EPISODE 35: Slowpoke!*

Azalea is also famous for its traditional belief. According to an old book which Virgo read, Azalea was once a barren land with the texture of a desert. Clearly, no one could survive the harsh heat of the blazing sun, and the drought that shrouds the place. Based on the book Virgo read, the people's only main source of water is a well, located on top of a plateau in the northern parts of the city.

However, as time passed by, the well ran out of water, thus the people began to panic. During the exact same day when the well ran out of water, a group of dopey and sluggish looking Pokemons known as Slowpoke restored hope to the civilians. Out of nowhere, it began to rain, a rare occasion during these kinds of drought. According to the book, if it weren't for Slowpokes and their mysterious power to cause rain, the Azalea we know today would be nothing but a desert.

Awkward it is, for it is the sluggish ones that brought hope in times of drought and despair for the people of Azalea, even I doubted it first, but books never lie. As time passed, Azalea's surroundings became lush and lustrous. The trees spurt, the soil darkened, and the city flourished. Azalea is popular for the immense amount of Slowpokes it has to offer.

This is the perfect breeding grounds for them, but for others, Slowpokes are a symbol of lucre, especially their tails. Ah, I've tried Slowpoke tail before, don't get me wrong, they taste delicious, much better than a Magikarp's flesh. It has the sweet taste of meat which I dearly love. Athena used to cook me such a dish every Saturday.

In Azalea, the prices are lower than those in Kanto. While heading to the well, I and my friends did a little detour to investigate some prices. Surprisingly, a slowpoke tail cost a dollar ninety-nine but in Kanto, one slowpoke tail cost 5 dollars. Maybe because the town's people are abundant with it.

Back to saving Team Rocket, the three of us, hike to the very top of the plateau. The plateau is not that perpendicularly steep nor is it too blunt. On the pinnacle, is the small well wherein I assume Ethan and the rest of our grunts are there. Charlotte makes the first move, being excited by shouting through the well. It echoed back ten seconds later, giving is a hint its depth is very deep.

"So, ropes should be handy in these kinds of situations!" Virgo tosses a rope to the bottom of the well. She ties the other hand to the hook, hanging above the ceiling. The three of us proposed a plan. We will be going down one by one in order not to intensify the rope's tension. The order is to follow: Virgo, Charlotte, then me.

During my turn to decline to the depths of the well, the rope snapped, not only shocking me but my friends as well. I fall at a fast speed, with the air pushing me downwards. As luck would have it, Charlotte's Dodrio saved me from near death. Its feathers are quite soft and warm such as a woolly night blanket.

"What happened back there?" Charlotte queries with a worried look.

"The rope accidentally snapped. Hehe." I reply back with an embarrassed look, slowly getting off from Dodrio's back.

Inside the well is a complex system of tunnels with merely any light source hanging above. The tunnels are made out of bricks of black, looking worn-out because of the lack of treatment over the years. Below us, are small puddles of either water, mud, or a bit of both. Not a single sound could be heard, except for the water droplets dripping from above, and the cries of Slowpokes nearby.

<Slow! Slow! Slow!> A random Slowpoke appears out nowhere. Its primary colors are pink, and its face is quite lousy. There are a lot of myths and legends surrounding this Pokemon on how it became the well-renounced Slowbro after being bitten by a Shellder. The dopey-looking Pokemon does not pique mine nor Charlotte's interest.

"I want to catch it!" Virgo's determination rises.

"Catch a Slowpoke? We're here to rescue Team Rocket and stop the trainer who is trying to infiltrate this well." Charlotte directs her back to the reason why we're here in the first place.

"Oh come on, it will only be for a while. Teddiursa, deploy for action!" Virgo's persistent attitude has caused me and Charlotte to sigh instead. We agreed to her plead, watching her catch a Slowpoke in the corner of the tunnel.

One hit is enough to catch a Pokemon like Slowpoke. Teddiursa's scratch attack has dealt quite the damage for capturing it. With the toss of a Pokeball, Slowpoke gets absorbed. The Pokeball shakes once... The Pokeball shakes twice... The Pokeball shakes thrice... Slowpoke was caught and registered to her Pokedex.

[Slowpoke! The Dopey Pokemon! A psychic and water type. It loafs vacantly near water. If something bites its tail, it won't even notice for a whole day.] Her Pokedex informs. Virgo beams with happiness, carrying Slowpoke's Pokeball and placing it on her Rocket Belt. This makes me curious, why would Virgo want to catch a dopey Pokemon in the first place? Does she have any plans for it?

With everything back to the ordinary, our saunter to find Ethan and Kurt continues. We follow the tunnels, trusting it to wherever it tries to lead us to. Minutes and periods pass, and our saunter is suddenly put to an end. Unexpectedly, the three of us bump into the trainer and his old companion, Kurt. It is as though as time stood still, as a massive stare down commences! No one moved, everyone flinched in a shock expression, even the trainer who dreaded our operation in the depths of this well.

Our eyes locked into each other, preparing for an upcoming feisty battle between Team Rocket and another trainer.