After leaving the Winstreak family hut, John noticed a towering building just next door—Trainer Hill. The gates were locked tight, and there were no clues about when it might open. It was clearly a mystery, but John recalled a detail from his previous life.
Trainer Hill would remain inaccessible until after the Elite Four was defeated. Once open, the trainers within the hill offered rare Skill TMs as prizes. It was something he'd have to check out after conquering the Elite Four. For now, it would remain a tantalizing, out-of-reach challenge.
Continuing his journey, John used Rock Smash to break apart a large rock that blocked his path. As the stone crumbled away, he found himself standing at the edge of a vast desert. The wind kicked up, whipping the sand around, making it impossible to enter at this time. The harsh conditions would need to calm before he could proceed any further.
To the left, the road led to the base of Mt. Chimney. As John moved forward on Route 112, he encountered a blockade of Team Magma members who were stationed at the foot of the mountain. They refused him access to the cable car that would take him up the mountain, citing safety concerns.
John's eyes flicked to the side, where a narrow path led into the Flame Trail, an intense volcanic terrain. It was an unforgiving landscape, with jagged rocks and molten fissures all around.
The Pokemon here were formidable. Machop, Grimer, Koffing, Slugma, Numel, and Torkoal all thrived in this fiery environment. Among them, Numel stood out, not only because of its tenacious spirit but also because it could evolve into Camerupt, capable of Mega Evolution. Torkoal, the "Little Groudon" of the volcanic region, also caught John's attention. Known for its sun-based abilities, Torkoal could make an excellent addition to any sunny-weather team.
John wasn't particularly interested in the other Pokemon, but he made a mental note to return for a high-IV Torkoal if he ever decided to build a sunny weather team.
As he navigated through Flame Trail, he noticed a large rock blocking the way. It was a solid obstruction that would require the use of a Strength move to clear. That, however, was something for later, after he challenged the Lavaridge Gym.
Exiting the Flame Trail, John found himself on Route 111. While it was technically the same route, the landscape had drastically changed, with the desert serving as a dividing line. The air was still thick with the heat of the desert, but there was no stopping now.
Further along the route, John came across an NPC who handed him a Skill TM for Secret Power. Intrigued, John listened closely as the NPC explained how the move worked. Secret Power allowed a Pokemon to create secret bases on special rock walls, trees, and even grass patches.
"A secret base? In the game, that's just a way to set up your own little hideaway, a place to store your Pokemon and items," John thought to himself. But the question quickly grew in his mind—what if this was more than just a game mechanic? What if he could really create a secret space in the real world?
Curious, John handed the Secret Power Skill TM to Kirlia and watched as it learned the move. It was late at night, but John was eager to see if his theory was true. He decided to head out with Kirlia, searching for a spot in Riverstone University where they could try to create a secret base.
Before they left the yard, however, Kirlia stopped in front of a large tree. She reached out with her delicate hand and pressed it lightly against the trunk. Almost immediately, a swirling door of light appeared, spiraling around as if pulling everything into its depths.
"Kirlia~~" Kirlia gestured with a soft nod, inviting John to step forward.
John blinked. "This tree? It's not even big enough to hide a locker, let alone a whole secret base."
But as soon as he stepped forward, he was met with a shocking sight. The tree, which he had thought was too small to even be significant, revealed a hidden space—a vast room, the size of a basketball court.
John's jaw dropped. "This… this is impossible!"
The space inside was far larger than the tree itself, defying all logic. How could such a vast area exist inside such a small trunk?
Still in disbelief, John stepped further inside. The room was fully furnished with an incandescent light hanging from the ceiling, casting a warm glow over the entire space. To his amazement, there was even a computer in the corner—a familiar interface he recognized from the game. It was a Pokemon storage system, allowing him to store items and Pokemon inside.
"This can't be real," John murmured, rushing to the computer and trying to interact with it. But the more he interacted, the more he realized that everything was exactly as it was in the game. The Secret Base was a digital replica of the game world.
Could it be that the Secret Base wasn't just a game mechanic but a real, tangible space that could be accessed anywhere? Was this a glitch in reality, or was Kirlia's Secret Power move truly creating a hidden pocket of space that John could carry around with him?
John's mind raced as he tried to make sense of it. He quickly discarded his jacket and left it on the floor. "Let's see if this works," he said. "If this is a real secret base, maybe I can store my things here and use it like the one in the game."
He exited the hidden space and returned with Kirlia to the same tree. Once again, the spiral light appeared as Kirlia pressed her hand against the trunk. This time, John stood with a mobile phone recording the event.
Entering the secret space again, he checked the phone. To his surprise, the recording time hadn't changed at all. It had been exactly one minute. When he exited and reviewed the footage, the scenery was the same, and the jacket he had discarded was still lying on the floor.
"This really is a secret base," John muttered, marveling at the realization.
The base was an independent space, a hidden pocket within the fabric of reality, accessible anywhere Kirlia used Secret Power. It wasn't just a virtual space—it was a tangible one that John could use to store items, Pokemon, or even himself.
With this discovery, the possibilities were endless. John now had a base to retreat to, a place that was always safe, secure, and hidden from prying eyes.
"Let's see what else we can do with this," John mused, already thinking ahead. With a secret base like this, he was ready for anything the journey had in store.