Chapter 82: Fossil Island

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The next morning:

"Linnea, how long have you been staying in Pearl City? Has the Gym Leader returned yet?" Kalia casually asked while getting ready for the day.

"I've been here for a month now. The Gym Leader went on a sea expedition and hasn't been seen in quite some time." Linnea shook her head; it had already been over half a month since the Gym Leader embarked on her adventure.

"Still not back?"

If the Gym Leader remains absent from the gym for too long, the Pokémon League may impose penalties and temporarily assign another Trainer to fill their position. Exceeding a certain duration could result in losing the Gym Leader status altogether, along with all associated benefits.

With Gym Leader Moran away at sea for such an extended period, it's likely that soon, the League will need to send a temporary replacement, causing Kalia some concern as it would further delay her gym challenge by several days.

At the Pearl City Pokémon Center, most residents were new trainers, with very few beginner trainers present. For Kalia, conducting practical training here proved ineffective due to the lack of suitable opponents.

Her only option was to seek real-world combat training outside Pearl City. With the ocean surrounding the area, the best training grounds would be on uninhabited islands beyond the mainland.

However, this meant purchasing boat tickets to reach those wild islands, adding another expense. Kalia's money didn't grow on trees; reckless spending could deplete even the largest savings eventually.

"Looks like I need to find opportunities to earn some extra cash."

Currently, she was focusing on training just two Pokémon, but once she acquires a third or fourth, the expenses will multiply rapidly. Many Trainers have part-time jobs for this very reason; otherwise, it becomes unsustainable to support so many Pokémon.

Real-world combat training cannot be neglected, so Kalia had no choice but to prepare herself financially. Several Trainers often visit undeveloped offshore islands, occasionally encountering rare Pokémon they can capture.

However, these wild islands also pose significant dangers. Some islands are densely populated with Poison-type Pokémon, where one misstep could not only poison the Pokémon but also put the Trainer at risk. Therefore, thorough preparation is essential before embarking on such journeys.

***

Pearl City had multiple ports leading to various destinations, with different types of S.S. Tickets available. The most expensive were tickets to the Ellie Region, while the cheapest were for unexplored islands.

At Pearl City's coastal pier,

After finishing breakfast, Lian accompanied Kalia to the pier. Today's weather was splendid, bright and sunny - his favorite kind.

Lian learned that the Water-type Gym Leader still hadn't returned, which was unfortunate but unavoidable. To maintain daily practical training, Kalia decided to take him by boat to a wild island for exercises.

Kalia purchased two tickets for Fossil Island; it earned its name due to numerous Kabuto fossils discovered there in the past.

The island is home to many wild Kabutos and insect-type Pokemon, making it a relatively resource-scarce location.

She bought dual tickets because these wild islands often harbor hidden dangers. Even with Pokemon protection, traveling alone can be extremely risky, so it's customary to form groups of two for safety.

After purchasing their boat tickets, Kalia headed to Pearl City's Pokemon Center to buy essential remedies for abnormal conditions and some Repel spray as a precaution. In case her Pokemon couldn't continue battling, these sprays would protect her from wild Pokemon attacks.

With preparations complete, Kalia awaited her fellow passenger. The departure time was set for 10 AM, leaving them with half an hour to spare.

To Kalia's surprise, her co-passenger was also a girl, though it wasn't unusual; typically, passengers of the same gender were paired together unless specifically requested otherwise.

The newcomer was a rookie Trainer named Mani. Similar to Kalia, due to the absent Gym Leader in Pearl City, she couldn't obtain her badge yet and sought to train her Pokemon on the wild islands.

Mani had already caught two Water-type Pokemon: one Marill and the exclusive starter offered by the Pokemon League, Mudkip.

Kalia felt uncertain about Mani venturing to Fossil Island so early, especially since her Mudkip hadn't evolved yet. She thought it might be better to first challenge the Ground-type gym in Kana City. With the advantage of her Water-type Pokemon, securing her first badge could be swift.

However, this was Mani's decision, and given their lack of familiarity, Kalia didn't feel comfortable voicing her concerns.

Mani tended to be quiet; after boarding the ship, she barely spoke, except for when Kalia initiated conversation.

The vessel sailing towards Fossil Island was a small boat, accommodating only three or four people at most, with just Kalia and Mani on this trip.

As Lian boarded the ship with Kalia, he felt slightly uneasy, experiencing what seemed like seasickness. His head spun dizzily, particularly intensified by the uncomfortable sound of water splashing as the boat moved forward.

Kalia quickly noticed Lian's discomfort and understood the cause immediately. Fire-type Pokémon generally have some fear of seawater, and Charmeleons are no exception.

This reaction is quite normal. Typically, storing a Pokémon inside its Poké Ball would alleviate the issue, but the problem here was that Charmeleon had refused to enter one.

Concerned, Kalia asked, "Charmeleon, are you okay? Is everything alright?"

Lian glanced at Kalia, feeling utterly drained and unable to muster any strength to respond. The surrounding water energy instilled fear within him, stemming from his elemental nature.

"Um, why not use a Poké Ball?" Mani observed softly, questioning gently.

"Charmeleon doesn't like entering Poké Balls..." Kalia offered a vague explanation, somewhat helpless as there was no easy solution.

"My Marill knows the Sing move. Would you mind if I try lulling Charmeleon to sleep with it?" Mani suggested kindly.

"Yes, please. Thank you," Kalia expressed her gratitude. Normally, Marill cannot learn the Sing move unless through inheritance; evidently, this Marill had inherited the ability.

Subsequently, Mani commanded Marill to start singing, filling the cabin with its crisp and melodious voice.

As Lian heard the song, he couldn't resist being captivated. He gradually relaxed his resistance, allowing the soothing effects of the Sing move to take over, slowly drifting into slumber.

Kalia felt relieved seeing Charmeleon asleep, and her appreciation for Mani grew stronger.

When Lian woke up, the discomfort had vanished. They were already ashore, indicating that Kalia had reached their destination, Fossil Island.

Upon purchasing the S.S. Ticket, they received a complimentary map of the island. It showed that most of Fossil Island consisted of sandy beaches and forests, with numerous Bug- and Poison-type Pokemon inhabiting the woods, while the sandy areas housed Rock-types, including Kabuto's habitat.

Fossil Island was one of the few places where Kabuto still thrived. This species has a long history, dating back to ancient times during the era of early Pokemon evolution.

Noticing Lian awake, Kalia asked, "Feeling better now, Charmeleon?"

Lian nodded, indicating he was back to normal. He preferred solid ground; traveling by boat was truly uncomfortable. Just thinking about having to take another boat trip back to Pearl City in a few days gave him a headache.

"Let's get going. First, we need to find a place to set up camp," Kalia said, relieved to see Charmeleon recovered. She turned to Mani, suggesting they secure a safe spot, pitch their tents, and then commence practical training exercises.