dark Lord looked at the frozen pokécenter. “At last, I’ll finally have what I’ve been searching for all these years.”

At that moment, the strange blue-red pokémon flew through cyberspace, heading towards the Red Island Pokécenter computer systems. Little magnemite guards fought in a futile effort to defend the systems, but the pokémon made short work of them. It reached the main control systems and continued with The Dark Lord’s plan.

“As long as that ice barrier holds, we should be safe from the lava,” Nurse Joy said. Just then, all the lights in the center went out. The only light came from the eerie flowing lava outside. The doors to the pokécenter opened as a dark, shady figure entered.

Icy looked up to see who it was and growled, though still weak from the wound Eamudo gave him.

The figure headed towards him but stopped when Trinity got in its path. The Dark Lord suddenly felt frozen, unable to move or do anything. “It’s low to attack those unable to defend themselves. Try me on for size. You don’t scare me. C’mon.”

Deep within The Dark Lord, as if buried inside his black, cold, cruel heart, a little boy looked onward at the girl standing before him. He recognized her. “Im… impossible…”

“Huh? That voice… it’s familiar…” Trinity stood in shock likewise.

A tear rolled down the little boy’s eye, but he was buried so deep within, his feelings could not reach The Dark Lord himself. “Si…” The Dark Lord looked over at Icy. “I’ll let you live this time… but only once more… I’m going to kill you Icy. I’m going to kill everything you hold dear, everything on this planet if I have to. I will get Frosterpie, no matter what. You won’t survive next time Icy. I swear!!!” The Dark Lord vanished just as the flowing lava cooled down and the igloo vanished.

“No, wait!!” Trinity tried to stop the Dark Lord, but he’d already vanished. “I know… that voice… But… why…”

Meanwhile. Atop the volcano, the caped man looked upon the burning city. “So it begins… What I failed to do once, I shall accomplish in this world…” The man drew his cape and vanished.

«« ENDING »»

Light harp-like music plays showing each of the main characters with their pokémon asleep. Finally, we see just an outline of a young boy, asleep with a winged pokémon and a strange pokémon beside them.