Last time, first badge! At the gate outside, the stopping-me dialogue repeats until she sees I do have the badge.

I’m Alexa. The Gym Leader you just faced, Viola, is my younger sister. I work as a journalist myself.

Aw, I was hoping you’d be one of the endbosses.

Here, why don’ you take this to celebrate getting your first Badge!

Well, free stuff is awlays good. This time good is an experience share. Also, apparently an experience share now shares between all pokemon, just like it did in the first gen before someone realized how horrible an idea that is.

She also says she works at a “publishing house” (not newspaper? Print really is dead, I guess), also in Lumiose.

And now there’s tufts of grass with seeds on them, and I can meet pokemon there too!

Skitty.

And ah, the exp boost just says the rest got it rather than listing them all. Not bad. But I can’t dump it off since they still haven’t reenabled the item PC.

Ah, but I can turn it off. Well then, we’re good!

It can’t stop itself from chasing moving things, and it runs in a cirlce, chasing its own tail. Also, it’s not fairy type.

Now a flabebe has appeared.

Apparently it’s not plant at all, just fairy. I was wondering how fairy managed to cancel out the weaknesses of grass. Makes far more sense for it to have just not been a grass type.

It draws out and controls the hidden power of flowers. The flower Flabebe holds is most likely part of its body.

Ah yes, there’s the stunning work ethic that’s brought us a decade of no clue what’s under a tangela’s vines.

Seems I can run through the flower bushes as well. The ones that look an awful lot like roses.

Ledyba! And it goes right into the pokeball. Friends!

When the weather turns cold, lots of Ledyba gather from everywhere to cluster and keep each other warm.

Combee! Male. I’m going to just ignore it. If they’ve introduced a male evolution, tell me.

The corphish attacks with its pincers and gets my bunnelby into the red. “Bunnelby is in a bit of a pinch! It looks like it’s about to cry…” reports the text. Aw. I can’t do anything but switch her out under those circumstances!

I guess I should backtrack to heal.

So this is the new friendship system. I feed them pokepuffs and play games to get pokepuffs to feed them, they get boosted experience but guilt trip me.

Now onward to the fountain.

Perle Fountain
Acceptance creates harmony.

Uh. Well, it’s very pretty.

Ah, burmy! I never realized it was supposed to be hanging from that spiral thing on its head. Unfortunately the way the background is it’s hanging from thin air.

A kid just challenged me with a magikarp and for the firs time ever, I feel uncomfortable beating up the pile of defenseless experience points.

This game is amazing.

And there’s two white-outfitted people blocking the way onward.

Hello there! Have you ever heard of a Pokemon called Flabebe? Wow! You have one with you! says Trousers. Thank you for noticing, game.

Flabebe is–now brace yourself–a Fairy-type Pokemon! adds Skirt.

Yeah I noticed.

Fairy-type is a new Pokemon type that was just classified recently, says Trousers. Probably. It’s covered by spiky dialogue box from Skirt: This turned the entire type-matchup system on its head! That’s a reasonable thing to scream out interrupting another person and quite accurate. I like you, Skirt.

She takes a breath and continues more reasonably, And we’ve been battling Fairy-type Pokemon against other types of Pokemon at Professor Sycamore’s request.

Yeah, I was doing that a bit and not noticing anything. Is fairy going to end up being basically a split in the normal types?

My name’s Sina! It’s a beautiful name for a beautiful lady! Skirt, no, stay focused.

I’m Dexio, adds Trousers. Two years ago, Professor Sycamore entrusted me with a Pokedex. So he is handing those out to everyone, sounds like. You could call me a Pokemon-voyage veteran. So – average length of a pokemon journey is short.

Skirt then takes over again. If you’d like, I’ll show you the way to the lab. So, come along now!

And the game gives me an option! Nice. I’ll go, though, I finished everything here.

OK! Let’s get this show on the road!

And…they run off, leaving me. Weird.

They’re waiting in the next area, a connecting room.

So, how are you and Flabebe getting along? Trousers asks. Well, actually I’ve been feeding her pokepuffs in the hopes she’ll evolve because I’m not too thrilled by the look. Incidentally, when she eats them it seems like it’s the flower consuming them. Weeeeird.

The more you walk around with your Pokemon, the stronger your friendship will become.

Incidentally, is the pokepuffs and minigames thing separate from regular happiness evolution stuff? Because it seems to increase their liking really fast.

Anyway, I get the return HM, most boring of moves.

Onward! Entering the town, which is enormous (and apparently sometimes has a doom bug that destroys your game if you save here, but I did before I was warned and survived), I’m told to follow Skirt. There’s a pokemon around that looks like a cross between an absol and a poodle.

Entering, she says the professor can’t wait to meet me. The receptionist tells me he researches pokemon evolution in particular but there’s been no sign of that yet. I wonder if the script writers just picked a random thing here.

The elevator is creepy, it doesn’t have a shaft. That seems super dangerous. I was told to go to the third floor, so naturally I go to the second, where someone gives me luxury balls while she’s saying what’s important is spending time with your pokemon.

You know what’d be a good idea? Ball upgrades. So you can spend money improving your pokemon’s pokeballs if you want them to be happier, instead of it being a matter of if you caught them in the one ball you’re supposed to.

While we’re here, I haven’t been commenting much about sprites. This is because now during battle screens we see the upper half, and the game’s always been about reasonable upper halves. But here at the lab I can see they’ve modeled these after the sprites from BW. The man has trousers and brown shoes that cover the rest of his feet. The woman has bare legs and shiny shoes that leave the tops of her feet exposed to whatever might fall on them.

Right then, third floor.

Cutscene!

So, we finally meet! Fantastic! You’re here! Come this way, won’t you?

It’s a bit much. I feel there should be more accomplishments before you’re greeted like this. Still an improvement over last game where no level of accomplishment could ever get you attention.

The woman nearby says that since I’ve done such a good job on my pokedex, she’ll give me something to help “befriend” more pokemon, false swipe! Oh, game.

Anyway, on to the professor again.

Many thanks for coming all the way from Vaniville Town! I’m Professor Sycamore! It’s a pleasure to finally meet you! How is your Pokemon journey going so far? Have you met many different Pokemon? Fantastic! Let me have a quick look at your Pokedex and see! Hmm… So you’ve seen 35 kinds of Pokemon in Central Kalos, then. Oh ho! The pages are getting filled in. It’s starting to look good! Well now, you DO have a certain je ne sais quoi!

So in the French version, does he speak English for these parts?

I have a good feeling about you! At first, I was thinking of choosing only one child from a town when I was deciding who to give a Pokemon to. In Vaniville Town, it was going to be the child of a Veteran Trainer I know. About then, I learned that the Rhyhorn racer Grace and her daughter were moving here. Here in the Kalos region, you’re far away from everything you used to know… That really hit me right here… Then it hit me–I should give you a Pokemon and have you travel around Kalos!

That doesn’t really follow, but I supposed in the pokemon universe, pokemon are the solution to everything.

Hi, Professor! It’s Shauna! calls Pinkie.

Sorry to have kept you waiting, Alt-me adds as they both appear.

Fantastic! Now, let’s all have a Pokemon battle!

RIVAL TIME YES

Your opponent shall be me!

Aw.

Oh, that was just me-me, not all the kids, so no triple battle weirdness…yet. Looks like Shauna and Calem have to fight each other. Alt-me is apparently somewhat jealous of this.

Well, I forgot to heal, but I can probably do this. Let’s go.

Just so you know, I’m not that tough!

I wish I got to fight Calem.

He opens with a bulbasaur. Dammit, game, pretend I’m not incompetent, would you? You know I got a fire type starter, you’re babying me now. And it’s a mere L10. The squirtle’s tougher, since I only have one non-fire type still in the green, but Fletchling does it. Then Fenniken verses his charmander. My pokemon just avoided a move by mindreading. This is because of happiness I gather, so yeah, trifle overpowered. Unfortunately after a few smokescreens no attacks of mine will connect, so my litleo has to go headbutt it to death instead.

Haha! You’re too much for me! You’re really something, aren’t you?

Yes. Now, about these fights, it’s winner fight winner, yes?

I think I’ve about figured it out! he says.

Figured what out? asks Pinkie.

Serena! You are an interesting Pokemon Trainer indeed! It’d be fantastic if you took another Pokemon with you!

EXCELLENT

Here! Pick one!

The starters? The original ones?

Wow.

Well, I know what game I’ll be replaying. Two starters, enormous numbers of pokemon in the early areas, minimal tutorial foot-dragging…this is great.

What to pick…

I picked a bulbasaur for Blue, and I’ve been meaning to get to know squirtle. Plus charmander have always been trouble for me, and I really can’t see getting a charmander when I already have a fire starter and a second fire type on my team doing much to impress me.

Not sure if I’ll use it regardless, but it’s the best choice.

Charmander is pretty tempting though – it’s the only one with its mouth open in a smile. But I wouldn’t use it. Next run with Croakie.

It makes me send a member of my team to the box to get it.

And I get a mega stone for it. Right, because there’s mega evolutions now. So I guess I could raise it!

Pinkie is struggling over the choices, and the professor ominously comments that the others will come soon. And indeed, the comic relief is here.

So now that we’re all here, I’d like to say a few words. Be the best Trainer you can be! At the same time, remember to have fun traveling with your Pokemon! Also, I want to ask for your help in solving the Kalos region’s biggest Pokemon mystery: the secret and potential of Mega Evolution, a new kind of Evolution that occurs in battle! That’s why I gave you that Mega Stone just now. It’s an important clue!

Okay, either you need our help or you already know the answer and are just trying to make us work it out on our own. Pick one.

Mega Evolution? What should we do about the Pokedex? says green poindexter.

Trevor, my lad, if that’s what “best Trainer” means to you, then I want you to go out there and complete that Pokedex!

This sounds really affirming but then you think about it and it’s actually condescending. Especially when the whole reason Trevor wanted to complete the pokedex was to help out the professor.

Mega Evolution sounds really interesting! Pinkie says, with her usual musical note.

If you’re investigating Mega Evolution, why don’t you check out Camphrier Town? That town has a lot of history–you might find a hint there! You’re getting obnoxious, professor guy.

He then explains If you visit many different places to complete the pokedex, you will probably see Pokemon with many ways of living and meet people with many ways of thinking and please please don’t do the BW thing again. First, accept the ways of living and thinking that sometimes conflict with your own. And think about what’s really important–this will truly broaden your horizons.

…seems okay so far.

I think being different from others is part of what makes me special, the boy who’s the kid of famous trainers chimes in with. Mastering Mega Evolution will definitely set me apart from other Trainers! Kid, this isn’t Digimon, you don’t “master” evolution, you figure out the requirements and meet them or possibly just raise up a different pokemon.

My squirtle is a girl.

My squirtle is a girl.

MY SQUIRTLE IS A GIRL.

I never get lucky like that. I was thinking I’d used up all the luck on only having to reset a bunch of times to get a girl fennekin, instead of forever like when I had to get a female eevee back in the day from Bill.

Truly I need to keep her on my team.

It shelters itself in its shell, then strikes back with spouts of water at every opportunity.

Okay, let’s chat. Professor and Calem say the same stuff they just did. Pinkie’s is to make good memories. Green poindexter is going to complete the pokedex.

Orange?

The best Trainer… If being the best Trainer had more to do with dancing, then I might have a chance.

Yeah you are a pretty useless guy who shouldn’t be taking up time in this story. At one point it did have to do with dancing, but I think everyone’s just decided to forget about contests.

Downstairs there’s some firehead guy. Villain?

So, I will be able to meet them soon, then.

No, he’s sounding distressingly reasonable for anything interesting.

Yes says Skirt, I think? Or is this the receptionist?

The children chosen by the professor… I wonder what potential they have.

It doesn’t seem to really be a “chosen” type thing, he just gives them out to kids who seem useful.

And here’s one of them now… That’s Serena. Serena, come here a sec! she calls.

Oh! You received a Pokedex from the professor then… How wonderful! That is a wonderful thing, indeed. You are one of the chosen ones.

Getting weird. But at least he’s not talking about how special he is instead, like a certain Douchey McFlamehair. Redeem the flamehair look, whoever you are.

I am Lysandre. I’ve tried to learn as much about Pokemon as I can to help build a brighter future.

So you may still be the villain. Continue.

Professor Sycamore has taught me so much. Oh, I see you have a Holo Caster! Knowledge is power, after all. Put it to good use. Now listen! It is vital that this world become a better place. And the people and Pokemon to make the world better must work tirelessly to achieve this goal. Well, I’ll be off. Please give Professor Sycamore my best. My desire…it is for a more beautiful world!

Alllrighty then!

Still… says Skirt, who’s turned to be more identifiable. I wonder what kind of beautiful world Lysandre desires…

I just hope it’s not a N situation where he’s actually right and the game doesn’t get that.

In this great big Kalos region, there are many different Pokemon I hope getting a Pokedex gives you a chance to learn about them.

Sudden topic shift is sudden.

When I try to leave, the tagalongs appear.

Lady S, there’s a place I want to go check out! cries Pinkie. So, I’ll see you around! Music note. Don’t music note me, you didn’t need to stop me to tell me that.

Calem: There’s something I want to talk to you about. I’ll wait for you in Cafe Soleil, neighbor!

Cue the tertiary characters: I wonder what Calem wants to talk about. Why couldn’t he just use the Holo Caster? says poindexter greenly.

No clue, but it seems hush-hush, Orange says. I AM curious about what’s going on, but we should probably stay out of it. Why do you exist.

Then Orange decides to tell me how to get to Camphrier Town. Go away. Somewhat more usefully, he adds that’s the direction the cafe is, but I’m exploring the city no matter what.

Seems Pinkie was here to check out this video edit thing. It’s okay, kind of clunky interface and half her poses are poor. Wonder how the boy’s compares.

There’s also a changing room, which is some good design. Serena gets to change back into her skirt outfit, since we’re somewhere it’s actually suitable for (minus the fact she’s nearly flashing people, but hey, let’s just ignore that). Right now we’re in the city, so she can wear a city outfit.