20 Sided Stories

POKÉMON! Pen & Paper Version

Episode 15 - Pallet Town

Air Date: April 16, 2019

[Podcast Intro music throughout.]

Sage G.C.: This podcast and series has no affiliation with Nintendo, The Pokémon Company, Game Freak, Creatures Inc., or anything in the official Pokémon franchise whatsoever. It is a non-profit, fan-made parody piece created in fair use and all product names, trademarks, and copyrights are the property of their respective owners.

The bulk of what you are about to hear was recorded live by improvisers who simply love the franchise, and we thank you for joining us on our nostalgic adventure through Kanto. Enjoy.

[Intro crescendos.]

Jessica Dahlgren: Thank you and welcome to 20 Sided Stories.

[Intro fades out.]

Episode 15 - Pallet Town

[A familiar electronic, warbling chime is heard as Candace recalls a memory. Everything sounds lo-fi, as if through a radio. Nostalgic, sad music plays on acoustic guitar.]

[A television shows a Pokémon battle.]

Candace: Jigglypuff! Jigglypuff! Get ’im, get ’im, get ’im! Oooh my god!

[Doorbell rings.]

Oh… Uh… O-one second!

[Television shuts off. Candace hurries to the front door and opens it. Birds chirp outside. The Viridian City melody comes in.]

Wha- Aunt Clair? What are you doing here? Is it my birthday? Wait, what?

Clair: Hey, Candace. How are you doin’?

Candace: [excited] Hi, hi, hi! Can I give you a hug?

Clair: Of course! I’m so excited to see you!

Candace: Yaaay!

[Candace launches forward and hugs Clair tight.]

I’m excited to see you. What are you doing here? Oh, I have so many questions for you! Come inside. Come on, come on, come on! I'll get you a water.

Clair: Okay, perfect. I've got lots to talk to you about.

[Clair steps inside and shuts the front door.]

What are you up to?

Candace: Um, you know, just doing school. Uh…I'm getting straight A's.

[Clair gasps happily.]

My mom is- she has me on the course. I'm gonna probably be a lawyer. Which, you know, is whatever. But we’re- we’re doing that. Uh, and yeah, I'm just- I'm just doing school and stuff.

Clair: Well, it sounds like you're keeping busy, but I wanna talk to you about something I think that you might find way more fun. So I don't know if you heard, but I actually just got transferred here. I just came from Blackthorn.

Candace: [excited] Wait, you’re- you're transferred here?

Clair: Yeah, I just got transferred to Viridian.

Candace: [excited] So- so you’re gonna spend more time here or…

Clair: That’s the plan, yeah. I'm replacing Blue because he sucked.

Candace: Yeah. Blue’s a fuc- Sorry, I don't want to swear in front of an adult.

[Clair chuckles.]

To Vir- so- oh my gosh! So you're gonna be here for how long? Oh my gosh, did they- are we gonna spend more time together?

Clair: Oh, yeah.

Candace: Can I come and see you?

Clair: Actually, that's exactly what I wanted to talk to you about. So do you know what I'm gonna be doing here in Viridian?

Candace: N-no...

Clair: I am going to be training Pokémon. And I wanted to see what you thought about coming and hanging out with me there sometime.

Candace: Oooh! Uh, I would love that! I so wanna do that! Um, I just don't know how my mom's gonna feel about it. ’Cause you know how she- she's—

Clair: I know, but I actually have a gift for you.

[Candace gasps.]

Are you ready?

Candace: Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!

Clair: Okay. Sit down.

[Candace sits as Clair pulls something out of her pocket.]

Candace: Okay. Down.

[A Pokémon exits its Poké Ball with a whoosh. Candace gasps. Vulpix cries out.]

Ooooh! [coos] You’re so cute!

Clair: Yeah. This is a Vulpix just for you, Candace.

Candace: A Vulpix for me?

Clair: Just for you.

Candace: Oh my gosh, she's so pretty. Thank you so much! Oh, can I- can I give you a hug?

Clair: Of course, Candace. Of course. [chuckles]

[Candace gives her another tight hug.]

Candace: Thanks! Sometimes my parents says I have to ask.

Clair: Oh, you never ask with me. Always give me a hug.

Candace: O-okay. Thanks, Aunt Clair! Wow. I have my own Pokémon!

Clair: Yeah.

Vulpix: [coos cutely] Aa!

Candace: Aw, hi there! Hi Vulpix!

Vulpix: Aa!

Candace: I’ve always really wanted to be a Pokémon trainer.

Clair: And I believe you can be the best, Candace.

Candace: You do?

Clair: I think that you are so talented and so smart and so hard-working, and I want you to stick to your dreams. Okay?

Candace: Oh, o-okay.

Clair: No matter what, I think that you could be the best and I want that for you.

Candace: You think I could be the best?

Clair: I think so, Candace.

Candace: D’you think I can be the best Pokémon trainer?

Clair: I know that you can be.

Candace: [voice breaking] Wow. Thanks, Aunt Clair!

Clair: I love you, Candace.

[Music fades out.]

[The sound of the present-day slowly creeps in. Water drips in the cave and a river trickles by.]

Candace: Where’s my Aunt Clair?

Cedric: Your Aunt Clair is dead.

[Beat.]

Candace: [quiet] No, she’s not.

Cedric: There was a landslide on Victory Road.

Candace: I know that… [stifles crying]

Cedric: There was also more than a landslide. Seems that towns are just- Ugh. I don't need to get into this. You guys can figure it out on your own.

Candace: You're a liar, liar pants on fire!

Cedric: Just know that all your training will be worth nothing. Sorry, little bro.

Skip: It's alright. It seems like family's worth nothing.

[Beat. Pidgeot chirps and wings flap, fading away.]

Sage: They fly off on the Pidgeot.

Candace: [quiet] That was a good one, Skip.

Xander: You know what I should’ve said? I should’ve said that Trainer Blue looks like the kind of guy that manages a Hollywood video. That's what he looks like.

Blaine: Alright, children.

[He ushers everyone back into the Gym chamber.]

[Suspensful music fades in.]

As the architect says, so shall you. And here unto in this- in this Seafoam Island Gym, will you all fall prey to my fiery techniques. Come here, Rapidash. Rapidly destroy them all. [chuckles]

Sage: And battle has begun.

[Dramatic battle music! Rapidash exits its Poké Ball and neighs.]

Xander: Alright. Go, Swampert!

[Muddy Waters exits his Poké Ball and cries out.]

Blaine: That guy’s got a mohawk on his butt.

Giovanni: Good god. It’s beautiful!

Blaine: [amused] It’s a mohawk made of ass-hair!

Skip: Come on Xander! Bring the fury!

Xander: It’s a fin you old, stupid, science bitch.

Giovanni: Got ’im!

Xander: Muddy Waters use Muddy Water!

Blaine: What?

Sage: Rapidash uses Hidden Power Ice and tries to conjure up some icicles from the ceiling of the cave but before it can, Muddy Waters melts the ice with its Muddy Water, extinguishing the horse’s fire, causing it to get stuck in the mud and fall over.

[Rapidash cries out as it struggles.]

Giovanni: Blaine, don’t you dare lose this duel!

Blaine: L-let me clean the ice off of my spectacles, hold on. Whoooaa!

Giovanni: God dammit, Blaine!

Xander: That’s damn right!

Blaine: Rapidash, you're dead!

[Rapidash returns to its Poké Ball with a whoosh.]

Candace: Keep up, old man!

Xander: I’m gonna make this cave new New Orleans.

Blaine: Alright. Go, Butt Face Magmar!

[Laughter.]

Sage: If you haven't seen Magmar recently, Google it. The Pokémon literally has a butt for a forehead and yes, it's canon. Blaine's Magmar is nicknamed Butt Face.

Giovanni: These damn teenagers just flood and blow up everywhere they go!

Xander: I may have a mohawk on my butt, but you got a butt on your goddamn head! This is ridiculous!

Giovanni: Got ’im!

Xander: Alright, I’m putting this thing out of his misery. Muddy Waters, use Muddy Water again!

[Mud bubbles up and splatters.]

Blaine: Do it, Magmar. Don't- do it before he does the-

[Magmar cries out as the muddy water drenches him.]

Oh. Will-O-Wisp!

[Flames flicker.]

Xander: Aw, there's a little fire on it.

Candace: [mocking] It’s so cute but, um, your Magmar’s only got a little bit longer to live.

Giovanni: That’s enough outta you, missy!

Blaine: Oh, be quiet. That’s not bad.

Xander: [sighs] Okay.

Candace: Xander, we—

Xander: Before we go any further—

Blaine: Yes?

Xander: —I just wanna say that everybody's banter when they're battling is just like… [sighs]

Blaine: What is it? You little chicken shit. Chickaboo.

Xander: Ah- just—

Candace: Do it. Do it, Xander! Do it, Xander. Unleash!

Xander: It’s just a bunch o’ insults, and I feel triggered and I don't—

Candace: Unleash!

Blaine: Trigger? I got a trigger.

[Cocks gun.]

Xander: [yells] Rock Slide!

Blaine: Whoa.

[Muddy Waters cries out. Rocks rumble.]

Sage: Right as Muddy Waters starts using landslide, it's almost as if it was learning the inner workings of the move Earthquake a little bit early. And it starts kind of mixing with its knowledge of Rock Slide and- and the tectonic ground underneath them starts rumbling and shaking. And stalactites and stalagmites are falling from above them! And, of course, a big rock falls right on top of Magmar and Magmar faints.

Candace: Whoa!

Skip: Guys, let's get outta here!

Sage: And right as it’s shaking the—

Blaine: Volcano Badge.

Sage: The Volcano Badge falls out of Blaine's hands!

[Dream Police all cry out.]

Travis: We run for it. Roll for it?

Candace: I’m reaching! I’m reaching!

Sage: Roll to catch it.

Candace: I’m reaching!

[Stat test chime.]

Travis: Everybody roll to catch it.

[Dice roll on the table.]

[Success chime.]

Sage: All at the same time, our Dream Police reach their right or left hands out and they all grab the Badge.

Candace: [straining] OoooohhhhhHHHH!

[Music climaxes and fades out.]

Sage: It merges between them, and they stop. Time freezes for a moment and they feel the perfect trinity of their team.

[Bad heavenly singing from the group.]

Never before have they felt such harmony and friendship.

[Singing holds, then...]

[Rocks crash down!]

BOOOM! The whole boulder above them crashes down and lands on Giovanni's foot.

Giovanni: [whines] Oowwwooo, OOwwwww!!

[Suspenseful music throughout.]

Skip: Quick! Let's get to the mouth of the cave!

Xander: What about him? And him?

Candace: Oh, screw ’em!

Blaine: My glasses! I can’t see a thing without my glasses.

Giovanni: Ah, I'll get you next time Cream Release!

[Laughter.]

Xander: Alright, fuck that. Let's go. Fuck this guy.

[Dramatic orchestral music picks up. Rocks continue to crash down.]

Skip: Dragonite, go!

[Dragonite exits her Poké Ball and cries out hectically.]

Xander: I’m just gonna run, what’re you doing?

Skip: Dragonite, make a path for us!

Dragonite: Raaaaaaagh!

[Water splashes. Rocks crash down.]

Sage: Dragonite jumps into the cold, cold water and all our trainers jump on her back. And as the tumbling rocks and boulders fall from Seafoam Islands and crystals shatter and Clefairy cry, and Articuno maybe perhaps flies above their heads? But they aren’t sure. They don't know because Dragonite is swimming at the speed of…

Travis: Water?

Jessica: Light!

Sage: Water, light, sound.

Greg: Surf!

Sage: Of Surf! HM 0…

McEuen and Noah: Five? (Three?)

Sage: Three? All the boulders fall. They don't have time to look behind them, but it looks like Blaine and Giovanni's fate is unknown.

[Devious Team Rocket motif plays on horns.]

Giovanni: Looks like Team Rocket’s…

Giovanni and Blaine: Blasting off agaaaaain!

[Rocks crash down. Dramatic music resumes.]

[Stat test chime.]

Sage: Roll for Effectiveness. Greg, please give me a Surf.

[Success chime.]

Success! A boulder goes ahead and falls right behind them, and then a wave pushes them right out of the exit of the cave.

Skip: Dragon rush!

[Epic shimmer! Cave and water begins to rumble loudly.]

Dragonite: Rraaaaa!

Xander: Aaaaaa!

Candace: [cheering] Woo!

[Music cuts off. Water crashes out of the cave, the Dream Police riding the wave!]

Sage: The water settles and we look behind our trainers to see Seafoam Islands crumbling inward.

[Rumbling in the distance.]

[Waves lap and birds cry throughout.]

Smoke is filling the air. It's still dark out. Very, very, very early in the morning perhaps 4:30 AM more or less. And...

[Stat test chime.]

Please roll me Sense, Skip.

[Dice roll on the table.]

[Hidden Power chime.]

Hmm. What's your Hidden Power?

Greg: Wisdom.

Sage: Wisdom. Skip remembers that the volcano on Cinnabar Island is dormant.

Skip: Xander, that Rock Slide you did reactivated that dormant volcano.

Xander: I- I don't think that can make a volcano erupt. What?

Skip: I think there's some sort of chain reaction going on. This might have something to do with the landslide on Victory Road.

[Mysterious, tranquil music begins.]

Sage: Our trainers look up to see a sky covered in smoke and stars and little tiny blown up crystals falling down slowly in a million pieces, like snowflakes. It's equally chaotic, disturbing, and beautiful at the same time. Our trainers sit in the middle of the ocean on the back of Dragonite, watching.

[Candace groans.]

Xander: Guys.

Skip: ’Sup, man?

Xander: Has every trainer that goes through this ruined as many things as we have?

Candace: No.

Xander: Okay.

Skip: We're special.

Xander: That's nice.

Candace: We’re special little snowflake crystals, falling from this volcano storm.

Xander: I’m gonna try to catch one. I wonder what it is.

Skip: I wanna…catch ’em all.

[Xander chuckles.]

Candace: I wanna taste one.

Xander: I’m tired. Anybody else exhausted?

Candace: Ow. They’re sharp.

Skip: Hey, look. What’s this little pink thing?

Candace: [gasps] Oh my gosh, it's the Badge!

Xander: [gasps] It’s the Badge!

Candace: From Blaine. [whispers] It’s the Volcano Badge.

Xander: Is it? Wait, what is it?

[Stat test chime.]

[Dice roll on the table.]

[Failure chime.]

Travis: Aw, shit.

[Laughter.]

Sage: Critical failure.

Jessica: I’ll roll!

Sage: Xander’s head hurts.

Jessica: Can I roll?

[Stat test chime.]

Sage: Yes, Candace. Please roll for, uh, Smart's.

[Dice roll on the table.]

[Hidden Power chime.]

Hidden Power Brawn?

Travis: Brawn.

[Jessica stifles laughter.]

Sage: In the nick of the excitement, Candace snatches the Badge right out of Skip's hands.

Candace: [fiercely] ooAH!

Sage: Almost breaks his hand as a matter of fact.

Skip: Ow! Good job! That was really fast.

Candace: Thanks!

Sage: She opens up her palm…

[Mysterious vision music from Episode 10 reprises.]

Candace: Uh.

Sage: And there are two Badges there.

Candace: [gasps] Get out. Is this…

Sage: A Volcano Badge.

Candace: And the…

Sage: Marsh Badge.

Xander: How did that happen?

Candace: How did…

Sage: We look up to the sky and see the stars form a constellation.

[Strange, distorted voices echo.]

It's Sabrina from the Saffron City Gym reaching out to our trainers.

[Static noise shifts around.]

She closes her eyes and disappears. This time for good.

Xander: What the fuck is goin’ on?

Skip: [quiet awe] Wow.

Candace: Dude, everything about Sabrina confuses me.

Skip: Maybe we had that Badge the whole time.

Candace: Oh my god. Guys. We- we have all the Badges. Well, minus the next one, but we've got one more left.

Skip: Really?

Candace: We just have to get—

Skip: We can do it!

[Stat test chime.]

Sage: Candace roll Health.

[Dice roll on the table.]

[Failure chime.]

Critical fail.

Jessica: Fudge.

Sage: Candace, putting together: how could we have gotten the Marsh Badge? We did not succeed in battle. We didn't even go back in after waking up. It was as if the whole thing was a dream or a nightmare.

Candace: Yeah, we didn't succeed in battle. It was like a dream. I don't remember anything. And I feel a weird, like, attraction towards Sabrina.

Xander: [confused] What?

Candace: That's another story, I'm questioning my sexuality!

Xander: [more confused] What?

Sage: And Candace starts getting visions. Spoons are circling around her. Eyes are opening and closing. Stars are getting big and small. There's this pixelated feeling as if certain spots in her vision just disappear for a moment and then, like a block just placed on a wall, come right back on. She's fading away.

[Digital, glitchy humming builds. Candace groans from the mental strain of the visions.]

Skip: Whoa… Candace! Candace!

Xander: Uh, uh, here I’m splashin’ water on her face. Candace!

Sage: Xander uses Splash. It's not very effective.

Xander: Candace. Candace! Hello! Hello!

[Beat. The glitches intensify. Candace hums. Silence.]

Sage: She's floating. She sees this weird vision. Blocks that are eroded and destroyed. She can't quite figure out what she's looking at. And then she wakes up inside of her bed in Pallet Town.

[Glitching buzzes. Quiet. A beat passes. Candace’s voice echoes heavily throughout.]

Candace: Oh my gosh. That was a crazy dream. Am I in Pallet Town? Mom? Dad? Um… Oh gosh. [groans] I guess I'll go downstairs.

[She cautiously walks down the stairs.]

Hello! Hello?

[A strange wind blows.]

Whoa. Xander? Skip? …It’s so quiet.

[Faint, constant “low health” beeping.]

Um, what is this?

[Beat.]

Pokédex?

[Pokédex chimes as it powers up, beeping constantly.]

Pokédots: [glitching static] Error. Candace error. Carter error.

Candace: What am—

Pokédots: No string found. Error.

Candace: What does that- no string found? Pokédex, what’s going on? Pokédex? Pokédex, it’s Candace. Where- where’s Xander and Skip?

Pokédots: [glitching] Reloading data chunk.

[Heavy echoing fades to a light echo. Glitching static throughout.]

Candace: It’s just a constant loading bar.

Pokédots: [glitching] Error. String not found.

[Candace groans and breathes heavily.]

Candace Carter. Cycle Seven. Error.

Candace: I don't feel so good. [pants slowly]

Pokédots: Error.

Candace: Mommy. Mommy, are you there?

Pokédots: Error.

Candace: [groans] I’m sorry. I never should’ve left.

Pokédots: Error.

Candace: I should’ve just stayed safe at home. I don't…

Pokédots: Deleting.

[Candace groans.]

Deleting.

[Scratchy electronic humming builds. Candace pants and coughs.]

Deleting. . . Deleting. . . Deleting. . .

Candace: I don't know if I can keep going. I…

[Candace pants and groans in pain and panic as the Pokédex continuously repeats “Deleting.”]

Pokédots: Deleting. Deleting. Deleting. Deleting. . .

Candace: [panicked] Get me out of here. Get me out of here! I wanna get out of here!

[“I wanna get out of here!” echoes over and over, fading out.]

[Emotional, gentle music plays on piano; Blackthorn City theme. Slight static is heard. We enter another memory.]

Clair: Kingdra, use Hydro Pump!

[Water splashes.]

Candace: [panicked] Oooh! Pixie, no! Uh, Pixie!

[Pixie the Vulpix cries out in pain.]

We don’t know which move- ah, gah! You’re drowning her! What the heck!

Clair: Oh, come on, Candace. What are you doing?

Candace: [flustered] Wh- but my Pixie’s so small and your thing’s so big and I don’t know what- what d’you want? I- you got- I- Pixie, go on, go on! [angry] Pixie! Tail Whip!

[Pixie whines.]

Clair: Candace, you know what to do. Come on.

Candace: No, I don’t! You have a Water-type. How am I supposed to defeat a Water-type? I have a Fire-type.

Clair: Come on, Candace, you know better than this.

Candace: I don't know! I don't know if I know any better than this!

Clair: You do, Candace, come on.

Candace: [dejected] Maybe I’m not supposed to be a Pokémon trainer. I'm not supposed to do any of this! I suck! And- and Pixie is not doing well, and- and she’s never gonna level up. And- and you're- and you’re not helping me!

Clair: Candace, come on.

Candace: [quiet] No.

Clair: Really? What’s going on with you? Why are you acting like this?

[Beat.]

Candace: [tearful] My mom doesn't want me to come here anymore. And then- and then if I don't come here anymore, I'm not gonna see you. And then Pixie’s not gonna be strong and I keep failing and I can't- I’m not- I don't have, um, I can't pull up on the bars and I- I can't do any pushups and Pixie [sniffle] relies on me and- and I can’t help her. And I can’t help her if you’re not there with me.

Clair: Candace, I'm always gonna be with you, okay?

Candace: [cries] But…what if- what if you’re not?

Clair: I believe in you. And I know that you can do this. You were meant to do this.

Candace: [tearful] Oh…I don’t know. I keep losing. And- and maybe my mom's right. Maybe- maybe I'm not cut out. And it's- it's not a good lifestyle and—

Clair: Candace. Listen to me. People are always going to tell you that you're not right for something. You're not cut out for something. But you need to tell them that you know, in your heart of hearts that you are meant to do this. And you're gonna do it better than anybody. Do you hear me? No one can tell you what to do except you, Candace. And I want you to remember that for the rest of your life.

Candace: [sniffles] O-okay. I- I- I can- I can do- I can do it and, uh, and- and for- for me and for Pixie and for you, I'm gonna be the best Pokemon trainer and [sniffle]… And I don’t care what my mom says! I'm gonna do it!

Clair: Yes! Exactly! You know that you're meant to do this, Candace!

Candace: Yeah!

Clair: Yes! And you will continue to do it, do you understand me?

Candace: Yes!

Clair: Good!

Candace: [tearful] Can I give you a hug?

Clair: [amused] Yes, Candace.

Candace: Okay. Thank you!

[Candace hugs her tight.]

[Music fades out. A subtle heartbeat builds.]

[Stat test chime.]

Sage: Roll for Nerve.

[Dice roll on the table.]

[Beat.]

[Success chime. Candace/Jessica cries out in relief.]

[A determined variation of the Indigo Plateau theme begins to play.]

Xander and Skip are shaking her, slapping her, splashing water from the pond.

Candace: Ow! Ah!

[Candace shoves them away.]

God, I’m awake!

Xander: Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!

[Xander repeatedly slaps her.]

Candace: Ow! Helloooo! I’m talking to you! Stop hitting me! [growls] I will fucking punch you in your nose!

Xander: [burps] Sorry.

Skip: [gentle] Hey, Candace. How you doin’?

Candace: Oh my god. What the hell is happening?

Sage: Candace looks around and realizes she is in Pallet Town. She's been out for about a day. Xander and Skip brought her to safety the best they could. Surfed on Dragonite all the way to Pallet Town. It is in the morning about 5 AM.

Candace: Wha- wh-where- Pokédex? Pokédex. Pokédex!

[Candace hurriedly unzips her backpack. Pokédex clicks on and chimes as it powers up. Music fades.]

Pokédots: Hello.

Candace: Um… Uh…

Pokédots: How d’ya do?

Candace: What was loading—

Xander: We changed the voice setting on it while you were asleep.

Candace: Uh, something was loading. What—

Pokédots: [sings] Hello my honey, hello my baby, hello my Pokémon.

Xander: We didn't do it that good.

Candace: Pokédex, what finished loading?

[The gentle chiming of a data search is heard. An error beep goes off.]

Pokédots: Pokémon not found.

[Beat. Creepy, subtle music swells.]

Candace: What Pokémon’s not found?

Pokédots: [error beep] Pokémon not found.

Xander: Is there… Did you see something? Did you see a Pokémon?

[Beat.]

Candace: No…uh… Where’s- are we in Pallet Town?

Skip: Yeah.

Candace: Weren’t we on- weren’t we on Dragonite?

Skip: Yeah, we took Dragonite right back to the place where I found her actually.

Xander: It was really special.

Skip: Yeah, we had a moment.

Sage: Cut to that moment.

[Film rewinds.]

[Water laps gently against the shore.]

Candace: Aw, Dragonite, look. It's where I found you when you were hurt!

Dragonite: [weird growl] oooo-GrraaaAAahgh!

Sage: Cut back.

[Film fast-forwards.]

[Laughter.]

Candace: Okay… I just had a really weird dream.

Xander: I took a picture. Look.

[Pokédex beeps and Xander extends it for her to see.]

Candace: [chuckles] She has a weird face when she makes that noise.

Xander: [amused] Yeah, it looks like she’s in pain.

Skip: Here’s- here’s your face.

[Pokédex beeps and Skip shows her the picture. Candace groans.]

Xander: [amused] We drew on it.

Candace: [irked] That's real mature guys. What are we, ten?

Skip: Anyways!

[Pokédex clicks shut.]

Hey, how are you feeling, though? Is your head okay?

[Mysterious music slowly returns.]

Candace: No. Guys, what is happening? There's- your brother, Skip, is with Team Rocket. And what is going on with Pokémon Petco? And- and what was going on with Professor Oak just disappearing? He had- it was like glitching. He just disappeared in front of our eyes! It seems like there's, like, Pok- mysterious Pokémon that are just flying above us all the time, and we don't know what they are and- and—

Skip: Alright, Candace, calm down. Calm down.

Candace: And I had this dream that there are these rocks these- these blocks that were, like, covered in, like, mold, like grass, but they were deteriorating and- and then I got this real weird chill. And then I was in Pallet Town and nobody was there and nobody was answering to me and then Pokédot- the Pokédex- my Pokédot! The Pokédot! [stressed] The Pokédot was, like, “Candace Car- Candace error. Carter error.” and I don't know what it all means! [tearful] We have to figure it out!

Skip: Okay, it’s a- it's a lot of stuff. Let's- let's slow it down.

Xander: [gentle] It’s gonna be okay.

Candace: Well, like, I said it all, so I don’t wanna say it again.

Skip: Okay, good coverage.

[He twists the cap off his canteen.]

Have some water.

[Water splashes in the canteen as he hands it over. Candace sips.]

Candace: Well, why are we in Pallet Town?

Xander: We didn’t know where else to go.

Skip: Yeah.

Xander: Just went back home.

Candace: We have to- we- we have to go to Victory Road.

[Beat.]

Xander: We don't have the other- don't you need all Gym Badges to get to Victory Road?

Candace: I don't care. I wanna go to Victory Road. Then let's go get the Earth Badge.

Xander: Candace, wait…

Candace: Let's go! Where's the Earth Badge? Let's go get it!

Xander: It’s- we- Candace, if we can't find your aunt, we can't get the Badge. So we're- we're… We’re kinda done.

Candace: No! You can't be done. We- we're not done! We're not done. We don't stop!

Xander: If your aunt’s dead, then—

Candace: [loud] My aunt’s not dead!

[Beat. Music fades out.]

Skip: I'm not sure where she’d go. Uh, I’m not sure—

Candace: She's out there, and she's gonna find us. And I'm gonna get that last Badge, and we're gonna be the best Pokémon trainers in the land! My aunt's not dead.

Skip: Alright.

Xander: Okay… [hesitant] Where do you think she would be?

Candace: [voice breaking] They said she was at Victory Road so we have to go to Victory Road.

Xander: [quiet] Okay.

Skip: Okay. That's where- that's where we'll go.

Xander: I think maybe we should take it- take a night. Rest. Um…

Candace: I already rested! I'm tired of resting! I'm going! And you guys can join me or I'm gonna go on my own!

[Candace walks away.]

Skip: Well, I… We gotta go with her.

Xander: Yep.

Skip: Let's go.

Xander: ’Kay.

[Footsteps fade away.]

Credits

[Indigo Plateau music slams back in.]

Marlena Jean: Thanks for tuning in! This has been a 20 Sided Stories production.

Candace Carter was played by Jessica Dahlgren

Skip Svitak was played by Greg Reasoner

And Xander Whitten was played by Travis Reaves

With Additional Voices by David Michmerhuizen, David McEuen, Noah Sturtridge, and Skylar Schock

The original music from Pokémon Red, Green, Blue, and Yellow Versions was composed by Junichi Masuda

With Arrangements and Additional Scoring by Sage G.C.

Additional Production and Audio Assistance by Travis Reaves

Game Master Assistance and Pokémon Battle Management by Grant Bouffard

Character artwork by Ariana Cabebe

Episode artwork by Marissa Bernstel

Podcast Directed, Edited, and Sound Designed by Sage G.C.

You can get the soundtrack to this series for free at

sagegc.bandcamp.com

And of course, visit our website at 20sidedstories.com

[Transcripts by Tiffany Chapman]

[Indigo Plateau motif crescendos and fades out.]

[Glitching static noise returns.]