The Hydroid Cronicles
Episode 1: Enter Ember Gym!

"*Enter Ember City, the city of burning hope and desires.*" read the sign as I walk through the giant stone arch.

"Dextra, where'd you say the gym was?" I say.

"Straight ahead. And I suggest you use Squirtle for this match, the professor told me about all the gyms and she said this one specialises in fire types."

"Well, that's good news. Squitle's the only one I have, not counting that pidgey I caught the other day. I'm not sure if pidgey's strong enough yet. I just caught it and it's not used to me."

"Don't worry, it'll get used to you in no time."

"Ok." So I walk on, and I don't say another word until I get there.

*At the gym*
I knock on the giant red doors of the gym. The enormous brick building towers over me. The doors open, and I walk inside.

*Inside the gym*
"Finally, my first gym battle! I can't wait!"I say excitedly as I wait in a small room for my very first gym battle. What's taking that other guy so long to finish the battle? He should be done by now, it's been a half hour already...

"NEXT!" cried the loudspeaker. Finally!

I walk through another set of doors, smaller this time, and I end up inside a huge stadium. What's with this city and big stuff anyway? The last battler (a guy with jet black hair and blue eyes) walks past me, with a very beat up pikachu in his arms, saying "good luck, you're gonna need it." What for? Electric against fire is always a tough match.

I walk on, although my confidence is hanging by a thread. The only thing keeping me back from running out of here screaming at the top of my lungs is Squirtle's words when I first saw it. As Professor Maple (my hometown, Air City, has a Pokemon professor, too) handed me the Squirtle she picked out for me (she knew I had a thing for water types) and Dextra, it said to me, "Sqirtle squirt, squirtle!" Of course, I didn't understand that very well, but Dextra(using her built in Pokemon-translator) said, "Squirtle says it thinks you're a great trainer, and it hopes you will train it to its fullest potential, no matter what the risks."

Hopefully, those risks didn't include losing. There's no turning back now, though, as I walk towards the gym leader standing at the far end of the stadium.

*Next Episode: The Red Badge of Desire!*